Hi everyone! I am here to officially welcome all of you into the Sarah Lawrence alumni community!
Unlike some of today’s speakers, I won’t be peppering you with sage wisdom. And even if I did, I’m sure you’d ignore it anyway. Most of you are in your early 20s, so ignoring advice from people in their 50s is your natural state — plus you went to Sarah Lawrence which means you’re also biased toward figuring things out for yourself.
But also unlike today’s other speakers, except Meryl, I’m the only one who’s had to hike up Bates Hill every day, who’s stayed up until sunrise writing conference papers, who may or may not have made questionable life choices in the New Dorms, possibly involving a ukulele and some low-grade pyrotechnics (oops, sorry, the PR folks told me to leave that one out). Which also means Meryl and I are the only speakers today who can truly talk to you about what it’s like to go out into the world as a graduate of this remarkable, and remarkably eclectic, institution.
As Commencement has approached, I’ve been dwelling on a phrase Cristle often uses to describe Sarah Lawrence students: “multi-hyphenate.” This term is normally used for people in the entertainment industry with multiple jobs and skills. But I think it applies more broadly to SLC’s student body. Because we don’t fall neatly or quietly into the labels the world provides for us: “English Major”, “Pre-Med”, Dancer, Artist. Those singular descriptions never quite capture who we are. Because none of us are just those things. We’re dancer-astronomers, we’re philosopher-geneticists, we’re poet-soccer players, and so much more.
Yet as many of you may soon find out, it’s not always easy having all these hyphens. The world tries to tell us that we have to choose one — your employers will try to put you in a box; people around you are going to insist that you define relationships, identities, roles, and so on; everyone wants you to “choose a lane.” Everyone, that is, except for these people sitting on either side of you, the faculty and staff in front of you, the family members sitting behind you, and most importantly the twenty-thousand-strong alumni of Sarah Lawrence. We’re the ones who get you. Who else but your fellow alums understand how beautifully complicated we all are and the arduous journey it took to get here? And who better to support you and help you navigate the challenges and triumphs that await all you multi-hyphenates entering a world that doesn’t always know what to do with us.
So now I’ll let you in on the big secret: it turns out the hyphens are our superpowers. These hyphens enable us to view the world through multiple lenses and easily move between them. These superpowers mean we learn faster than our peers, we connect, we analyze. We are perfectly comfortable holding multiple, sometimes opposing, points of view, endowing us with critical tools for empathy and understanding, which I don’t think I need to tell you, the world could use a little more of right now.
But if you’ve watched superhero movies, you also know that sometimes when discovering a new superpower, you need a little guidance to learn how to use it. And I believe the best way to do that is by connecting to the community who shares your superpowers and is ready to support you throughout your life and career.
I’ll leave you with this thought: you are going to be alumni for far longer than you were students. And sooner than you realize, you’ll have mastered this superpower to the point you’re able to help others use it too. And by staying connected to this institution, by attending alumni events, by donating your time, your wisdom, and money when you can, you’ll ensure that all the multi-hyphenates sitting in those chairs next year, and the years to come, will continue to grow their superpowers and bring the kind of impact on the world that only Sarah Lawrence people can.
So, on behalf of the Alumni Council and the entire Alumni Association, welcome now, my fellow alumni, and congratulations!
Remarks as prepared for delivery