May 18, 2025: Commencement 2025, Remarks by President John C. Bravman

Good morning, everyone!

I am John Bravman, president of Bucknell University, and I am more than thrilled to welcome you to our non-raining Commencement ceremony for the great class, the truly great Class of 2025 and our master's degree candidates!

Today is the well-earned culmination of years and years of dedication and hard work for the 939 students seated in front of me today.

It is also a joyous celebration for the families and dear friends who traveled to share this special moment with us. Your love and encouragement made this day possible for our graduates. We are grateful for your partnership, and for your trust in Bucknell.

And to parents, especially, as I always want to say, thank you for entrusting us with your most precious treasure: your child.

And it is the best day of the academic year for our faculty and staff, who are so, so deeply committed to our students' success, and who supported them every step of the way. Many, many thanks.

I also wish to recognize the members of our Board of Trustees and Emeritus Board who have joined us today. Thank you for your leadership and counsel, and for your deep belief in this university and its mission.

And making the day even more special, this is the 175th Commencement ceremony at Bucknell University! How fortunate we are to follow in the footsteps of so many generations of Bucknellians before us! It is a deep honor and privilege to carry their legacy forward into the future.

We have so much to celebrate today, so I'll keep my comments brief and to just three thoughts.

First, you are going to forget a lot of what you learned here.

Those might be surprising words from a university president, but hear me out. Over time, it happens to all of us. You probably do not remember, and perhaps you don't want to remember, the details of your middle-school social studies papers. I know I don't.

But that's the point of a famous saying: Education is what you have left behind when you've forgotten everything you've learned. You don't remember what you wrote about, but you started learning how to write. And our faculty picked that challenge up and brought you to this day. Education is not the memorization of facts — it is nothing less than the rewiring of your mind. It is the changes to your intellect, your mindset and the very way you will meet the world.

Your professors taught you how to think critically and make connections across disciplines. How to spark your creativity and collaborate effectively. How to consider different perspectives and follow your curiosity and your passion. All of that will, in fact, remain with you forever.

Second, remember that Bucknell can be your anchor and your guide.

You are entering a world that is filled with uncertainty. And as you start "adulting" in earnest, you will likely encounter challenges that go beyond what many other graduates have faced. But based on what I know about the Class of 2025, you'll not only be OK — you are going to thrive.

You persisted and adapted during and after the COVID pandemic. You have supported each other during a period of political complexity, at home and abroad. And all the while pursuing your degree, forging friendships and making memories, including those of today, to last forever.

So I believe you are more than well-prepared to continue navigating challenges and embracing opportunities, whatever life brings you and whatever you bring to it. After you leave campus, keep learning, and be confident in your abilities — just like we were when we admitted you.

And as you take your next steps, be sure to connect with our network of alumni — over 56,000 of them — who are eager to help you.

And finally, I urge you to live every day deliberately.

Several of you have commented to me that you can't believe how fast the last four years have gone. Come September, it'll be 50 years since I entered my freshman year, so believe me, I can't understand how that's happened, either. And the parents here today likely feel like they just dropped you off, not to Bucknell, but to your first day of kindergarten.

Think about this: A person who lives to  80, and many of you will live decades beyond that, a person at 80 has lived about 4,000 weeks. You've already lived 1,000 weeks. My question to you is simple: What are you going to do with the next 3,000 and 4,000 weeks of your life?

So think carefully about how you're going to make an impact on the world, and make those weeks count. Now that doesn't mean you have to discover a new element, or conduct an orchestra, or be elected to Congress — although those are great goals!

It means being intentional about applying your talents, interests and knowledge to make a difference every day that you can, wherever you are — from your smallest community groups and families to the largest companies, government offices and organizations. It means not going through life on autopilot.

I can't promise you that this approach will stop the years from flying by. But you'll be more likely to feel fulfilled, and less likely to look back and wonder what you were doing.

Congratulations, and 'ray Bucknell!

It is now my great pleasure to introduce someone who values education and has lived her life very deliberately, using her talents to make the world a better place. She is a very special friend of Bucknell, and a dear, dear friend of mine.

Doris Malesardi is a philanthropic leader and longtime supporter of the University who is known for her deep commitment to our students, both current and in the future — including the great-grandchildren of people not yet born.

She and her late husband, Robert Malesardi, a member of the Class of 1945, understood the transformative power of education as well as the importance of access for students of all backgrounds. Doris and Bob have contributed over $30 million to support financial aid, which in turn with a matching program became over $75 million in permanent and growing endowment, matching gifts by other Bucknell alumni, families and friends.

In their honor, this quad in 2016 was renamed Malesardi Quad, where you sit today and where today I have the very special privilege to present Doris with the honorary degree of doctor of humane letters.

Nominees for this distinction are reviewed and approved first by a faculty committee on honorary degrees, with final approval bestowed by our Board of Trustees.

Doris, your vision, your generosity and your loyalty to Bucknell are truly inspirational. As was that of your beloved Bob. Would you please join me at the podium?

I will now read the formal citation.

WHEREAS Doris Fischer Malesardi S'45 models the intellect, loyalty and care for community that Bucknell University endeavors to cultivate in all its students;

WHEREAS as a champion of access to education, she and her beloved late husband, Robert Malesardi '45, P'75, P'79, P'87, G'08, have exemplified leadership and selflessness through their generous support of financial aid for Bucknell students with need;

AND WHEREAS as a dedicated philanthropist and volunteer, she has supported numerous nonprofit organizations — particularly those in the arts, which further the ideals of culture and beauty, and are woven throughout Bucknell's liberal arts-based education;

THEREFORE, Bucknell University is proud to bestow upon Doris Fischer Malesardi the honorary degree of doctor of humane letters, which reads as follows:

Be it known that in recognition of her distinguished achievements, which exemplify the intellect, character and creativity most cherished by this University, we therefore, by the authority committed to us by the Board of Trustees and by the faculty of the University, hereby confer upon Doris Fischer Malesardi the honorary degree of doctor of humane letters.

It is my honor to now introduce our keynote speaker, Jessica Livingston, a member of the great Class of 1993.

Ms. Livingston has blazed a remarkable trail in Silicon Valley. She is one of its most successful investors, and is known for her ability to identify and nurture groundbreaking entrepreneurs. In 2005, she co-founded Y Combinator, the valley's premier startup incubator. Clients of Y Combinator include industry-defining companies such as Airbnb, Coinbase, DoorDash, Reddit, Stripe and Dropbox.

While at Y Combinator, Ms. Livingston established Startup School, an annual conference for aspiring founders that has become a cornerstone event in the entrepreneurial world. It has hosted business leaders such as Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Steve Wozniak and Sam Altman.

Her sharp intuition and extensive experience have earned her the nickname "the social radar" among her peers. In fact, she co-hosts a popular podcast now called "The Social Radar," and she is also the author of Founders at Work, a collection of interviews with startup pioneers.

But most fascinating and important of all in this day and time, in this moment, is the fact that Ms. Livingston majored in English here at Bucknell and went on to become one of the most influential entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley. Her creativity, innovation and leadership are qualities we seek to nurture in all of our students, and it is hard to think of a better example of the enduring and enduring versatility of a foundation in the liberal arts — especially at a place like Bucknell.

We are so proud to call Ms. Livingston a Bucknellian and honored to hear her address the Class of 2025. Please welcome Jessica Livingston.

A Last Word

(following the Class Response by Gabriella Diaz '25)

Graduates, on behalf of everyone at Bucknell, and all of the guests here today, I offer my warmest congratulations.

Today you leave our campus as accomplished and confident new alumni. We could not be prouder.

But this is not goodbye. You will always have a home at Bucknell, and we hope you will return often.

And now, to conclude our ceremony, I ask everyone who is able to rise and join me in singing the alma mater.