January 28, 2002

Contact:

Adrianne Tucker

802-443-5629

satucker@middlebury.edu

Posted: January 28, 2001

MIDDLEBURY,

VT-

More than 100 students from the class of 2002 expect to

receive bachelor of arts degrees from Middlebury College

upon the mid-year completion of their academic requirements

at the liberal arts institution in Vermont. Although these

graduates complete their degrees early, they must

nevertheless wait until May to receive actual diplomas. To

more immediately honor their accomplishment, the College

plans a special weekend of mid-winter celebration. This

year, the annual “ski-down” in cap and gown will take place

on Saturday, Feb. 2, at the Middlebury College Snow Bowl in

the nearby Green Mountains.

Following the custom

initiated by mid-year graduates over a decade ago, most

students choose to participate one way or another in the

festive procession on the slopes. Led by a Middlebury

College standard-bearer, honorees ride the chairlift up the

mountain and parade back down again in a procession of caps

and gowns, regalia-bedecked faculty, blue and white

balloons, skis, snowboards, sometimes snowshoes, and

sometimes toboggans to the cheers and hearty congratulations

of family, friends, and College faculty and staff waiting

below.

The College also looks forward to

seeing its ski-down graduates return later each spring, when they join

the rest of their graduating class at the College’s official commencement

ceremony on the main campus in May.

Read

student Jared W. Miller’s February Graduation Speech

For more information

prior to the event, contact Heather Cahill, Middlebury

College alumni and parent programs, 802-443-5192.