Harvard Business School kicks off Class of 2007 with 900 students

American Express chairman and CEO Kenneth Chenault was the Distinguish speaker at the programme. He spoke to graduates about the values of leadership in the world today. Student speaker Paul Hunyor reflected on his years as a degree candidate at both Harvard Business School and the Kennedy School of Government. Several awards and distinctions were awarded during the commencement week.

As part of the Commencement ceremony, the Class of 2005 honored four faculty members for excellence in teaching: Professor David Moss (who teaches Business, Government & the International Economy in the first-year required curriculum), Professor Andre Perold (Finance in the required curriculum), Professor Bharat Anand (Corporate Strategy in the second-year elective curriculum), and Associate Professor Youngme Moon (Consumer Marketing in the elective curriculum).

The top five percent of the MBA Class of 2005 (46 graduates) left HBS with high distinction as Baker Scholars, named after the Schools first benefactor, George F. Baker. Fifty-three students received their diplomas with distinction.
In conjunction with the Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, HBS also awarded 12 Ph.D. degrees -- seven specializing in business economics, two each in the fields of health policy and organizational behavior, and one in informational technology management. Five students were awarded doctorates in business administration.