- 10 times I've had the chance to look out
from this commencement stage
at what has got to be the sweetest of sights.
You are graduates standing before us, ready to unleash
your talents and passions to do good in the world.
Congratulations again to each and every one of you.
(audience applauding)
Your friends and family with us today,
quite rightly beaming with pride.
They've offered you so much love and support
during your time at Dartmouth and throughout your lives.
Our faculty and staff who have fed your curiosity,
nurtured your minds, and invested
so much of themselves in your success.
And the 50th reunion class, seated beside you
as you graduate, reminding us of the important role
that Dartmouth's past plays in its future.
More than 50 years ago, in the summer of 1972,
I first laid eyes on this sacred place.
I was a shy, introverted, high school junior
from a small town in the Adirondack Mountains.
I had no idea of what college was supposed to be
or supposed to look like.
And yet one look at the green and the majesty
of Baker Tower behind it and I knew that this was it.
This was where I wanted to spend my next four years.
I've learned over the years that Dartmouth
calls to each of us in different ways.
For some, it's the powerful visual allure
of the place, as it was for me.
Others of you may have been impressed by a Dartmouth alum
speaking passionately about their time on campus.
Some of you were drawn by the sense of community
you felt during dimensions.
For others, it was the challenge of an Ivy League education
or the promise of extracurricular opportunities
that lured you in.
But no matter the reasons why we choose to come to Dartmouth
we all receive two special parting gifts as we graduate.
The first is the gift of the Dartmouth family.
I know of no stronger community
in all of higher education than ours.
Welcome to the cult. (audience laughing)
(audience cheering)
Rarely have I met a Dartmouth alum who didn't say
that their best friends in life are their Dartmouth friends.
I know mine are.
And look no further than Phil and Chris
to see how Dartmouth friendships can change your life.
And if you ever reach out for wisdom and advice
to another member of the Dartmouth family,
even one you've never met,
chances are they'll take your call
and they'll help however they can.
As my good friend and fellow trustee Jeff Crow puts it,
"The Dartmouth community will never let you down. Never."
The second gift that you take from Dartmouth today
is a transformed quality of mind.
On a steamy afternoon in September of 2019,
we all got together in Lead Arena
for your first class meeting.
And I explained to you that you would commit
your next four years to learning how to seek truth,
but truth established in a very particular way.
You would learn to approach
every question with a truly open mind.
Gather all available evidence that's relevant
to your question, apply reason and logic
to that evidence to reach an answer.
And then finally, share and respectfully debate
your conclusions with others, especially seeking out
those who hold different points of view.
For the last four years, we have asked you to seek truth
in this way as you have honed your intellectual skills.
These are rare gifts,
the gift of community and the gift of mind.
And, as with all of life's most precious gifts,
they come with responsibilities.
First, to keep the Dartmouth fellowship strong.
When a Dartmouth student or fellow alum
reaches out to you, take that call.
Stay involved with the college
and offer your time and talents to ensure
that our campus remains vibrant and a place of connection.
And above all, do what you can to ensure
that a Dartmouth education remains accessible
to all worthy students regardless
of their life circumstances.
And your second responsibility is to use your mind
and your voice to seek truth and speak truth
to a world that desperately needs it.
You are entering the so-called real world.
A world that's sometimes described as post-factual,
as if that's a good thing.
A world where too often opinions dominate
and evidence and reason are dismissed.
As Iris Murdoch put it,
"We live in a fantasy world, a world of illusion.
The great task in life is to find reality."
Well, you can do it.
Your Dartmouth education has prepared you for that task.
Let's leave the fantasy to Phil and Chris.
(audience laughing)
Today we are graduating, you and I.
I look forward to sleeping later in the morning.
I expect you have earlier mornings in your future.
(audience laughing)
But I will forever cherish the time that we had together
and will be eager to learn of the mark
that you'll make in this world.
And until then, I'll be watching and rooting for you,
alumnus to alumnus, truth seeker to truth seeker,
Dartmouth family member to caring Dartmouth family member.
Best of luck to you all
and may you always keep Dartmouth close to your hearts.
Thank you. (audience applauding)