Anna Quindlen
Opening Remarks to Graduates at Commencement 2006
May 16, 2006
Good afternoon, my soon-to-be fellow alums, my reason for being, my sisters, my peeps, the members of the class of 2006. As its chair I bring you greetings from the Barnard board of trustees. Perhaps I should say I do so humbly, in my unadorned bachelor's degree garb. But that would be a lie. I am not humble or self-effacing. I am not apologetic or uncertain. How could I be? I graduated from Barnard College. This weekend I will receive an honorary degree from a fine liberal arts institution upstate, and I will be grateful. I will receive a splendid hood like the ones you see worn by the splendid faculty who have meant so much to you during these four years.
But unlike them I will not have earned that hood, through years of reading and study and research and the requisite writing of a thesis, about which you may now know a thing or two.
There is only one degree I've actually earned. And that's just fine. Because I was lucky enough to earn it here, where scholarship, strength, creativity, intellectual engagement and those two splendid XX chromosomes come together to create a sonic boom of power that spreads throughout this country and the world. And that changed my life.
You are the world's pathmakers, forged in the fires of courage, conviction and intellect. And whether you wind up raising children or raising hell, taking care of others or taking care of business--or, in all likelihood, all of the above-- we who have gone before you have no question that you will do it well.
We can tell by what you're wearing today. At this moment you are dressed for success.
So from my fellow trustees I bring this message. See you around. See you in board rooms and newsrooms and operating rooms and classrooms. See you on page one and Air Force One.
But don't forget where it all began. You will be professors and playwrights, rabbis and writers, doctors and directors, stockbrokers and risktakers and literatry agents and change agents.
Because you are Barnard women. And it doesn't get any better than that. Bless you all.
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