Reid
reminds graduates of responsibility to society
Click here to read the Honorary Degree Citation for Irvin D. Reid.
It is a great pleasure to be back at Montclair, where I learned how to
be a university president. My return to the land of Red Hawks and painted
rocks is something of a sentimental journey, one made even more memorable
by this honorary degree.
Today we congratulate the most promising, the best educated, and the most
likely to succeed Montclair class ever--the class of 2003. This is a day
of celebration for all of you: Now you are free. Free of the stress of
studying. Free of the pressure of exams. Free to begin the next chapter
of your life. And free to pay back your student loans.
Whoever said that freedom does not come without responsibility knew what
he or she was talking about.
If your time here has been successful, you will leave with at least two
things: the ability to think critically and the desire to continue learning.
Both attributes will make you more sensible and more thoughtful, and both
will be useful throughout your life.
Though many people still seem to think universities exist primarily to
prepare you for employment, this is simply not so. I hope this will happen
as you want it to, now that you are equipped with new skills and a brand-new
degree. But your time here should not simply polish you up for the workforce;
it should also prepare you for our society.
Once upon a time what we call "society" was a collection of
separate cultures, with American society as distinct from, say, North
African society as the Earth is from the Moon. This is no longer true.
Today, "society" is more like a pulsating mosaic. The ease of
travel, the speed of information transfer, economic realities and the
frenzied ferreting of an aggressive media have created a truly global
society in which all cultures interrelate and depend upon one another.
Everything in the human universe is connected.
Wherever you may go, all of you in the class of 2003 are citizens of an
increasingly small world. As you enter this world, remember that your
participation must be more than as a spectator or a consumer. It is everyone's
responsibility to help create a more just, equitable, and civil society.
The responsibility rests more heavily on you than on many others, because
you have been prepared not simply to accept what you are told, but to
think critically.
This great university does good things by conducting innovative research
and by being a positive influence on the communities it serves. But it
ultimately does the best by sending forth thousands of people like you
every year. The more you have learned, and the more you value learning,
the better prepared you are to contribute. And believe me, the opportunities
to contribute are legion--in your communities, in this country and in
the world.
You can be proud of what you have accomplished and I encourage you to
look forward to even more triumphs. But please do not keep them to yourselves;
the world needs you. Too many people are still hungry, or oppressed, or
frightened or persecuted. There is too much inequality, greed, pollution
and anxiety. To the truly educated person, such things are never abstract
or far away. They are immediate and are a cause for compassion and intervention.
Never think you cannot contribute. It is a part of your education. It
is one sure way toward genuine wisdom.
When all is said and done, remember: achievement is never solitary. Give
to others as you have received it from many.
Join the Alumni Association. It needs your wisdom, your work, and above
all else your worth. As you have often said to your parents, your Alumni
Association now says to you: Send money!
Thank you, and thank you again for this wonderful honor.