Bringing up the rear
Some things never change about Commencement: the hordes of parents, a sea of black and crimson robes, throngs of excited seniors loitering nervously in towering heels or stiffly collared shirts. And, for as long as most people involved in the ceremony can remember, Mike Lichten has been among them, taking on the daunting task of shepherding graduates on the big morning. “It turns out they’re not all that interested in regimentation,” he said with a wry smile. If Commencement is about tradition, and tradition depends on continuity, then Lichten is one of the living symbols of Harvard’s annual Morning Exercises. Every year for the past quarter-century, Lichten has donned a cap and gown and reported for duty at 6:45 a.m. to serve among the marshal’s aides, a group of Commencement volunteers who direct guests and lead the procession of graduating students into Tercentenary Theatre. “He’s one of those unsung heroes,” said Grace Scheibner, the University’s...