Hello seniors! I’m Foster Monroe, and I’m Ella Martlin, and we’re your Senior Fund co-chairs. We’ve seen you at many events throughout the school year: pub night, trivia, prom, brunch, and, of course, our weekly tabling. But it is an honor to be here with you today at graduation. You have all worked so hard to get to this moment, have forged your own paths towards the person you are today, and have spent countless hours achieving this degree.
When I left Chicago for college, my dad quoted one of his favorite songs, saying, “Such a long time to be gone, and a short time to be there.” As I reflect on the last four years, I recognize that I, like you all, had to leave much behind to grow, learn, and build a new life. The life we have all built together in these short four years is one we will cherish forever. Although we may be leaving today, the community we have made here will stay with us no matter where we go. Sarah Lawrence will always be here for us, and we each must find our own ways to be here for Sarah Lawrence.
We have already begun this journey of giving throughout this school year. The Senior Fund is proud to announce that, with the help of all of you, we have exceeded our fundraising goals, with donations from 57% of the senior class. This money will go directly to student scholarships.
We are so proud of this and so thankful for each and every one of you. It is such a privilege to be able to give back and ensure that the next generation of Gryphons can learn and be supported in this unique educational environment.
To be in a place as special as Sarah Lawrence, we’ve needed people who believed in us and the next steps in our lives. For me, that person is my mom, who fought for me to be able to dream of moving across the country and experience a liberal arts education. Today is an important moment to recognize not only our accomplishments but the mentors, professors, friends, and family who have helped us achieve this milestone. Today symbolizes our transition from students to mentors within the alumni community. Philanthropy and student scholarships have played an integral role in Sarah Lawrence’s mission to create a more accessible college education. It is more important now than ever before to support higher education, especially this place we hold so dear. This education is transformative, and we all need to remain engaged for the students of tomorrow as we step into our roles as alumni.
Thank you to President Judd for matching each senior gift with a symbolic $20.26 and, finally, thank you to the Class of 2026 for supporting Sarah Lawrence! Congratulations on this momentous achievement. We all have so much to be proud of and can’t wait to see where all of our journeys take us.
Remarks as prepared for delivery