Ellie: When we were brainstorming what to impart to you all today, all we could think about was what we didn’t want to say.
Madeline: We didn’t want to tell you how Webster defines “commencement,” or how you have the rest of your lives ahead of you, or how the future is bright, or how the friendships you’ve formed here will stay with you forever.
Ellie: We didn’t want to say that your time and our time at Sarah Lawrence has been life changing (because we all know it has been) or how you should follow your dreams or do what you love or be true to yourself, and that failing is just as important as getting back on the horse.
Madeline: Mostly, we don’t even believe these things, and you wouldn’t believe them from us.
Ellie: What we do believe is that avoiding clichés is essential. More seriously, and especially in this day and age, we believe good community and good communication are crucial and that Sarah Lawrence is a rare and wonderful place where these things are very much still alive.
Madeline: The cliché we most agree with is that we have found our way into a vital, warm-hearted place that makes it difficult to leave. But we will be leaving and entering (or reentering) the larger world which is made better by the bonds that we have forged here.
Both: Congratulations to the class of 2025!
Remarks as prepared for delivery