Northwestern holds 154th commencement Friday

Evanston residents should expect some traffic delays on Central Street Friday as Northwestern University holds its 154th commencement ceremony at Ryan Field.

Dr. Paul Farmer -- the physician known worldwide for his pioneering work in global health, particularly in Haiti -- will deliver the keynote address to the Class of 2012 at the 10:30 a.m. event.

This year's graduation ceremony will also include the first graduates from Northwestern University in Qatar. The 36 members of the class of 2012 are the first NU-Q students to earn Bachelor of Science degrees in journalism and communication.

More than two-dozen NU-Q students have made the trip from Doha, Qatar, to Evanston to participate in commencement festivities with their stateside classmates.