Good morning. My name is Mark Goodman and it is my privilege to serve as the Chair of the College’s Board of Trustees. I want to welcome President Judd, Provost Singh, members of the faculty and staff, honored guests, parents, friends, and, most of all, the members of the class of 2019 who are here on this beautiful spring day to celebrate one of life’s greatest milestones.
I bring greetings from the Board of Trustees to each of the graduates who will be receiving the degrees being awarded today. We wish each of you a long, productive, and gratifying life that builds on your experience of growing and learning at a college that places such an emphasis on:
- intellectual inspiration and creativity;
- the power of working in close collaboration with talented and highly committed teachers and with students who share a passion for engaging and addressing complex questions;
- the inherent satisfaction of learning and making connections across disciplines;
- and the value—in the world beyond Sarah Lawrence—of having been pushed while you were here to generate your own ideas and to develop the skills and self-confidence to present those ideas verbally and in writing (plenty of writing) to your professors and classmates.
Thirty-six years ago, I sat exactly where you are sitting today, and I can tell you that over the many years since then, I have—in my professional life and in my personal life—appreciated increasingly with each passing year the special gift of my Sarah Lawrence education.
I also bring a special thanks from the Board to our distinguished speaker and alumna, Maggie Haberman.
Maggie, your career as a journalist is a spectacular example of (i) the value of a Sarah Lawrence education, (ii) the creativity, self-confidence, and ability to ask probing questions that are inculcated on this campus, (iii) the special importance to our democracy of a free and active press, and (iv) the opportunities available to our graduates to make a difference on the basis of talent, hard work, and perseverance.
Thank you for setting such a great example and for being with us today.
Let me finish up by observing that gratitude is one of life’s most important qualities, and days like today give us a special opportunity to feel and express gratitude. I want to give a special thanks to all of the families and friends—parents, grandparents, and others—who have provided many years of support and made all manner of sacrifices to make this day possible. As we celebrate the accomplishments of today’s graduating students, we acknowledge all who made the journey possible.
To the Class of 2019, congratulations on behalf of the College’s trustees. Go forward, bring change to the world, and be immensely proud of what you have accomplished during your years at Sarah Lawrence—a special place I hope you will continue to hold dear in your hearts.
Thank you.
Remarks as prepared for delivery