160 Students Graduate From Hun School’s Class Of ‘23 In Princeton

PRINCETON, NJ — As most of the smoke and haze from the Canadian wildfires cleared up on Friday, 160 students from 14 countries.

Celebrated their commencement ceremony at the Hun School in Princeton.

The school’s 109th Commencement celebrated the accomplishments of the Class of 2023’s among family, friends, and faculty.

Around 1,500 people gathered on the lawn behind the historic Russell Hall to cheer for the graduates from all over the world.

Class of 2023 Speaker Hanan Hasan Alsaffar spoke about her experience of traveling 5,000 miles from her home in Bahrain to The Hun School and her fear of not being able to fit in.

She soon realized that the more she “took an active role in the community, the less homesick I was, and the more fun I had.”

Alsaffar said all of her classmates were “leaders who made a change at Hun and will make a difference wherever they go next.” But above all, they “led Hun by being kind, welcoming, and accepting.”

The occasion also saw Head of School Jon Brougham, preside over his final Commencement before retirement. “They bring to our community every possible point of view, the most diverse talents and virtues to be found on any campus, anywhere,” Brougham said.

“But our graduates share much in common: Each is a living example of the values we hold dear.”

Brougham was surprised with an honorary Hun diploma from Ryan Hews, head of the Upper School, before the conferment of the graduates' diplomas.

The graduation students will be heading to 102 different colleges and universities, in the U.S. and abroad.

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