Know that you have the capacity to change everyone
you meet and everything you touch.
By Robert A. Scott, President, Adelphi University
Introduction
Principal Nugent, Superintendent Williams, members of the听Board, teachers, distinguished guests, parents, graduating students,听thank you for including me in your program. New Hyde Park听Memorial High School and Adelphi have been neighbors for years, and听this year alone a dozen or so from your school will attend our听University.
This is commencement, graduation. It is a day of new beginnings,听as is said by nearly everyone asked to speak on this day. And that鈥檚听true. But let鈥檚 take that assertion of 鈥渃ommencement鈥� further. To do听so, I would like to reflect on a couple of lives which have taken various听turns and which may be illustrative of these themes: Live life, not听work; make a life, a living will follow; be author of your life, not just an听actor in a script by another鈥檚 hand.
I have a story to tell and it starts simply. I cried. We had packed听the car to drive my son to college and were ready to start the journey.听As I closed the trunk lid I turned to my son, hugged him, and tears听formed. He had graduated from high school and was leaving home.听Not for good, of course, but symbolically he now was on his own.
I cried for reasons of happiness and sorrow: happy for him and听his new journey, and sad that this partner in carpentry and tennis and听Jackie Chan movies would not be home for any extended period until听the next summer – – when he might want to study or work far away.
We entered the car and I was silent for what seemed like an hour.听I thought of all he would do: Varsity Tennis, Dean鈥檚 list, Phi Beta听Kappa. As my mind considered these thoughts, I began to realize that听my reveries about his college career were really about my own failings.听Why is it that we parents and older siblings try to encourage on loved听ones those achievements of which we have only dreamed? I had worked听twenty hours a week in college to supplement a scholarship, was a social听being who liked to dance at the Sweet Shoppe several nights a week, and听was active in student government. Studies came fourth, and I played听intramurals, not varsity.
Nevertheless, I loved ideas and words, and debates on world听affairs, discussed philosophy with professors and visiting scholars, and听wrote essays and poetry, some even in math class. My work in the听library allowed time to read widely books assigned for others鈥� courses.听I finally taught myself math while in the Navy. But these听accomplishments were not entered on a transcript.
Somehow, I survived college and graduate school, and so did my听son. He is a tenured teacher of Latin, with a master鈥檚 degree, and听Tennis Coach at a revered high school in Westchester County, happily听married, devoted father of my twin grandsons, a homeowner, and听accomplished in Tai Chi. We still do carpentry and yard work together,听but not nearly as often as we would like.
Although neither of my parents attended college, I have been a听university or college president for 21 years, achieved recognition as a听scholar and writer, and am the only American to hold the three top jobs听in higher education: head of a state coordinating board, a public听college, and a private university – – and at each step I was told if I took听the post I would never move to the next.
I recount all this to make several points. First, college – – indeed,听life – – is about learning, observing, thinking, and acting in ways that are听not always reflected in grades. Second, sometimes our thoughts about听others say more about us than about them. Third, the career in which听we flourish may not be the first we enter, the one about which we first听dreamed, or the one our parents encouraged.
College is more than grades.
College is about learning and acting in ways that are not always听reflected in a grade point average. No matter what your intended听major, explore different fields. Be playful in learning, without a听particular goal other than the joy of it. Remember, schooling is as听much about character and citizenship development as it is about听preparing for careers and commerce, and it ends all too soon. Not听learning, of course, but schooling. Not everything graded is of lasting听value, and that which is valuable is not always graded. Please听remember, a college鈥檚 promise is not to teach you everything, but听instead to prepare you to learn almost anything.
Many futurists agree that a liberal arts education — — whether in听college or through a life of reading – – is the best preparation for work,听citizenship, and family life. They agree that training is about answers听– – how to – – and that liberal education is about questions — why, who,听when, where? Liberal education is an approach to life鈥檚 questions and听professional challenges that continuously leads to new questions and听understanding. I think of the liberal arts and sciences as liberating – –听freeing us from the provincial origins of time, place, and a single听culture.
The goal of liberal education is to teach the ordinary student to听become a cultivated person and to appreciate other cultures; to develop听in students the capacity to assess assumptions and understand the valueladen听choices that await them as citizens, consumers, decision-makers,听and arbiters of ethical alternatives; to inspire students to contemplate听the meaning of life and the role of religion, politics, and economics; to听help students develop in their capacity to build a civilization compatible听with the aspirations of human beings and the limitations of the natural听environment; to apply theory to practical problems.
Liberal education helps students gain the confidence to formulate听ideas, take initiative, and solve problems; develop skills in language,听learning, and leadership; and increase their abilities for reasoning in听different modes. It helps students to appreciate the pursuits of pure听science and the difference between science and technology. More than听any other form of education, the liberal arts help us understand nature,听the world we meet; culture, the world we make; and ethics, the systems听of thought by which we mediate between the two.
With liberal learning, students can improve in clear and graceful听expression in written, oral, and visual communication; creativity;听sensitivity to the concerns of others; and aesthetic values. Liberal study听in this way prepares students to weigh competing arguments and听distinguish between and among fact, faith, and fear as ways of knowing;听it frees them and us from ignorance and apathy. Liberal education听fosters imagination, which Albert Einstein said is even more important听than knowledge1 – – although I would add that knowledge of history, or听context, is essential to imagination. Alfred North Whitehead said,听鈥淚magination is not to be divorced from facts: It is a way of听illuminating the facts.鈥�2 A focus on imagination or 鈥渨onder鈥澨齯nderscores the importance of the student and not just the canon.
To fulfill its potential, a liberal education must also involve听experience, in internships, voluntarism, and study abroad. Only then听can the useful elements of the liberal arts and sciences be realized to听their fullest, by using what is learned in one setting to define and solve听problems in another.
One of the lessons to be learned is that truth is more than what we听feel. I am concerned that many people today do not seem to know the听differences between empirical facts, religious faith, and bias or听superstition. That an assertion is made in a book or a website does not听mean it is true unless proof is cited. Nor does 鈥渕aybe,鈥� 鈥減erhaps,鈥� or听鈥渞elativism mean there鈥檚 no truth; it just means that the truth is not听simple or singular鈥�.3
Today, with numerous websites containing unverified assertions,听and others allowing readers to add their own perspectives, without听check, that which is asserted to be the truth may be no more than an听assemblage of opinions by an unknown audience, and not the verified听findings of fact by authors or authorities whose expertise is听acknowledged.4
Remember: not all that is valuable can be measured. There is听much to be learned that will not be graded. Learn about people; study听other cultures; be active in sports or drama or volunteer service. Live a听full life, even with deadlines. Learn to listen to other鈥檚 ideas 鈥渨ith open听minds and mutual respect.鈥�5 Engage actively in discussions and learn听how to disagree without being disagreeable. Learn that 鈥済ood enough听can be great,鈥� that 鈥渢he right kind of failure is success鈥� because we can听learn how to do better without being stymied by waiting for perfection.6
Thoughts about others
Sometimes our thoughts about others say more about us than听about them. Isn鈥檛 that what prejudice is about? Isn鈥檛 that what Mark听Twain meant when he expressed surprise at how smart his father had听become over the previous four years?
We live in an increasingly interdependent world and ever more听diverse communities. You can see that in your own school. The听richness of this diversity in which you have studied, played, and听discussed the world, and the values new members bring, add to our听personal growth, our sense of identity, and our ability to understand听and communicate with others as employee, supervisor, neighbor, and听citizen.
These experiences influence how we respond to others, and our听expectations of them, just as our expectations of our parents, siblings,听friends, and children can affect how we relate to them. We need to put听ourselves in the other person鈥檚 place, and try to imagine how they view听the world, and us. We need to consider who the other person is – – in听spite of his or her ancestry, accent, age, or achievements.
On a personal level, this means having humility, a sense of shame,听and the courage to be self-reflective, to see ourselves as we are and want听to be. I tried to capture these sentiments in a poem I wrote recently,听from which I cite a few lines:
I am a leader
who believes that, in all things,
truth matters, integrity counts;
I am a father and grandfather
who wants my family, and your family,
and everyone鈥檚 family, to enjoy
the fruits of democracy, the responsibilities
of freedom, and the privileges of citizenship;
I am an advocate of informed
and civil debate, and abhor how
divisive politics has become;
I am a religious person
who believes in tolerance
and knows that you can
be right without my
being wrong; 7
In this verse, I tried to reflect on who I think I am and want to be, and听how I hope others see me.
Such reflection is not limited to the personal, of course. I believe听it can apply to global issues as well. For example, whenever I hear听people talk about globalization in terms of competition for brains and
economic advantage, I want to shout. Of course we should promote听education and training so that our citizens can achieve self-sufficiency听and success as they wish to define it, but competition is not a sufficient听goal. To foster competition only is to promote 鈥淚鈥� over 鈥渨e,鈥� the self听over others, personal gain over the common good.
We need to remember that the most intractable problems we face听require cooperation more than competition. I think here of natural听resources, the environment, public health, national borders, even
immigration policy. In each case we cannot impose a solution, but must听achieve balance through cooperation. And, in fact, such cooperation听creates the foundation for strong societies with sound economies.
Careers
The career, or more likely, the careers in which you will flourish听may not be the first you enter, the one about which you first dreamed,听or the one your parents encouraged. It may not even exist as we speak.
Life is, indeed, a journey, and we need to be both author and听actor. In my case, I went to college to be a minister, entered marketing听with Procter and Gamble, served in the U.S. Navy teaching听cryptography, became a college professor and administrator, worked in听state government, and became a college president. How many careers is听that?
I liked what one of your classmates said when I met with a group听of them 鈥� Analise, Jennifer, Melissa, Michael, and Larry — to learn听about your class and your school. One said, when asked what advice I听should give today, 鈥渋t鈥檚 all the little things that make up the big听picture.鈥� 鈥淓njoy everyday; don鈥檛 wait until the end.鈥� I agree on both听counts, and both comments relate to careers as well as to the rest of听one鈥檚 life.
You have had a career here during your six years at New Hyde听Park Memorial High School. You have studied, yes, but you have been听active in Model UN and Key Club; you participated in sports, and what听a year you had, with many wins, a few losses, and major lessons learned.
You have watched your parents鈥� careers and have learned from听your teachers. I think of those retiring today, Ms. Carrion in Art, Ms.听Mavro in Math, and Mr. Scott in Science. Their lives are models to听consider, and they are not the same person or professional they were听when they started. In fact, they probably have had multiple careers in听this one school. They also know that it is not enough to develop听problem-solving skills and abilities. They know we need to have the听knowledge and values to judge which problems to solve.
Life is like that. We continue to grow and change as we learn and听act. Another lesson I hope stays with you is the value of friendships听among peers and across ages and lines of authority. The students I met听proclaimed that this school is special because teachers are supportive of听extramural activities and are visible beyond the classroom. Reflect on听these great relationships as you consider the work environment you听want for yourself. It may not tolerate 鈥渨acky lax,鈥� but it had better听foster fun and allow you to be an active citizen.
You may not achieve success as you define it any time soon.听Remember, even Leonard Bernstein, Albert Einstein, and Michael听Jordan were 鈥渓ate-bloomers.鈥� The important lesson is that who we are听can be defined by the results to which we aspire and the passions we听exhibit, not only by our job title or the size of our house. Success听requires passion, a love for what you do. And those with passion have a听special talent to listen to an inner voice as well as to others, to hear and听see what others do not. They understand the world on their own terms,听not just on the basis of what they hear or read. As Wendy Kopp,听founder of Teach for America, said when asked about her success, 鈥淚听did not know what was impossible.鈥�8
I believe you can be optimistic as you graduate today because of听what you already have accomplished. You have established success and听have secured your footing. Now it is time to extend your reach, without听fear of what is possible.
Conclusion
It has been a privilege to be with you today. I enjoyed getting to听know a few of you, and look forward to greeting some more of you at听Adelphi in August.
In closing, know that you have the capacity to change everyone听you meet and everything you touch; that learning is continuous,听whether or not someone grades it; that others are like us as well as听different; and that life is a journey in which a career is a milestone, not听a destination. Go for it! Congratulations.
Thank you.
Commencement Address given at听New Hyde Park Memorial High School on听June 25, 2006
1听Friedman, Thomas L. The World is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century. New York:听Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2005, p. 441.
2 Bennis, Warren G. and James O鈥橳oole. 鈥淗ow Business Schools Lost Their Way.鈥� 鈥淗arvard Business听Review,鈥� May 2005; p. 102.
3 Davies, Gordon. 鈥淗igher Education as if People Matter: American College and University Leadership in听the 21st Century.鈥� Lecture at Adelphi University, February 23, 2006.
4 Greenfield, Baroness Susan. Testimony, House of Lords Hearing on Education, Science and Technology.听London, 20 April 2006.
5 Tilghman, Shirley M. 鈥�2006 President鈥檚 Commencement Remarks,鈥� Princeton University, June 6, 2006.
6 Anthony, Scott D., Matt Eyring, and Lib Gibson, 鈥淢apping Your Innovation Strategy.鈥� Harvard听Business Review, May 2006, p. 110.
7 Scott, Robert A. 鈥淓veryman.鈥� Invited Presentation, Memorial Day Program, Garden City, NY, May 29,听2006.
8 Kopp, Wendy. New York Times, June 11, 2006, p. 36.
For further information, please contact:
Todd Wilson
Strategic Communications Director听
p 鈥� 516.237.8634
e 鈥� twilson@adelphi.edu