Advika Mukherjee

The history behind Convocation

The history behind Convocation

BY LILY REAVIS ‘21

Though some archive records claim that Convocation has taken place annually since 1837, there are no formal accounts of any such event until 1931. If there was a tradition before then, it was likely very different in style. The official establishment of Convocation in 1931 marked a turning point for Mount Holyoke College. Today, Mount Holyoke College’s Convocation is a loud, vibrant celebration of the school’s community, but it wasn’t always that way; the tradition was originally far more formal and focused on individual student awards.