Wow, what a ride it has been! As I stand here today, looking out at all of your beaming faces, I can't help but feel incredibly proud of each and every one of us. We made it!
But let's not forget the road that brought us here. As one of my junior friends, during the fall at a Peirce meal, so wisely put it, the seniors are the pillars that held the Kenyon community together during some of its toughest times. And boy, did we rise to the occasion!
From navigating the challenges of a pandemic to revitalizing Kenyon traditions, we have truly left our mark on this campus. I will tell you how. We refined the Kenyon experience by holding on to and rebranding events like Senior Soirée and Fandango. We introduced the first-ever Kenyon Cultural Fair and multicultural nights with an incredible number of cultural displays, allowing different cultures and persons to express themselves. We helped run and facilitate back-to-back theater, dance and music performances. We donated tremendously towards the Kenyon Student Success Fund, far above most of our predecessors, and crashed the Funday event with massive turnout at Senior Night. We exhibited some of the most unique and thought-provoking artworks and heartfelt film screenings. We got research works published! We were among the first to utilize Chalmers. It was within our year that we became the Kenyon Owls! How about that! An agenda facilitated and initiated by our classmates.
I could go on and on about our achievements and successes and how Kenyon is going to have to move on without us, but for the sake of the Commencement Speaker’s speech, I will take a breather here and let you know how much I will miss seeing all of you seated here together in one location every year. It’s been a wonderful ride and in fact some of us have come to call this place home and are not entirely sure about what it means to be in the real world. But we always figure it out, and we will.
We have showcased our creativity, our resilience, and our unwavering determination to make a difference. And I have no doubt that these qualities will serve us well as we venture out into the world beyond Kenyon.
As we look ahead to the future, it’s easy to feel a mix of excitement and uncertainty. But one thing is for sure — we have each other. We have formed bonds that will last a lifetime, and I know that we will continue to support and inspire each other in all of our endeavors.
So, my fellow graduates, let’s savor this moment. Let’s celebrate our achievements and our friendships. And let’s look forward to the bright futures that await us. Congratulations, Class of 2023!