
Thankyouverymuch,Margaret,forthatverygenerousintroduction.
First,letmesaycongratulationstoourgraduates.Welcomebacktoouralumni.Goodafternoontoeveryone–colleaguesandfriends,andfamilymembers,lovedones,andourmostspecialguest–oureminentspeaker.It’sapleasuretoaddressyouthisafternoonandtoofferafewreflectionsasIapproachtheendofmyfirstyearaspresident.
Irealize,however,thatI’mliterallythelastthingstandingbetweenyouandthespeechthatyou’veallactuallycomeheretohear.So,whileIcan’tpromisetobemesmerizinglyeloquent,Icanatleastpromisetobemercifullybrief.
Wegatherthisafternoonbuoyedbytheaspirationsofourgraduates–some7,100peoplewhohavedistinguishedthemselvesinnearlyeveryfieldandeverydisciplineimaginable.Wewelcomethemintothevenerableranksofouralumni,andwesendthemforthintoaworldthatisverymuchinneedofboththeirmindsandtheirhearts.