Jeffrey D. Sachs Contributed photo

Last week Headmaster Shanahan announced that Jeffrey D. Sachs will be the commencement speaker for the class of 2008. This is the third commencement speaker the class has been assigned. In light of the many changes of speaker, Mr. Shanahan guaranteed that Sachs would indeed be speaking in June.

Karl Rove, who was the original commencement speaker, spoke to the school in February after the senior class voiced their concern to the headmaster about the divisive figure giving remarks on their ceremonial day. Upon rearranging Rove’s appearance at the school, Mr. Shanahan announced that the Head himself would be the class of 2008 commencement speaker. Many seniors were disappointed that the school was not bringing in a speaker from outside the school.

“I started pursuing another speaker one week after Rove was rearranged,” said Mr. Shanahan. It was already February though and Mr. Shanahan wondered if worthy speakers would still be available. “I didn’t want to make a hollow promise to the class that it was going to be someone from the outside and then not find anyone, so I just said it was going to me.”

Mr. Shanahan was thrilled when Sachs agreed to deliver the commencement remarks. Sachs, who is the director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University and Quetelet Professor of Sustainable Development, embodies the conservation theme that the school is currently promoting. Sachs’s work encompasses economic development, poverty relief, and environmental sustainability. Time magazine named Sachs one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2004 and 2005. The World Affairs Council of America named him one of the 500 most influential people in foreign policy in the United States. One of his most noted books, The End of Poverty, was a New York Times bestseller.

Choate is hoping to be one of the leading preparatory schools in the conservation movement. This year the Sustainability Committee was created to catalyze the school’s green efforts and raise awareness about the environmental issues facing the school. Herb Kholer, the President of the Board of Trustees, recently donated ten million dollars to the school to build a conservation laboratory in the undeveloped area behind the science center. This project began rolling after plans for building a professional golf course fell through.

It seems that everything has worked out for the best for the class of 2008. “After I announced that I was going to be giving the commencement remarks, I heard of some seniors saying ‘I’d rather have Rove, than no commencement speaker,’” said Mr. Shanahan. “I want to bring in someone exciting for the students.”

Many students seemed oblivious to the change. “What, what, who?” asked Sneja Dontula ’09 upon hearing that the speaker had been changed again.

Seniors seemed to be happy that the sittuation had finally been resolved. “I’m all for it,” said Peter Borgstrom ’08.

According to Mr. Shanahan, Sachs is thrilled to be speaking at the school. “We originally thought he was going to have to fly out on a private jet, but he rearranged his schedule for us.”