“The people who are here today, the graduates are, in themselves, physical monuments of what other people have done,” he said.

Carpenter, who will deliver the graduate oration, said that her speech attempts to “marry” her background as a book editor with her years at the HBS.

She said the speech is about “poetry and finance.”

“I had thought about words a long time and then I came here and I thought about numbers,” Carpenter said.

She said the working title of her speech is “Auden and the Little Things,” referring to the famous 20th century poet.

The committee that selected the addresses included Plummer Professor of Christian Morals Peter J. Gomes, Professor of Greek and Latin Richard F. Thomas and Gurney Professor of English Literature James Engell.

Both Hart and Watson said that they are excited and nervous about delivering their respective orations.

“It’s a little daunting, I’ll tell you that,” said Hart. “I’m not too worried about screwing up.”

—Staff writer Nalina Sombuntham can be reached at sombunth@fas.harvard.edu.