Overheard at Commencement

“I’ve been to three graduation ceremonies, and this was my favorite. I liked all of the speeches; it was windy, so people’s hats kept blowing off. We didn’t realize we were supposed to line up, so we all just clumped together. It was all very true to the 2013 spirit.”

 —Aditi Roy ’13, graduate 

“Listen to others. … Spend time meeting and working with folks who are different from you. … Don’t be tricked into thinking certain people deserve less of your listening. Don’t be tricked into thinking you can read someone without listening. Don’t be tricked into thinking it is always your turn to talk.  

—Sarah Kay, poet, commencement speaker, recipient of an honorary doctor of humane letters degree 

“MIME is used roughly a trillion times a day. But only the very best uses are actually pictures of my grandchildren. Most of the rest are useless garbage.” 

—Nathaniel S. Borenstein ’80, about MIME (multipurpose Internet mail extensions), his invention that allows people to send email attachments over the Internet  

“I know that it is customary to share a few words of wisdom with graduates.  To that end, I have enlisted the aid of my students. … ‘Dear Random College Student.  Take life as it goes and follow your passion and what you are good at. Don’t try to make life revolve around you. Become a part of it.’ Wow! I add only this.  Be mindful of the impact you can have on others. Be kind, do well, be happy.” 

—David T. Abarr ’83, fourth grade math, science, and social studies teacher at Davis Elementary School in Grinnell; recipient of an honorary doctor of science degree 

“Don’t be surprised if success doesn’t look like what you expected.” 

—Nathaniel S. Borenstein ’80, recipient of an honorary doctor of science degree

“Being a Grinnellian requires that each of us humble ourselves before the truth. Not the truth of simplistic ‘true or false’ statements, but the greater, more complex, more subtle, and truly awesome truth of being human.”

—Raynard S. Kington, president, Grinnell College