Lawrence S. Bacow, President
Tufts University
May 21, 2005

Members of the Class of 2005, parents, family members, friends and colleagues...

How quickly time passes. It seems like yesterday that I greeted you at Matriculation. I told you that we had much in common - you were first year students; I was a first year president. You had left safe and comfortable surroundings in search of new challenges. So had I. We were all excited to be at Tufts, but also a little nervous, not quite certain what the next four years would bring.

Now your time on the Hill is about to draw to a close. You are once again gathered together, surrounded by many of the same family and friends who shared Matriculation Day with you four years ago. But you are also surrounded by a new family, one you have acquired during your time here - your classmates, teachers, coaches, trainers, staff and friends. One of the reasons this weekend is so poignant is because like four years ago, you once again find yourself getting ready to say goodbye.

I suspect when many of us look back on our early days on this campus, September 11 will loom large. Not quite two weeks into our time at Tufts, the world changed for all of us. I recall vividly seeing many of you on your cell phones that day calling home, some frantically trying to make sure that loved ones in New York and Washington were alright, others just checking in with your families during a difficult time. I was incredibly proud of your collective response to this tragedy - the candlelight vigil at Tisch, Patches for Peace, the formation of the Middle East Students Association to bring together students from all parts of the region - Muslim, Christian, and Jew - to promote better understanding. I believe there is a lesson here - when confronted by adversity, always look for the opportunity to grow and learn. If you do, you will find that even very dark clouds have their silver linings.

Of course, not all of your time here was spent responding to crisis. You have been incredibly busy both inside and outside the classroom. Many of you have double majored, done research with faculty, studied abroad, spent time in Talloires, performed on stage, competed on the playing fields and in the gym, written for the Daily, the Observer and the Source, participated in EPIIC, volunteered for the Leonard Carmichael Society, led campus tours - I could go on. I get tired just thinking of all the things that engaged you during your time at Tufts. Each of these activities has been a learning experience. I hope we have stretched you, pushed you, and even forced you outside of your comfort zone. You often learn most when you are pushed the hardest. Keep pushing yourself, and please don't stop learning. After all, commencement is not the end of your education, just the start of the rest of it.

For those of us who have been privileged to share this campus with you for the past four years, we have enjoyed watching you grow and mature. Some of the changes are quite remarkable. If you don't believe me, just ask your parents. Each year at this time I am reminded of the story told by Mark Twain of the young man graduating from college. "What did you learn in your four years at school?" he was asked. "Not much," he replied. "But my parents seemed to learn a lot while I was gone."

Adele and I have really enjoyed getting to know many of you. One of the joys of working on a college campus is that while we might be getting older, the people around us always stay the same age. You have helped to keep us young and for this we are very grateful. I also want to thank all of you who got up early in the morning to run with me. I appreciated both the company and the advice I got along the way. And for those of you whose running was confined to the quad, I hope will forgive me if I did not join you.

Your class also enjoys a distinction unmatched by any other class in the 153-year history of Tufts. During your four years, you have witnessed three Superbowl Championships and a World Series victory. If I owned the Pats and the Red Sox, I would not let you go. You have certainly brought them good luck.

No doubt you have learned much during your time at Tufts. You have grown personally and you have made friends for life. But what of the future? At commencement, we all become like Janus, the Roman god of gates and doors. Janus, as our classics majors may recall, had two faces, one looking to the past, the other to the future.

Last Friday, at the senior reception, I asked a number of you to pick one word to describe what you were feeling. The answers were quite revealing but not all that surprising: tired, relieved, excited, anxious, bittersweet, nervous, thrilled, scared. As is always the case in life, the past is seen far more clearly than the future. Once again you are confronting uncertainty, new challenges.

Relax. You are not expected to know at this point what you want to do when you grow up. Most of us are still trying to figure it out. Life is so much more interesting if you approach it as a journey, one that is not overly planned or scripted. Imagine how much more interesting it is going on a trip, map and guidebook in hand, with the freedom to linger at destinations that interest you, rather than hopping on a tour bus following a fixed itinerary along with a bunch of other weary tourists. Feel free to get off the beaten path from time to time. Do the unconventional. Take some risks in your career, especially early on when you have few responsibilities and little to lose.

When I graduated from college I was convinced I was going to be a lawyer like my father. However, it took me three years of law school to realize that I was not cut out to practice law. My dad was not happy when I told him I was going to become an academic instead of returning home to practice law with him. He has since gotten over it. My advice to you is to figure out what makes you happy. Do what excites and interests you - not what others expect you to do. In the end, it is your life. Take responsibility for it.

So much of our careers are simply fortuitous accidents. Always try to recognize opportunity when it walks up and hits you in the face. You will be confronted in your life with many career choices. In similar situations, I have always found it useful to ask myself three questions: Is the job worth doing? Not every job is, even some that pay very well. Are you going to grow and learn? Nothing is more stultifying than to work in a job that does not provide you with new challenges. And finally, are you going to enjoy the people who will be your colleagues? Life is too short to work with people you do not respect and enjoy. If you can answer each of these questions in the affirmative, take the job. And keep asking these questions. When the answer to any of them turns negative, it is time to move on.

Many of you will soon find yourselves in jobs where you feel completely over your head on day one. My advice is to again relax. One of the things you learned at Tufts is how to learn and how to think. Don't be afraid to ask for help. It is not a sign of weakness. To the contrary, it is most often the sign of an intelligent, secure individual who is wise enough to know his or her own ignorance.

I have a secret to tell you. I have never had a job in my life that I felt qualified to do on day one ? and that includes being president of Tufts. One of the fun things about taking on a new responsibility is the opportunity it gives you to master a new set of skills, to address a new set of challenges. Approach each career opportunity with humility; see it as a chance to learn, and you will never be disappointed.

Tomorrow we will award honorary degrees to three people who studied at Tufts and who have reached the pinnacles of their professions - a head of state, an Academy Award winner, and a recipient of the National Medal of Science. If you are a politician, actor, or scientist, it does not get much better than that. I hope some of you will also aspire to greatness in your chosen fields, and if you are like the alumni who have preceded you, many of you will succeed.

But I believe the true measure of success in life is not how many awards you receive or how much wealth you accumulate. There are lots of ways to earn a living. What is truly important is to lead a meaningful life, to acquire a good name, or as the Talmud would say, a shem tov.

What is a good name? It is the crown that sits atop all of your other accomplishments. It comes from the love and respect one earns from parents and children, from friends and colleagues. It comes from being honest and trustworthy with yourself and with others. It means making good on your commitments. People who enjoy a good name always strive to do the right thing, not that which is easy or convenient. They think about others before thinking about themselves. They are helpful because it is the right thing to do, not because they expect something in return. They are kind to everyone, not just those of equal stature or importance. People who enjoy a good name do not yield to temptation, but rather, always embrace decency, honesty, integrity and humility.

For those of us who have been fortunate to teach you these past four years, we have great expectations for you. Tufts has prepared you well for the world you will encounter. Moreover, you leave here with the support of your families, both old and new. We have every confidence that you will make your mark in the world, and that you will create for yourself a shem tov, a good name.

To the parents and family who are with us today, thank you for sharing these remarkable young people with us for these past four years. You have raised them well. It really has been our privilege to be part of their lives, and part of your lives as well. I hope that we return them to you a little wiser, more mature, better educated and prepared to help make the world a better place.

To our students, please stay in touch with us. Faculty think of their students much like parents do of their children. While you will soon leave this Hill, and establish a life and a career of your own, you will always be our students and you will always have a home here. We will all follow your careers with great interest and pride. We hope that a little bit of us remains with you wherever you go. Whenever you are back on campus, drop in and say hello to your favorite faculty or staff member. A note or email is also appreciated. And of course, we always stand ready to help you wherever life may take you.

Class of 2005, you will always be very special to me. We came to Tufts together as freshmen. You now are graduating. I will remain behind. You will always be my first class, and in my mind and heart you will always be first class. Good luck to each of you, and Godspeed.