Good morning! I’m Claire Rodman, class of ’86, and as the president, I am here to welcome you into the Sarah Lawrence Alumni Association! You should be proud of all you have accomplished while you were here, and we are excited for whatever is next for you. We fellow and sister alumni wish you the best, and just remember: You will be an alum for longer than you were a student, and there is a whole community and network of people waiting for you to join us. And, that network is here to support you in all the endeavors you will pursue in your life. If you’re a typical Laurentian, there will be about 20 of them, and some will be wonderful, and some won’t be wonderful, but you’ll learn from them. And all of your projects, relationships, and achievements will be a reflection of what you learned here, which is to bring all your faculties of research, critical thinking, and curiosity to everything in your life.
I encourage you to stay in touch with each other and with the broader alumni community—your Sarah Lawrence family. Not only are you now officially a part of each other’s network, you will be the people who will best understand each other’s achievements as you continue forward in life, because you have been through challenges and triumphs together—like any tight knit family.
Since you’re on the same class year cycle, at a reunion sometime you might meet this girl I knew when I was at SLC and who helped me quit smoking. Remember her words as you go forth:
“It might be scary because you're taking a risk, but at the end of the day you can say you tried.” —Julianna Margulies
We can’t wait to celebrate what I know will be your amazing endeavors and achievements. Congratulations and welcome to the Sarah Lawrence alumni community.
Remarks as prepared for delivery