Harvard commencement addresses, with their centuries-old history, are welcoming their first-ever Chinese orator on May 26.

He Jiang, a 2016 Harvard PhD graduate in biochemistry, will deliver a speech representing the university's 13 graduate and professional schools at the commencement on Thursday. Other guest speakers sharing the podium include Academy Award-winning director Steven Spielberg.

By tradition, Harvard selects three graduating representatives to speak at the commencement: One of the orations is delivered in Latin by a graduating senior from the college; the second, in English, is also by a graduating college senior; and the third by a student representative of the graduate and professional schools.

After three rounds of fierce competition, including drafts and auditions, three orators were chosen by a panel of judges to deliver an address - from memory - to an assemblage of about 32,000, including members of the governing board, honorary degree recipients, faculty, parents, alumni and graduates.