Fenway graduation idea benched, as NYU plans Yankee field ceremony

PUBLISHED by The Daily Free Press

Boston University students won't have to coordinate their graduation gowns with the Green Monster anytime soon.


Though New York University students will get their diplomas at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx this May, BU will hold its traditional commencement on Nickerson Field.

"I'm sure it's been discussed previously," BU spokesman Colin Riley said. "In essence, we're having it on the Braves' field. They used to play here, so it's a similarly historical location."

Riley said moving about 35,000 commencement guests to Fenway Park would be inconvenient because bringing in all guests and equipment when a sufficient venue is available "doesn't make sense."

Fenway Park events spokesman Ed Carpenter said Red Sox home games may conflict with the graduation date and preparing the field for commencement would be a source of concern.

NYU is holding its ceremony in Yankee Stadium because few other venues are large enough, NYU spokeswoman Kelly Franklin said in an email. She said the University Senate faculty, administrators and students voted on the location based on student feedback and stadium accessibility.

Franklin said the majority of NYU students have responded positively but, some NYU Red Sox and Mets fans denounced their commencement location, calling the stadium the home of "the Evil Empire," according to an article in the NYU student newspaper, The Washington Square News.

The idea of a BU graduation at Fenway produced mixed responses among BU students.

College of Communication senior Monty Bennett said in an email that he thinks a Sox commencement is "a terrible idea." He said all students can take pride in graduating on campus, but the same would not be true for a Fenway graduation.

"Graduating is a big part of life, and a large portion of BU students are from the Tri-State area and are Yankees fans," Bennett said. "Many of whom, I'm sure, would consider graduating in Fenway like getting married in a sewer."

Red Sox fan Chris Martin said he disagreed.

"I'd love it," Martin, a School of Management sophomore, said. "It'd be the best day of my life."

College of Arts and Sciences sophomore Edward Frederick said commencement should stay on campus.

"Boston has so many universities, it could be any one," he said. "You should be connected to where you graduate."

School of Education freshman and New Yorker Brianna Kelly said her father and uncles are Yankees fans, and they would probably complain about a Fenway ceremony.

"They would obviously come to see me graduate, but they would make some sort of comment, and probably wear Yankees hats," she said.

Yankees fan Meredith Mills, a School of Hospitality Administration freshman, said she would have mixed feelings about graduating in Fenway as well.

"As a baseball fan, it's a cool stadium . . . it's unique," Mills said. "At the same time, I would be annoyed, because being a BU student doesn't mean you have to be a Red Sox fan. I would probably prefer another place."