President Riggs Convocation Address

Good afternoon and let me join the rest of the group up here in welcoming the class of 2012 to Gettysburg College!  Of course, we are also delighted to extend that welcome to their parents, family, and friends--by extension you too are joining the Gettysburg community.

Before I speak to our new students, I'd like to say a few words to all of you who are parents.  This is a big day, an important day--and for many of you, an emotional day.  I've been in your shoes recently.  I have one son who graduated from college a year ago and another son and a daughter, both of whom are currently college students, and both of whom I dropped off at each of their respective colleges this past weekend.  I recognize that this is a big moment, and I want to thank you for entrusting your students to us.

I know how much you want everything to go well for your sons and daughters here at Gettysburg.  And I want to assure you that we want the same thing.

We share your high opinions of them, and I know that as we get to know them over the coming years we will feel great affection for and enthusiasm about this wonderful group of students. So while it might be hard for you as parents to let go a bit, please know that your daughters and sons are entering a community that will embrace them, that will challenge them, that will push them, that will care for them, and that is committed to their intellectual and personal development.

         And now to the the Class of 2012.

I'm going to ask you students to take 10 seconds to tell the person next to you in a single word how you're feeling right now.  One word only--10 seconds. 

Time's up! For those of you who said you're feeling excited or motivated or inspired ­I'm going to try to preserve, perhaps even enhance those feelings.

For those of you who said you're feeling hot, or preoccupied, or antsy, I'll try to be very brief.

First, a little historical tidbit for you. You may not be aware that Gettysburg College was founded by Samuel Simon Schmucker in 1832.  That makes you the 177th class to enter Gettysburg College, which, by the way, was known in the beginning as Pennsylvania College.  So you are joining a long line of students who have attended this great college.

And, as you've already heard from several members of this community, we are delighted that you have arrived.  We are very pleased that you have chosen a liberal arts education and particularly pleased that you chose Gettysburg College.  It's the same choice I made several years ago, and I can assure you, it is a superb place, a place that we hope you will feel a connection to not only during the next four years but also for the rest of your lives.

In fact, the next four years here will set a course for the rest of your life.  There is much in store for you. Hundreds of courses, 41 majors, exceptionally distinguished faculty who are here because they are scholars in their fields who love to teach, abundant off-campus study programs, public service opportunities, more than 120 student organizations.  There is so much to do, and no two students will have the same experience.

But the way you do it will become your unique Gettysburg experience. Your job is to design an experience that challenges you to think about the world differently, to think about yourself differently, and that will enable you to become an active participant and leader in a rapidly changing world.

I had the opportunity to attend a couple of first-year send-offs this summer, and  I asked the first-year students to bring two things with them when they came to campus.  I hope those of you who were there remember what those two things were. Do you?  I asked you to bring with you initiative and integrity. 

Taking initiative here at Gettysburg comes in many forms. it consists of going to see a faculty member to ask a question or to continue a class discussion.  It consists of wandering over to audition for our musical groups. It consists of investigating what kinds of experiences you might find if you get involved with the Center for Public Service.  It consists of going to the off-campus studies office to inquire about study-abroad opportunities. It consists of speaking out against an injustice.  It also consists of reaching out to a classmate who needs help or someone to talk to. In every case it requires you to initiate action. To make the most of your Gettysburg experience, you must take some initiative.

And integrity. I'll have more to say about integrity in just a moment, but I will simply reinforce what you've already heard today. We expect Gettysburg students to act with integrity--we expect honesty not only in your academic work, but in your interactions with other members of this community.  We expect you to take seriously your responsibility as a student and as a community member, and we expect you to act with respect and with honor.

And where will these next four years take you? What will you have to show in four years?  Well if we have done our work well and you have done yours, in four years, you will have learned how to translate this wonderful liberal arts experience into:

• The ability to think creatively
• The ability to solve problems
• The ability to speak and write and articulate what is important
• The ability to understand and appreciate diverse perspectives
• The ability to translate your education into action--in your professions, in your communities, and in society--we expect you to become individuals who act with great integrity and who make a positive difference in our world.

Last May, on this very spot, Sandra Day O'Connor delivered the Commencement address to the class of 2008.  She noted that:

"The individual can make things happen."  She said, "It is the individual who can bring a tear to my eye and then cause me to take pen in hand.  It is the individual who has acted or tried to act who will not only force a decision, but also have a hand in shaping that decision. Whether the individual acts in the legal, governmental, or private realm, remember a single person can meaningfully affect what some consider to be an uncaring world."

Justice O'Connor's words resonate with me and I hope they resonate with you.

Every one of you has the potential to make a difference, and these next four years are all about preparing you to realize that potential. Use these years well and wisely.