Themes of Commencement 2008

May 18, 2008

Stonehill College held its 57th Commencement on the College's quad on Sunday, May 18. 

As the 566 graduates gathered together to process down the Donahue hill and then heard from various inspiring speakers, several key messages surfaced.

Fulfilling Hope
American psychiatrist and author Robert Jay Lifton delivered the Commencement speech. Lifton is noted for his acute analysis of "some of the most unexplainable of human actions" including war, terrorism, torture, and genocide."

In his remarks, he offered words of hope to the graduates. "Hope must be earned," he explained. "And we'll earn it together by acknowledging the predicament from which we are emerging, and in that way the hope can be most genuine."

Citing what he termed the Superpower Syndrome - one that caused the U.S. to react to the extreme behaviors of others with extreme behavior of our own - Lifton suggested that we "are capable of embarking on less violent, more diplomatic, more shared directions." Further, he reminded that we can "regain our capacity for empathy for others." He noted that this empathy is rooted in "our most valuable and specifically human attribute - our creative imagination."

Robert Jay Lifton received an honorary Doctor of Literature degree. (To read Robert Jay Lifton's citation, visit here.)

Ending and Beginning
Lifton ended his speech with a quote by Gershom Scholem, "The story is not ended. It has not yet become history. And the secret life it holds may break out tomorrow in you or in me." (To read Robert Jay Lifton's speech, visit here.)

Reflecting upon endings and beginnings, Vanda Barros '08 had mixed feelings about the day - both excited and sad. "I call this home," Barros said about Stonehill. "I feel so comfortable here. But now it is time to move on." Graduate Elizabeth Bierwirth shared the same sentiment, "I'm happy and sad. We've lived five minutes apart for four years, who knows when we'll be together again."

Mark Mulligan '88, president of the Stonehill Alumni Council, welcomed the graduates into the Alumni Association. "You have been Stonehill students for the past four years...we welcome you as alumni for your lifetimes."

Sense of Service
Three additional honorary degree recipients were celebrated for their generosity and commitment to service. Sister Lena Deevy, L.S.A, was awarded a Doctor of Humanities for her work with assisting immigrants from 112 countries around the globe. She was recognized for her "involvement in international solidarity efforts that have promoted peace and justice." (To read Sister Deevy's citation, visit here.)

Lawrence C. and Theresa Salameno, both Stonehill College Trustees, were honored with a Doctor of Humanities degree for their spirit of giving to a range of non-profit organizations. They were also recognized for their commitment to civic responsibility, their "capacious educational sensibilities," and for their "extraordinary academic enrichment." (To read the Lawrence C. and Theresa Salameno citation, visit here.)

Words of Advice
Both President Mark Cregan, C.S.C. and the student speaker Danielle Mason provided words of advice for the graduating class. Fr. Cregan urged graduates to take risks, work hard, do everything with integrity, and to seek to build "communities of faith." He remarked, "Your genuine goodness is and will be your biggest asset in all that you accomplish. Like our honorees today, you can do great things but, at the end of the day, it is who you are as a person, that will truly matter." (To read President Cregan's speech, visit here.)

Mason imparted eleven "pieces of advice" upon her fellow classmates. From believing in something to embracing change to keeping the world beautiful, Mason concluded by encouraging her classmates to "remember the excitements and fears that are bubbling under the silence [of this moment] and love it fiercely." (To read Danielle Mason's speech, visit here.)

Sunny and Clear
With a chance of rain in the forecast, most of the graduates were relieved when they saw the clear skies Sunday morning.

Elizabeth Bierwirth acknowledged the symbolism in the good weather, "Everything came full circle. We started off four years ago outside with the opening Mass and now, this crowning achievement is taking place four years later outside at the same location." Khalid Abdi said that he was not worried about the weather, "When I saw the sun come out yesterday, it was a good sign." After surviving a recent double lung transplantation surgery, Lindsay Briggs said, "I am excited to be here. It is great to be outside. I can deal with rain later today."

Looking around the quad from the main stage, Robert Jay Lifton urged graduates to "take in this exquisite image, store it where images are collected in your mind, and have it ready to call forth at future moments…"

To see a commencement photo gallery, visit here.

To News, Events, and Publications