Dive IN to life, says my alma mater Smith College commencement speaker
Monday, May 30, 2011 at 01:19AM Graduation season is a time to inspire young people at a time of monumental life transition. It’s a big job for any commencement speaker. The honor this year for my alma mater, Smith College, went to a woman pioneer in a traditional male field. Sylvia Earle is a noted underwater explorer, dubbed a “Living Legend” by the Library of Congress – consistent with the spirit of Smith as a school that nurtures female leaders nad change-makers, like Gloria Steinem. Barbara Bush is also a famous alum.
Funny I can’t remember who my commencement speaker was – and I was intrigued to find out how these speakers are now picked. Students are presented with a list and vote on their preferences.
Appealing to the radical Smith population, Earle could not resist taking a political jab in the context of applauding the traditional illumination of the campus, by quipping that “most of the world lives in the dark all the time, not just Washington D.C.” She also clearly aimed to please by continuing the light theme by saying that the class is “bringing light to the world,” and telling a female-power story about a young boy reading her book about her undersea adventures and asking his dad, “Dad, when I grow up...I mean...well, can boys get to do things like this, too?”
Of course it befits Smithies to foretell their future as trailblazers and leaders. Earle told the Smithies, “You, lucky you, are here to fly the aircraft, write the songs, dive the subs, find the cures, run the companies, lead this country, lead this world to a better, more prosperous future for all of life on earth.”
And she particularly pleased me – someone who has been accused of being a workaholic but whom the Friars Club feature re-framed as a “playaholic” -- when she called herself a “Hope-aholic.” She named female pioneer anthropologist Jane Goodall as a hopeaholic, listing her four reasons to hope: the human mind, our ability to craft solutions coupled with the human spirit, the resilience of nature, and belief in the youth of today who don’t know what they can’t do and “who don’t realize that there are things ‘impossible’ to change.” Earle added, “You have the power..”
Her final comment hit a high note. In the spirit of the obligatory inspiration to new graduates, she invited the Smithies to “take a deep breath and dive right in.”
It was a clever allusion to her career “diving” under water.
My cherished former Smithie summer interns – whom I was exceedingly thrilled to see graduating that day – are certainly diving in. For example, Julianne Casey is coming to New York to work with a music management company. And Amanda Calvo is going to Jordan as a journalist. I’m proud to know I had a hand in nurturing those skills and goals.
Commencement speeches are also a challenge for the student speaker The senior class President, Ketura’h Edwards, impressed her fellow classmates – and me -- (given Smithies’ reputation for being accomplished young women leaders) by saying, “We are ambitious, confident, savvy, and fearless Smithies… So whether you are starting a career, going to grad school, joining Teach For America, embarking on an international adventure, or taking a breather at home before pursuing your dream to be the first female president of the United States; be confident knowing you will be successful.” I resonated with the latter, as when I was interviewed for the 6th grade school newspaper about whether I would like to be the first female President of the United States I said an emphatic “Yes… I would like to serve my country” (some of the other girls said it would be too much work).
Among the graduation caps, a few hardhats stood out – a sign of Smith’s new engineering major.
At the end of the ceremony, as the caps went sailing into the air in the traditional gesture, one couldn’t help but feel the thrill of a new generation of young women making one of the most important transitions of their life and being enthused about their future.
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