Joe Wilensky/Cornell Chronicle

President David Skorton greets Mary Kovalcik, 90, of Joliet, Ill., under the tent on the Arts Quad May 24. Behind Kovalcik is her grandson, Mike Bosmeny '08, Arts and Sciences. At right is Mary Opperman, Cornell's vice president for human resources.

Lindsay France/University Photography

President Skorton and his wife, Professor Robin Davisson, pose for a photo with Hotel School graduate Krishna Oakman, center, and her parents, Willie and Adrienne, and sister Nikki at the President's Family Reception on the Arts Quad, May 24.

Joe Wilensky/Cornell Chronicle

Robert and Cassandra Henry of Washington D.C. swing their son, Matthew, 2, on the Arts Quad May 24 following Convocation. Both Robert and Cassandra will receive their Ph.D. degrees this weekend; Matthew's grandmother made the tiny set of doctoral robes he is wearing.

Lindsay France/University Photography

President Skorton and graduating senior Matthew Naides have known each other for many years: Naides attended kindergarten with Skorton's son, Josh, in Iowa.

Last July, Mary Kovalcik suffered a heart attack at age 89. Her only option, the doctors said, was bypass surgery. She considered not undergoing the procedure. Then her son, David Kovy, sent out e-mails to family members in 15 states. She got 45 calls in the next few days.

The one call that really made the difference was from her grandson, Mike Bosmeny. He asked her to keep her promise that she would attend his graduation from Cornell.

Kovalcik had the surgery, which was successful, and traveled from Joliet, Ill., to attend Commencement Weekend at Cornell. And on Saturday, May 24, she smiled with pride, as Bosmeny and other family members wheeled her into a tent on the Arts Quad to meet Cornell President David Skorton.

"I'm so glad she lived to be 90 and to see her grandson graduate," Kovy said.

She was one of many hundreds greeted under a huge catered lunch tent by Skorton and his wife, professor Robin Davisson, along with Peter Meinig, chairman of the Cornell Board of Trustees, and wife Nancy.

The extended family members, alumni, friends and graduates who filed into the tent included many who, despite advanced age or limited mobility, were obviously thrilled to be there.

"Graduating is a family experience. It's not just an experience for the graduate," Skorton said, in the midst of personal chats with those who filed into the giant tent.

That observation was particularly true outside the Arts Quad tents, where Robert and Cassandra Henry frolicked with their son, Matthew, 2. Both are receiving their Ph.D. degrees from the College of Arts and Sciences this year, Robert in Romance studies and Cassandra in German studies.

Their bright red academic robes with bold black stripes were perfectly matched, in miniature form, by Matthew -- who wore Ph.D. robes in just his size.

The outfit was made from scratch by Cassandra's mother, Jayne Campbell, working from online photos from last year's Commencement, sent by Cassandra and Robert.

"His degree is in letters," Robert said with a smile. In fact, atop the tassel on Matthew's mortarboard, instead of an "08," was a colorful "ABC."

The day's weather was picture perfect on Saturday, with temperatures in the upper 60s and plenty of sunshine. "This is a hit no matter what the weather is," said Meinig. "Rain or shine, this is one of the parents' and students' favorite events."

Added Skorton: "The graduate, of course, had the courage and energy to be admitted and go through [Cornell's] rigorous program, but the family dreamed the same dream -- they may have sacrificed, probably did sacrifice, to meet the price of higher education. They dealt with any number of issues along the way that may have come up. And this is a weekend [that is] very much for the extended village that helps every student get through.

"So it's amazing, the people we've seen come through here, to celebrate everything that's happening."