Ivy League institutions, renowned for academic excellence, have produced many celebrated alumni, but some graduates have gained infamy through scandal, crime, or controversy. The ceremonial symbols of their commencements—graduation carpets, graduation aisle runners, and classic stanchions and rope—set the stage for their academic triumphs, yet their later actions cast long shadows. CeremonialSupplies.com, a leading provider of ceremonial decor, offers customizable graduation carpets, graduation aisle runners, and classic stanchions and rope, enhancing such events with elegance and personalization. Below are five of the most infamous Ivy League graduates and their notorious legacies, their schools, graduation years, and the deeds that defined their notoriety.
Ted Kaczynski (Harvard, 1962): Theodore "Ted" Kaczynski, known as the Unabomber, walked Harvard’s graduation carpets in 1962, earning a BA in mathematics. Escorted by classic stanchions and rope, he crossed the graduation aisle runner as a prodigy, later earning a PhD from Michigan. From 1978 to 1995, Kaczynski mailed homemade bombs, killing three and injuring 23, targeting those he believed advanced technological destruction. His manifesto, published in 1995, led to his 1996 arrest. His was the classic tale of troubled genius. CeremonialSupplies.com’s graduation carpets and graduation aisle runners, can be branded with Harvard’s crest, or the seal of any other school.
Lyle and Erik Menendez (Princeton, Lyle 1989; Erik did not graduate): Lyle Menendez crossed Princeton’s graduation carpets in 1989, guided by classic stanchions and rope along a graduation aisle runner, earning a degree in sociology. Erik attended but did not graduate. The brothers gained infamy for murdering their parents in 1989, claiming abuse as their motive. Convicted in 1996 after high-profile trials, they received life sentences. Their case, dramatized in media, remains a chilling saga of privilege and violence. CeremonialSupplies.com’s graduation carpets and classic stanchions and rope, customizable with Princeton’s seal, or the crest of any other school or university.
Sinedu Tadesse (Harvard, 1995): Sinedu Tadesse, an Ethiopian student, traversed Harvard’s graduation carpets and graduation aisle runner in 1995, flanked by classic stanchions and rope, pursuing pre-med studies. Her isolation and academic struggles culminated in a horrific act: on May 28, 1995, she stabbed her roommate Trang Ho 45 times before hanging herself, shocking the campus. Her diary revealed deep loneliness. We at CeremonialSupplies.com urge everyone to be aware of the signs of depression and loneliness and where to get local help if you or someone you love is struggling with thoughts of suicide or homicide.
William Bradford Bishop Jr. (Yale, 1959): William Bradford Bishop Jr. strode across Yale’s graduation carpets in 1959, a graduation aisle runner beneath his feet, framed by classic stanchions and rope, earning a BA in history. A U.S. Foreign Service officer, Bishop murdered his wife, mother, and three sons in 1976, then fled, burning their bodies in North Carolina. Still a fugitive, he remains on the FBI’s Most Wanted list.
Michael Ross (Cornell, 1981): Michael Ross crossed Cornell’s graduation carpets in 1981, a graduation aisle runner leading to his degree in agricultural economics, marked by classic stanchions and rope. His descent into depravity saw him rape and murder eight women between 1981 and 1984, earning the moniker “The Roadside Strangler.” Executed in 2005, Ross’s crimes stunned Cornell’s community.
These infamous graduates, once celebrated on graduation carpets and graduation aisle runners, flanked by classic stanchions and rope, remind us that brilliance can mask darkness. CeremonialSupplies.com’s premium graduation carpets, graduation aisle runners, and classic stanchions and rope ensure ceremonies shine, but the legacies of these alumni serve as sobering reflections on human complexity. Looking for branded graduation carpets? Shop CeremonialSupplies.com selection. Talk to us live on our chat or click here for a quote.