Melissa
Marrus
Graduation Speech
Good afternoon. On this day marking the beginning
of many new adventures and accomplishments, excitement
and joy, I ask that you take a moment to reflect
on what has made this moment in time possible. Think
way, way back, seemingly millions of years ago,
to the day we arrived in the whirlwind of chaos,
just as Dorothy first stepped foot in Oz. Like Dorothy,
we, too, were on our way to beginning an exciting
adventure, promising a great education, requiring
a lot of courage and heart and rewarding us with
a home (which is why we chose this as the theme
for our senior banquet). As we began the journey,
though, that first day of freshman year, instead
of the yellow brick road, we had Broadway with chalked
out squares. There, we sat with pillows, illegal
microwaves and halogen lamps, entire wardrobes,
waiting to move into our rooms and get on with our
journey. Remember Barnard back then.
Take
a look around you at our home now; how much better
off is Barnard since we've been here? Among the
many improvements that we have helped to institute
are the recycling program, one of the best sexual
misconduct policies in the nation, a move toward
socially responsible investing, the elimination
of the 18 credit limit, and so much more. None of
this could have happened without us-we saw a problem
and went out to fix it, with the support of the
administration and faculty. While Dorothy was out
looking for home, we were looking to make our home
a better place for everyone.
Home,
however, is much more than a place, a physical location.
Home constitutes the family, friends, and lasting
personal relationships that better every one of
us. While our class has certainly left it's mark
in the legacy of Barnard, each of us has made an
indelible mark upon the people here at Barnard.
As we sit here, celebrating our accomplishments
as individuals, we cannot neglect the fact that
we could not have done this alone. Through the support
and inspiration of our peers, faculty and administrators,
we have become better, stronger women, ready to
face the challenges that life outside of Barnard
has to offer. Think of your friends, your relatives,
the people that you love-the family, in the truest
sense of the word, that has been your greatest supporter.
We
arrived here what may seem like ages ago or just
yesterday, and now we are moving forward, taking
on new challenges and endeavors. We're not, however,
leaving this behind-at the very least, our footprints
remain. Just as we rely on the guidance and love
of our family and friends, we have provided the
same for others. Without sharing in this care for
each other and for our community, we could not have
evolved into the successful and fulfilled women
that sit here now. We have helped friends become
better people and accomplish extraordinary feats,
just as they have done the same for us. We cannot
leave that behind.
To put this all in perspective: if we can accomplish
all of these things in one place, in four years,
can you imagine how much we can do with the rest
of our lives, in the rest of the world? We are,
truly, headed for great things. With all of this
behind us, with the support of Barnard, with the
love of our family and friends, with the knowledge
of our own power as individuals, we are ready to
head out on our own amazing adventures, be it through
Emerald City, New York City, or any other place
in the world. Though there's no place like Barnard,
there's certainly no class like 2000.
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