"We are about to embark on a new journey..."

President John DiBiaggio's Baccalaureate Address to the Class of 2001
Sunday, May 20, 2001

Medford/Somerville, Mass. [05.20.01] -- Thank you, Rabbi Summit, for your kind words of introduction. And to the Class of 2001, thank you for your very warm welcome. I suppose you know that your class will always be very special to me, and I will always remember this special moment that we share.

   When we first met, at Matriculation four years ago, I did not realize that you and I would be leaving together. At that time, we all were just excited about the prospect of the next four years, and the challenges and opportunities that your Tufts' years would hold. I advised you to work hard, study diligently, have fun, and learn about the changing world, and now, here you are.

   You have proven a certain mastery in your studies. You have passed all of the requirements, and in doing so, I hope you even have had some fun. I do not discount the value of sledding down the hill with good friends, or splitting a pizza with them in the dorm. Because I know, in addition to these fun times, you have grown enormously through your research, your writing, your study abroad, your exposure to so many other students whose backgrounds differ from yours.

   I am confident, members of the graduating class, that you have obtained a well-rounded education that places you in good stead as you begin graduate or professional studies, or begin to build your career. My greatest wish for you on Matriculation day was that you would not only survive the challenges of Tufts, but that you would embrace them, and truly learn from them. You have succeeded, and tomorrow will forever be YOUR DAY in the history of this great institution.

   So now it is time to say farewell.

   For the past 9 years, I have sent Tufts classes on their way with enormous pride in their achievements and the feeling that their potential was unlimited. But then, I admit that a part of me also was always looking forward to the arrival of a new class of students, and the ritual of bringing them into the Tufts community, watching them develop and grow much in the same way that you have. This year, I do not have that comfort.

   Indeed, this baccalaureate address is in essence a valedictory for you and me, a chance to say farewell to the community that has been so very special to us since we arrived. We share something else, you and I. We are about to embark on a new journey, to leave behind what has become familiar and comfortable, so that we may learn new things about our world and ourselves.

   It has yet to be determined what our next contributions to the world will be, but I hope for you, the Class of 2001, that your contributions will be personally and professionally rewarding, and that your Tufts education will be the foundation for your future success. You are, indeed, the light of the world.

   The next few months will be a time of transition, a time of change. John F. Kennedy once said, "Change is the law of life, and those who look only to the past or the present are certain to miss the future." I fully expect the Class of 2001 to rush to the future, and not miss out on the wonder and excitement of it. Even though it might provoke anxiety… about where you are going to live, what you are going to do, who your friends will be, whether you will be successful… it is much better to put yourselves to the test than to never have tried at all.

   At this point, you have too much invested in your education - as do your parents or guardians - and you deserve to cross the bridge that signals your new life and new field of opportunity.

   In fact, today I would like to talk to you about bridges and their importance in our lives. You and I are both facing imposing bridges, so it is perhaps an appropriate theme for today's baccalaureate, as we stand poised to take a bold step into the future.

   I have to travel into Boston frequently for meetings on our health sciences campus, home to our medical, biomedical and dental schools, as well as some of Tufts' nutrition programs. For the past several years, even in the worst of commuter traffic, I have made that trip with some anticipation because it has taken me past one of the greatest engineering feats of our time - the construction of the Leonard Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge over the Charles River.

   If you have read the papers during your time here, graduates, (and I hope that you have), you know that this project is part of the "Big Dig," the most significant, most technologically complex highway project in the history of this nation. Critics of the project abound, but I must tell you that I marvel at the fact that mathematics and engineering can be so precise as to make both ends of the remarkably long bridge meet after, literally, years of construction efforts.

   Because it is happening in our own back yard, and because perhaps we tend to focus on the inconvenience of today as opposed to the benefits it will bring us in the future, it might be easy to overlook the awesome qualities of the Big Dig and the Zakim Bridge, so let me just point out a couple of fun facts: The project will excavate about 15 million cubic yards of dirt, enough to fill Foxboro Stadium 15 times; and the reinforcing steel used in the project would make a one-inch steel bar long enough to wrap once around the Earth at the equator. The Zakim Bridge itself will be the widest cable-stayed bridge in the world - 1,457 feet long with towers reaching 270 feet high.

   If you have not looked closely at this structure during your time here at Tufts, I encourage you to go witness this engineering extravaganza. For all the criticism it has sparked, the bridge is a remarkable example of what can be done through careful planning and analysis, teamwork, and patience.

   Not one to be outdone by the City of Boston, we at Tufts undertook construction of our own bridge last year, that being the bridge that joins Dowling Hall to our upper academic quad. While not on par in terms of size or cost with the Zakim Bridge (thank goodness!), the bridge to Dowling Hall nonetheless has taken on important significance on our campus. This structure, which is about 12 feet wide and 125 feet long, is made of long span steel trusses and concrete deck topping. It is controlled by thermostat to melt snow and ice (did you know that?). And because we set the bar higher at Tufts, the bridge is built above the roadway one foot higher than Massachusetts specifications require.

   But the real significance of the Dowling Hall bridge is the symbolic commitment that Tufts University has made to be a truly student-centered institution. The vision behind Dowling Hall, which has become manifest this year, is that of providing our students with services that operate effectively, efficiently, conveniently, and thoughtfully for our students. By placing the vast majority of our student service organizations in one central location, Tufts has created a place where students and staff together may transact the important business behind education and share in the satisfaction of accomplishment through partnership. It might sound a bit PollyAnna-ish, but I think that the addition of Dowling Hall and the University's innovative approach to student services represent a giant step forward in quality of life and learning for Tufts students of the future.

   Class of 2001, you helped to pioneer the transition to this new model. You were there to help us work out the bugs and to gauge the new system's effectiveness. There is no going back now for Tufts. The bridge is complete, and you were among the first to cross it.

   Another point about bridges… they make a way, where once none existed. I would ask you to think about this in terms of your own education. In the past four or five years, you have encountered numerous opportunities, and perhaps an obstacle or two. (I hope that the former outnumbered the latter.) Somehow, someway, regardless of the length of the gap, you have found a way to establish a bridge and make the connection to your future.

   Perhaps you worked closely with a faculty member to gain a better understanding of a challenging curriculum. Or maybe you concentrated on a foreign language, so that you could better understand the language and culture of persons who speak differently than you, and whose lifestyle is different than yours. In your years at Tufts, I hope that you have taken advantage of some of the wonderful programs offered by the University, dealing with such topics as gender differences, international relations, religious issues, and cultural awareness.

   The more you know about what lies "across the bridge," the better prepared you are to anticipate the environment in which you will be living and working.

   One of the most important bridges we can build is to our own community, through public service. Public service is a signature program at Tufts, as represented by our University College of Citizenship and Public Service. Many of you know that this College is particularly special to me, because of my own deep and abiding commitment to community involvement. You may be surprised and proud to know that the University College at Tufts is highly respected and admired by the higher education community nationwide, because of the way that we have infused the value of public service into every academic program campus-wide.

   We may take for granted the fact of this accomplishment, but as other colleges and universities try to replicate the Tufts model and realize the enormous challenge of adopting a public service mission across the curriculum, we gain a better understanding of how truly unique our University College is.

   It was Albert Schweitzer who said, "I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I do know… the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve."

   Couple this remarkable quote with the findings of a study conducted by the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, which reported the following: Learners retain: 10% of what they read; 20% of what they hear; 30% of what they see; 50% of what they see and hear; 70% of what they say; and 90% of what they say and do.

   Class of 2001, you have enormous potential and great energy at your disposal. You have the power to go forward in the world, to make bridges where none existed before, and to bring together people and viewpoints that once were separated by distance and lack of understanding… the rich and poor, the meek and assertive, the hungry and satisfied, the merciful and the unforgiving.

   As you go forth from Tufts, I hope that you will include bridge-building among your priorities, because, frankly, we need educated and informed people like yourselves to initiate contacts with those who are not familiar to us. We need people like yourselves who are willing to learn about important community issues, and make the connections to the resources that will best address community needs and problems.

   Your Tufts experience has provided you with the skills and tools to accomplish this challenge. As you build these bridges and address challenge head on, I hope you will know that you are contributing to a strong legacy at Tufts, where service is respected and treasured for the good that it does in the world. I already have alluded to the fact that bridges make a connection where there once was separation. They can bring together people from opposing sides, and create a new community where none existed before.

   When you and your classmates came to Tufts, we once again re-invented our community by welcoming a diverse and fresh group of new students to our campus. Now, you sit here before me, united by achievement and experience. You have looked past the superficial differences of race, language, religion, and culture and have come together as a class of global citizens who are prepared to lead the world in the 21st century.

   In your time at Tufts, you have been party to some very serious discourses that have highlighted the distance between our human race… close to home, you were first-hand witnesses to the clash among religious freedom, freedom of speech, and freedom from discrimination.

   During your years at Tufts, you have heard and studied about the conflicts in the Middle East and the Balkans. You have done research into the gaps that separate the rich and the poor, the young and the elderly. Citizens of the globe speak different languages, trade different currencies, practice different religions and celebrate different holidays; nonetheless, there is a delicate bond that we all share… that of our humanity.

   Tufts graduates honor that bond, and use it to make vital connections throughout the world. I challenge each of you, to live your lives not in fear of what is unfamiliar, but to embrace the differences in life that rescue us from monotony and nourish our curiosity.

   I believe you are well prepared to do this.

   You have studied language, history, and literature. You are knowledgeable about world politics and society, economics, art, and religion. Many of you have studied abroad and immersed yourselves in the traditions and culture of your host nations.

   At Tufts, you have been encouraged to think broadly, and to open your minds to that which is new, different, exciting. So go forward from here, knowing that you have prepared well for what lies ahead, and never be afraid to learn. That may be a tall order. I understand that anytime we cross a bridge, like the one about to be traversed, we step out to unfamiliar ground. We are suspended for a time in mid-air, our progress directly linked to our faith in the sturdiness of the bridge beneath our feet. As you spend your final days on campus, you may experience uncertainty, a reluctance to cross over to the other side, no matter how interesting or enticing it may seem.

   Well, let me tell you from experience, Class of 2001, these major transitions will always be a little disconcerting. You are not alone in your questions about what "life after Tufts" will be like. (I am asking that question myself.) Yet, you have to have faith in yourself and in the inherent goodness of others, that the future - the other side - will hold promise and reward, if only you make the journey in good spirit.

   As you begin your life as graduates of Tufts University, I hope that you will take away from this undergraduate experience confidence in your abilities - not only in the knowledge and skills that you obtained in your classes, but also in your ability to make a difference in the world.

   I hope that you will draw upon the wisdom that you have obtained during your years here. That may have been a result of your study of history, and your appreciation for the struggles and challenges that others confronted in the past; or it may be a result of your personal exposure to difficult situations and the development of critical thinking skills that enable you to respond thoughtfully.

   I hope that you will never hesitate to call upon your friends and mentors here at Tufts, for the word of advice or encouragement that may make the difference between ordinary and extraordinary actions on your part. The people here at Tufts, along with your families, will always be your greatest admirers. We have a strong investment in your success, because you will carry the Tufts name throughout the world, where expectations of you are very high. Your relationship to this great University will continue forever. So please, preserve the bridges, and come back now and then, either in person or through the email, phone or letter.

   Please give thought, too, to what your legacy to this world will be. It is not too soon to think about the influence that you can and will have on your communities and on the world.

   Take note of the experience of Alfred Nobel, the Swedish chemist who amassed a fortune inventing powerful explosives and marketing them to governments for weapon developments. When Alfred Nobel's brother died, a newspaper accidentally printed Alfred's obituary rather than his brother's. It was then that he realized how the world would remember him - as the inventor of explosives that would enable armies to destroy one another as well as innocent victims.

   It was then that Alfred Nobel committed his life and fortune to a new purpose. He established the Nobel Prizes, recognizing and rewarding accomplishments in the arts and sciences that would benefit humanity. Nobel's life purpose changed from making a fortune through destruction of life, to investing a fortune in the enhancement of life.

   Be clear about the goals that you pursue, and have faith that you can make a positive difference in the world. "Choose life," as we were encouraged by today's reading from the Torah. Choose to make a difference in society, and to leave this world better for your having been here. Know always that you are not alone in this task, that your family and friends are your greatest supporters, and that their love can help you overcome the most difficult of obstacles, and can sweeten your achievements like no other ingredient.

   I have a favorite quotation that I want to share with you today, Class of 2001. In your programs, you will find a card, a small memento from me to mark this important occasion in your lives… to signal your crossing of the bridge that lies ahead, following your commencement tomorrow. If I can leave you with one piece of advice, it would be this: Believe in yourself, and care deeply for others, and you will enjoy success beyond your wildest dreams.

   Class of 2001, these are words that I have tried to live by throughout my 40 years of public service. They have worked for me, and I have confidence that they will work for you, too.

   Coincidentally, they resonate with the reading that we heard earlier, from the Qu'ran. With great compassion to all, and with confidence, you can be effective agents of change in this world.

   You can achieve awesome heights in your professions, and in your personal lives. Use your Tufts education for good purpose, keep in mind the needs and concerns of others, and you will find your own life enriched by the fruits of your effort. "Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works."

   To the Class of 2001, tomorrow we will celebrate your commencement. You have earned this honor. You are ready to cross the bridge to your future. Good luck, and God speed.