Remarks for Bucknell's 157th Commencement

Brian C. Mitchell
May 20, 2007

Good morning and welcome. I extend this welcome to our graduates and to the families of our graduates. We also welcome our faculty, who have worked so closely with you throughout these four years, and our outstanding staff, who have such a big part in supporting your educational experience.

We also are pleased to have with us members of the University's Board of Trustees, our two distinguished honorary degree recipients, and our distinguished keynote speaker, Mr. Bob Woodward. We welcome you all to this wonderful occasion.
 
Congratulations to the Class of 2007!

Academic achievement
We confer upon you today a symbol of your academic achievement that represents the culmination of four years of hard work, application of your considerable abilities, and dedication. Guided by our outstanding faculty, supported by our superb staff, nurtured by your families, and encouraged by your fellow students, you have met the challenges of college and emerge as graduates of Bucknell University. Only 48,000 people in the world today can stake claim to this important accomplishment. We celebrate your success.

Maryjane and I want to extend special congratulations to the family members who join us today. As parents of two college graduates, we know that your son or daughter carried your dreams along with theirs when they moved into their first dorm room. We thank you for preparing them so well for their college endeavors, and for encouraging them to reach new levels of confidence and excellence.

On a more practical note, thank you for serving as their ground transportation crew, accountants, career consultants, and cheerleaders. And of course, I am quite sure, as their movers.

Liberal arts tradition
But most of all, thank you for trusting us with your children. Bucknell is renowned for its intimate community and liberal arts tradition within a comprehensive university environment. The opportunity to develop close relationships with professors is a key attraction for many of our students, who are among the country’s brightest and most ambitious. Our dedication to the classic teacher-scholar model appeals to an elite level of professors, who value our small classes, personal approach to learning, and chance to work closely with great students on scholarship and research.

We know your children by name. We will miss seeing them around campus – and in the gym, and at the pharmacy and the grocery, and the church or temple, and the gas station.

Recent events have underscored the importance of close communities of learning. We saw Bucknell students, faculty, staff, and alumni extend an outpouring of support to friends and colleagues at Virginia Tech and to one another. Our compassionate response to this crisis was swift and genuine. Simply put, we all need each other. We are all responsible for each other. Students, please know you will always be part of the Bucknell community. Appreciating the kind of individuals you are, we also know that you will build great circles of friendship and support as you embark upon your career or continue your education.

Era of change
The Class of 2007 experienced an era of change at Bucknell. The Plan for Bucknell has brought a new focus on the potential of the University. As a class, you have played an important role in shaping Bucknell’s vision for the future. Your ideas and suggestions have been invaluable, as Bucknell’s top priority will always be students. Bucknell stands on the cusp of a new era, and trusts that it can count on your continued input, support and engagement with your alma mater.

Of course, the biggest change has taken place within each of you. You arrived here as teenagers, anxious but excited to embark upon some of the most important years of your life. You quickly discovered that Bucknell is teeming with other high-school stars, which forced you to kick your efforts up a notch. With finals and theses and term papers behind you, I suspect such realities may well be fresh in your memory.

By the way, I assume that we have done our customary end-of-the-year check of the library and confirmed that the Class of 2007 has indeed finished its work.

Worked to excel
Graduates, to succeed at Bucknell, you found something you loved, and you worked to excel. Along the way, you were steeped in the traditional liberal arts, the hallmark of Bucknell. The liberal arts philosophy of education was cutting edge in the University’s earliest days. It was based on the belief that such an education hones critical-thinking ability, the capacity to adapt to change, and the formation of a well-lived life. Today, again, the liberal arts seem a bit cutting edge. We retain our core liberal arts heritage, while complementing it with professional programs, for one reason: because it works.

Through its liberal arts curriculum, Bucknell has helped you deepen your powers of thinking. I am talking about your ability to make sense of a world filled with conflicting information that comes at a breakneck pace. How to analyze facts, weigh theories, and reach your own conclusions. Think of your background in the liberal arts as your own personal GPS. It will faithfully guide you as you continue learning, pursue meaningful work, serve others, and perhaps raise a family.

In the greatest tradition of the liberal arts, today our special guests also remind us that excellence of mind comes in many forms, and in many fields. We honor three outstanding individuals – one from science, one from business, and one from journalism.

Award of Merit
At this time, I would like to present the first of our three special awards, the Award of Merit.

Bob Woodward has distinguished himself as an author and journalist. Hailed as one of the country’s premier investigative reporters, he has fashioned a collective body of work that reveals pivotal moments in American history with specificity, clarity, and insight that few writers have ever matched.

A native of Illinois, Mr. Woodward is a graduate of Yale University. He served five years as a communications officer in the U.S. Navy before beginning his career as a journalist. After one year as a reporter for the Montgomery County Sentinel, he joined The Washington Post, where he has worked since 1971. He currently serves as assistant managing editor.

National attention
Mr. Woodward first received national attention when he, along with Carl Bernstein, investigated the burglary at the Watergate office building. As a result of the work of Mr. Woodward and Mr. Bernstein, the Post was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1973 for its reporting of the Nixon administration scandal.

With skill, perseverance, and passion, Mr. Woodward has since earned his stature as an exemplar of investigative journalism.  He has authored or co-authored more number-one national best-selling non-fiction books than any contemporary American writer.

His works include All the President's Men and The Final Days, both co-authored with Carl Bernstein; The Brethren: Inside the Supreme Court, co-authored with Scott Armstrong; The Agenda: Inside the Clinton White House; and his 2006 best-seller, State of Denial.

Interviews with President Ford
Mr. Woodward’s reporting on the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 garnered a 2002 National Affairs Pulitzer Prize for the Post. Most recently, he has made international news with the publication of his interviews with President Gerald R. Ford.

Mr. Woodward is not the only member of his family dedicated to writing and reporting. His wife, author Elsa Walsh, writes for The New Yorker. Mr. Woodward and Ms. Walsh have a daughter, Diana. Mr. Woodward’s older daughter, Tali, has made her own headlines as an investigative reporter.

A man of vision and accomplishment, Mr. Woodward has devoted his career to the analysis of American democracy and the contemporary leaders and events that shape it. In testimony of his many contributions and their enduring value, we proudly extend to Bob Woodward Bucknell University’s highest honor, the Award of Merit.

The Last Word
Graduates: You leave today carrying on a tradition of excellence. As alumni, your continued involvement with Bucknell will ensure that those who come after you will have similarly positive and transformative experiences here.

I am fond of saying that a Bucknell education  comprises a thousand teachable moments. Such moments will not cease to exist for you after this morning. Seize every chance to learn. You each have demonstrated a love and aptitude for knowledge that can and will continue to serve you well.

During moments of doubt, remember Bucknell’s confidence in you, and let it carry you forward. Remember the loyal friends and devoted family members who helped you reach this point. Know that you can always draw upon their love and encouragement. With a Bucknell education and them behind you, your future is truly bright. Make the most of it. 

Thank you.