Spring Break
Excerpts from Sam Vaghar's speech
News | 5/20/08
Posted online at 7:29 AM EST on 5/20/08
I remember walking onto this campus when we were all little first years, wandering around knowing hardly anyone. I'm graduating today with some lifelong friends. I entered Brandeis unsure of my class schedule, let alone my future. I'm graduating today determined to succeed, no matter what the future holds.
In our time here, we've heard from two former Presidents of the United States, we've joined together on crises from the genocide in Darfur, to climate change, to global poverty, we've volunteered locally, and more recently some students have formed connections to partner with Prospect Hill, a community in Waltham.
But the truth is, I think that in many ways we've learned more over these four years from each other. I remember when a friend took the time to listen, just listen to me when I was upset. I didn't need advice; I just needed an open mind. And I know we've all had those unique moments here.
"The real world;" those words have new meaning for us today. For years they were a distant dream. Today they become reality. And I know that we are ready, but I think we recognize that we can't just prepare to secure our own futures. … We need to focus on each other as well, and on the people around us who need our support.
Today as we join together, there are grave injustices that we must proactively address … These problems, at home and abroad, clearly need more attention than they've been given. These are our problems, and we have the power, and now the responsibility to impact them.
The apparent challenge we face is that it seems like you have to make a choice today, right now! Either you go into the "saving the world" career path or you focus on yourself. … This perceived divide between helping yourself or helping others is inherently false. Pursuing social justice is not a career. It is a lifelong commitment and a way of life. It is the Brandeis way of doing things; it is our way of doing things.
Our gift, and the opportunity of our education, is that we can share what we've learned with others. We have potential, we have talent, and we have the power to make a difference. It's now up to us to share the investment we all have within us with others.
Let us realize that this is not the end of our Brandeis experience. It's just the beginning. What we do until our next reunion is critical, and whatever our goals are, we need to support each other. … In whatever we do, let us move in the spirit of those founders who stood up for justice 60 years ago so that now, as graduates, we can stand up for justice. This is truly our shared responsibility.
-Compiled by Matthew Brock
In our time here, we've heard from two former Presidents of the United States, we've joined together on crises from the genocide in Darfur, to climate change, to global poverty, we've volunteered locally, and more recently some students have formed connections to partner with Prospect Hill, a community in Waltham.
But the truth is, I think that in many ways we've learned more over these four years from each other. I remember when a friend took the time to listen, just listen to me when I was upset. I didn't need advice; I just needed an open mind. And I know we've all had those unique moments here.
"The real world;" those words have new meaning for us today. For years they were a distant dream. Today they become reality. And I know that we are ready, but I think we recognize that we can't just prepare to secure our own futures. … We need to focus on each other as well, and on the people around us who need our support.
Today as we join together, there are grave injustices that we must proactively address … These problems, at home and abroad, clearly need more attention than they've been given. These are our problems, and we have the power, and now the responsibility to impact them.
The apparent challenge we face is that it seems like you have to make a choice today, right now! Either you go into the "saving the world" career path or you focus on yourself. … This perceived divide between helping yourself or helping others is inherently false. Pursuing social justice is not a career. It is a lifelong commitment and a way of life. It is the Brandeis way of doing things; it is our way of doing things.
Our gift, and the opportunity of our education, is that we can share what we've learned with others. We have potential, we have talent, and we have the power to make a difference. It's now up to us to share the investment we all have within us with others.
Let us realize that this is not the end of our Brandeis experience. It's just the beginning. What we do until our next reunion is critical, and whatever our goals are, we need to support each other. … In whatever we do, let us move in the spirit of those founders who stood up for justice 60 years ago so that now, as graduates, we can stand up for justice. This is truly our shared responsibility.
-Compiled by Matthew Brock
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