2009 Undergraduate Commencement

On Saturday I attended the 2009 undergraduate ceremony (the 199th for SSC!), along with Larry Goss, John Hayes, Steve Matchak, and Steve Young. Over 1,600 graduates this year! We had 19 from Geography, which is about normal. U.S. Rep John Tierney received an honorary degree and gave the commencement speech, which was remarkably short. I was particularly impressed, however, by the speech (or greeting) delivered by the President of the Student Government Association Quin Gonnell. Quinn was a graduating senior (and by all appearances, a young man), but he came across a like a seasoned leader. Mr. Gonnell hails from Lawrence, and by his own account, a not-so-privileged background. He is an exemplar of a student whose success was critically dependent upon a second chance and the support of people who maintain faith in the ability of remarkable individuals to exceed expectations.