Washington College Magazine
Taking Our Turn
By Nicole Alpert '05
Editor's note: Each year, graduating seniors vie for the opportunity to have the last word with their classmates. Nicole Alpert presented her winning essay at Commencement.
Speaking on behalf of her classmates, Nicole Alpert asserts: "We are the ones you are looking for."
Our liberal arts education teaches us that there is no completely self-made woman, nor self-made man. We give thanks to Washington College for enriching us, and we give thanks to our parents for enriching Washington College. We can thank our professors and families for helping to shape our character. And, we can blame our friends for corrupting us. I want to thank each of you for helping me enjoy these past years at Washington College; we have all learned from each other. I hope this address makes us a little less terrified of what lies beyond graduation. Maybe we are shaken because our graduation seems like an abrupt transition, but really, it has been a smooth transition from one day to the next, and one class after another. Such transitions, if we are fortunate, will continue throughout our lives. Over these past four years, while we have traveled abroad, undertaken independent research projects, and discussed current events, we have become more aware of the world around us, which is much bigger than we initially thought. We have seen the economic and social inequalities overseas, and realized that they also exist in our local towns. We have learned that experience and observation is just as important as studying a book.
At the outset of our freshman year, we woke to the news covering 9/11. We saw that America is not invincible, but we came together and learned to count our blessings. Though life has changed a bit since then, we still enjoy a remarkably open lifestyle, and can appreciate our political freedom. Here on campus, we have debated the gambit of international issues, examined the harsh realities and hopeful outcomes of the Iraq war, discussed domestic policy and still had time to wonder when the next Orange Fence Party would take place. Plenty of contentious issues have arisen, but our voices could all be heard on this campus, just as in our society. We must remember that we are the lucky few who are educated and able to speak out for what we believe. Had it not been for those leaders before us, who took on the responsibility to do just that, we would not have the liberties we do today. When people ask, "who will lead us tomorrow?" we must answer, "we are the ones you are looking for." My fellow graduates, our task is the ultimate cliché, solving the problems of today and creating a new vision for tomorrow.
Look around and see that we are a microcosm of this country. We come from many different backgrounds, hold different political views and practice different religions, and yet, we have a common past with each other here. We have worked with one another in class; finished our theses just in time; sat next to each other at lacrosse games and in the dining hall; and now, we are sitting here, next to each other, about to take on this ever-changing world. Regardless of our different views, we have all worked so hard to get here, to achieve the same goal of graduating, and we all did it in the same place. We really have walked in each other's shoes. Now, as we go out into the world, we should be able to transcend invisible ranks and meaningless labels, and realize that we are not that different from each other after all, nor others that we will meet after graduation.
Leaving Washington College may scare us a little, but remember this is what makes graduating so exciting: that we can connect our best talents with our deepest values, plotting our next steps where our moral compass leads us. We have more opportunities, more than our parents and our professors ever had. It takes confidence to take on this changing world, to realize what needs reform and what needs maintenance, and to recognize what we need to do to keep the world turning, because it is our turn.
So Shoremen, let's get into the surf, and ride the choppy waves of society; and if the waves get you a little dizzy, remember, you always have the shore to come back to.
Nicole Alpert '05 graduated with a degree in economics and international studies, and with concentrations in African studies and Asian studies. This fall, she will be in Hong Kong, assisting professors at Linghan University with English literature and composition courses, and with research projects in economics.
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