Lawrence S. Bacow's Matriculation Address
Tufts' 12th President Welcomes Students -- August 29, 2001

Ladies and gentlemen, members of the faculty, staff and administration, alumni, trustees and friends, and our honored guests today, the members of the Tufts Class of 2005, and your families … welcome to this ceremony of matriculation, an annual rite of passage on The Hill, an occasion that is greatly anticipated on the Tufts campus year after year… an occasion that defines what this community is all about.

   It was almost 150 years ago that Tufts College was founded on what historians describe as "bleak Walnut Hill". There is nothing bleak about it now… how far we have come.

   It is a great pleasure and honor to welcome you to Tufts on this special day. You may not appreciate how very much I mean that. I am as excited and proud to be here as you are, and like you, I look forward to the next four years with great enthusiasm. (Of course, unlike you, I hope to be here for a fifth year, and a sixth year, and many years beyond.)

   Yours is the first Tufts class that I have welcomed at matriculation. And as your new president, I can honestly say that this is the finest Tufts class I have ever stood before! Seriously, your class will always be very special to me. In a very real sense, we are all freshmen together. Most entering freshmen approach their first day on campus with excitement tempered by a little anxiety. I must confess, I know how you feel…

   Like you, I am new to Tufts. Like you, I recently have moved to campus. Like you, I have left familiar and comfortable surroundings in search of new challenges. Like you, I have left close friends behind and hope to make new ones here. Like you, I have recently moved into university housing (although with a bit more closet space.) And like you, I have become a part of this distinguished community of scholars, with its long and storied tradition.

   I recall vividly my first day at college. I sat through a similar welcoming address by the President. To be honest, the only thing I remember from that day is that I was terrified. I was convinced that my classmates were all smarter than I was, that my acceptance was a mistake, that it was only a matter of time before I was discovered to be a fraud, and asked to leave. I have a secret to tell you. This is a common feeling, not just among freshmen, but also among new faculty and even new university presidents.

   But rest assured. The admissions committee does not make mistakes. You are here because you have distinguished yourselves in the classroom and on the playing fields, on stage and in the concert hall. You have been leaders in your schools and your communities. You have volunteered your time to improve the situation of those less fortunate than yourselves. I could continue to list your many impressive attributes, but I could never do justice to the unique qualities that characterize you, individually and as a class. In short, you are everything we look for in a Tufts student.

   You belong on this hill. In addition to your many talents, you all have another important asset that ensures your success at Tufts: a significant support network consisting of your family and friends (old and new), and our wonderful faculty and staff. We are all here to help you succeed.

   As Adele and I have already learned, Tufts is an incredibly welcoming, friendly, and supportive community. I know you will find this to be true as well.

   You have an exciting world of opportunity before you. John Dewey once said that education is not preparation for life, it is life itself. How will you lead this life? Will you pursue a narrow course, defined by a very specific set of professional goals, or will you sample broadly from all that Tufts has to offer? In asking this question and framing it as I have, I have disclosed my own bias.

   Tufts offers you opportunities previously unknown to develop your intellect, to explore the great ideas and texts of our time, to develop a lifelong commitment to learning, to begin to lead a reflective life, one where you are capable of wrestling with great ideas, ideas that may sometimes seem paradoxically to be both true and in conflict. You are entering a world that encourages exploration and learning, debate and inquiry, respect for those who think differently, and an admiration for those who challenge conventional wisdom.

   At Tufts, we embrace academic rigor but we do so in the pursuit of a better world. You have before you a field of unlimited opportunity that will be every bit as broad or focused, intense and engaging as you can make it. The challenge is yours to both contribute and extract as much as you possibly can, even beyond your wildest dreams. This is not as daunting as it may sound to you today, when all is new and unfamiliar.

   Indeed, I have great confidence in you to take full advantage of the opportunities Tufts offers and to meet these expectations, because I know that you are among the very best students to ever assemble on this Hill. You have what it takes to be successful at Tufts and to make a difference here and in the world. Now begins an extraordinary journey. Along the way, I hope that you will discover much about yourself and the world you are privileged to inhabit. This particular constellation of students, faculty and staff at Tufts has never before existed, and therefore is unique and unparalleled in opportunity.

   We have an obligation as citizens of this University, and citizens of the planet, to use the unique talents and abilities that are embodied here for the good of our community and our neighbors, both local and global. It will take some work on our part to determine just what our strengths are, and in the days and years to come, I believe that we will tap potential that was never before known.

   We will experience the thrill of discovery as well as the excitement that comes with making the world a better place. Our journey is bound to be a remarkable one. There may be twists and turns along the way, but if you stay the course, I assure you that the rewards will be great.

   Class of 2005, you now join the generations of Tufts men and women who have settled before you, who have studied on this beautiful hill, who have contributed so much to the intellectual life of this community, and who gave gone on to make their mark on the world.

   It is no coincidence that a representative of the Tufts University Alumni Association sits on the platform today. Mr. McDougal's participation in this important annual rite symbolizes the fact that you now are a part of the Tufts family, and you always will be connected to this great university forever. Like those who came before you, and those who will follow, this place is home… it is yours to make your own, and you will forever be a part of its history, its memory… its future.

   Tufts is a university with deep roots, and far reaching influence. I would like to describe for you some students who came to this very same spot, at different points throughout the 150 years of this distinguished University, and remind you that each and every one of you has the potential to impact the world in a comparable way.

   Norbert Wiener, Tufts Class of 1909, was one of the most gifted mathematicians of the 20th century. Known as "the father of cybernetics" he anticipated the digital revolution, which so heavily influences our lives today. Norbert Wiener, who received the National Medal of Science, walked the same paths that you are walking today. However, my guess is that he would easily have been mistaken for someone's little brother at his matriculation ceremony. You see, he graduated from Tufts at the age of 14, and completed his Ph.D. by the age of 18.

   Vannevar Bush, Class of 1913, led the US scientific effort during World War II, and directed research that led to the development of both radar and the atomic bomb. He was the architect of the National Science Foundation, and a founder of Raytheon. In a very prescient paper published just after the war, he anticipated the development of both the personal computer and hypertext. His accomplishments were many. They changed the world during his lifetime, and continue to influence the way that we live today.

   Bush's sister, Edith, was a pioneer in her own right. A 1903 graduate of the college, Edith Bush went on to become the Dean of Jackson College here at Tufts, and was the first woman to teach in the College of Engineering.

   Turning to more recent classes (recent being defined as people younger than I) Katherine Haley Will, Class of 1974, a distinguished scholar of English literature, is the President of Whittier College. Arthur Sulzberger, Jr. Class of 1974, is the publisher of the New York Times. Laura Denvir Stith, Class of 1975 was the second woman appointed to serve on the Missouri Supreme Court.

   We have many distinguished authors, actors, and musicians among our graduates: novelist Anita Shreve, musician Tracy Chapman, actor William Hurt.

   Pierre Omidyar, Class of 1989 , is someone with whom you may have crossed paths, knowingly or not. Pierre is the founder of eBay, a company that he and his wife Pamela, also a Tufts graduate, have grown into the most successful on line auction house in the world. Pierre and Pamela are also dedicated philanthropists. Some of you here today have benefited from their generosity. You are Omidyar Scholars

   Those are just a few of Tufts' success stories… many more remain to be written. My point is that we hope that you will also find inspiration on The Hill, and that you will go on to leave your mark on the world.

   Class of 2005, we have great expectations for you. I suppose that some of you came here today with a clear sense of what you want to do with your life, and are ready to get down to business. Others may be less certain, and I want you to know that that's okay too.

   My advice is to approach your Tufts education with an open mind. Do not cling to preconceived notions of your future too fiercely. One of the joys of being a Tufts student is that we offer you the opportunity to explore. Do so with vigor. There is no greater thrill than to discover your passion. Immerse yourself in the life of the mind, where there is room for creativity, analysis, logic and whimsy.

   You are beginning a wonderfully exciting journey. Do not hurry it. Enjoy. You are fortunate to attend in Tufts one of the finest universities in this nation. I often say that there are two things that make for a great university - great students and great faculty. As I have already noted, your class is superb. I am also pleased to assure you that the other ingredient of a great university is present here as well - an extraordinary faculty.

   Tufts is a place where faculty are as dedicated to their teaching as they are to their scholarship. Get to know your professors. You will discover that they love what they do. Most will be delighted to engage you in their process of discovery. And I can assure you, there is no greater thrill than helping to create new knowledge.

   Our faculty are dedicated people who care about you and your intellectual development. They teach because they are deeply committed to education, and, more personally, deeply committed to you and your success. So seek them out. You will discover that they are passionate about their disciplines, and I hope that their passion will prove infectious.

   Recognize, too, that in addition to our excellent undergraduate college, Tufts offers you all the benefits of a first-rate research university. Go visit the Medical School, the Dental School, the Veterinary School, and the Sackler School of Biomedical Sciences. Seek out our faculty in the School of Nutrition or the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. These schools all offer seminars, lectures, and opportunities to collaborate with faculty on research. Get to know them; learn something about their mission and focus. It will help you to appreciate the vitality of Tufts, and the impact that this university is having on the world.

   Oscar Wilde once said that nothing worth knowing can be taught. There is at least some truth to his statement, although as a university president I cannot subscribe to it completely. Your learning these next four years will extend well beyond the classroom. You will learn as much from each other as you will from the faculty.

   In the next four years, perhaps most importantly, you will learn much about yourself… Much about your world… Some of the new ideas that you encounter or experience may be a little disconcerting because they differ from your norm. At Tufts we embrace diversity in every possible dimension… racial, ethnic, gender, sexual orientation, religious, economic, political, and intellectual. We learn from our differences.

   Given the diversity of our community, at some point in your collegiate experience, you will be confronted by ideas that challenge your way of thinking. Keep an open mind even if it causes you some discomfort.. You have come to a place that is well known for being friendly, accessible, and welcoming.

   Understand that at Tufts, we not only challenge you, but we support you and admire your courage to think independently, to speak with a strong and informed voice, and to back up your ideas with responsible action.

   You have chosen to attend a university in one of the great cities of the world. Get to know Boston. It is a remarkable city with extraordinary cultural institutions, distinct neighborhoods, and an unusual vitality. Visit the Museum of Fine Arts, the Gardner Museum, Fenway Park, Symphony Hall, the Public Garden and the Common, the streetside galleries and cafes. Explore Cape Cod, Martha's Vinyard, the White Mountains. You won't be disappointed.

   Class of 2005, in just a short time, you are going to be "on your own," to have the opportunity to make your own decisions about where to go, what to do, whether to study or whether to do something else. Your time has come, and it is important, I think, for you to recognize that you did not get to this moment alone. You have had the invaluable support and love of your parents, family, and friends. They helped you prepare for this moment, and for the years that lie ahead.

   You will be very busy with your new life at Tufts, but please remember to take the time to stay in touch with the people at home. They are experiencing at least as big an adjustment as you are now. It is your responsibility to help them through it.

   And if I may, I would like to talk to your parents for a moment. Being a parent is not always easy. Parents, the fact that you are sitting here today is evidence that you have done your job well. However, I suspect today is a day of mixed emotions for many of you. Adele and I understand what you may be experiencing. We have seen our two sons off to college, the younger of them just last year, so the memory is fresh.

   No doubt, you are anxious about whether your children are ready, whether they are prepared for all that awaits them, whether they will act maturely, and with good judgment. We all raise our children to be independent, and yet when they reach the moment where they are prepared to go off on our own, our natural tendency is to cling to them. I now must ask you to do the hardest thing you have ever done as a parent. Let go. You must trust your sons and daughters to make the right choices, and when they make mistakes - and they will -- to learn from them. They will remember what you, their first teachers, taught them, and they will supplement that knowledge with what they will learn at Tufts.

   This is a good place, a caring place, and we will help your sons and daughters to continue to grow, to continue to build upon the wonderful foundation that you so generously helped them to establish. We are all here to see them through.

   So, to the Class of 2005, I again say WELCOME to Tufts and CONGRATULATIONS. Begin this new journey with enthusiasm, and take full advantage of the wonderful resources that this University offers to you. Be bold, be thoughtful, and be proud that you are a Tufts student. You have earned this honor - this special day is yours - and I look forward to learning about you, learning with you, and learning from you, in these next four years.