Wesleyan Holds 175th Commencement Ceremonies

Lehrer, whose daughter Lucy graduated from Wesleyan in 1985, became an official member of Wesleyan’s class of 2007, receiving an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from the university. The graduating class included five other honorary degree recipients, along with the recipients of 731 bachelor’s degrees, 58 masters of arts in liberal studies, 25 masters of arts and 14 doctorates.

The ceremony also marked the 12th and final commencement presided over by Wesleyan President Douglas J. Bennet, who is retiring from Wesleyan in June.

Early in his remarks, Lehrer shared with the audience that, in the capacity of reporter, parent, friend or otherwise, he had been to hundreds of commencement ceremonies and that
“I not only cannot remember what any of the speakers said, I can’t remember what most of them looked like. I have no doubt that this will be the case again now.”

He then exhorted the graduates to engage fully with the world they are stepping into. He reminded them that most of the military men and women currently in harm’s way in Iraq are the same ages as themselves, and that each had made a conscious choice to wear the uniform.

“That makes them no better, no worse than you or anyone else who chooses to do something else,” he said. “But they are risking — some are giving — their lives and they do so in your name, my name, our names, in the name of our country. So…no matter what your view on Iraq, whether you support what’s happening or hate what’s happening, cheer them when they come home.”

He asked the graduates to serve society – not necessarily in the military, but in some way. “Serve your neighborhood, town, city, county, state and country…serve a common purpose beyond yourself and your immediate family and/or interests,” he said.

Lehrer reminded the graduates that life with out risks, without seeking out challenges, is no life at all.

“To search for a safe place is to search for an end to a rainbow that you will hate once you find it,” he said. “Take charge of you own life. Create your own risks by setting your own standards, satisfying your own standards. …The way to happiness is to risk it. Risk it.”

President Bennet sounded a similar theme in his own address to the graduates. Having traveled the country and the world during the 12 years of his Wesleyan presidency, he had met alumni and alumnae from across the social spectrum, he said.

“They are accomplished academically, but they are, in addition, risk takers, change makers and people, individually and collectively, with an extraordinarily high level of concern for the welfare of society,” Bennet said. “The class of 2007 will find a lot of kindred spirits.”

Arjit Sen, president of the graduating class, urged his classmates to keep pushing themselves, to enjoy the rewards of their pursuits, but to never see these rewards as goals in themselves. “I wish only thing for us: that we never ever allow ourselves to become insignificant,” he said.

Along with Lehrer, honorary degrees were awarded to Jewel Plummer Cobb, Alan M. Dachs, Rosa DeLauro, Nobutaka Machimura and Thomas F. Malone. Robert G. McKelvey was awarded the Baldwin Medal, Wesleyan’s highest alumni award.

At a ceremony on Saturday, May 26, Taft Armandroff, Wesleyan Class of 1982, was among the recipients of the University’s Distinguished Alumnus Award.

Full bios of all the recipients of honorary degrees and awards can be found at: http://www.wesleyan.edu/newsletter/campus/2007/0507commencementbios.htt

To read Jim Lehrer’s speech go to:
http://www.wesleyan.edu/newsletter/campus/2007/0507commencementlehrer.htt