Earlier this year I had the chance to hear Stephen Ambrose speak. Of all the amazing stories of D-day he told, I remember most what happened after he finished talking. There was a short interval of time between the beginning of the audience’s applause and the standing ovation. Two men, probably WWII veterans, stood up. They looked at Ambrose and bowed their heads as if to say, “Thank you for telling this story. Thank you for telling MY story.” Mr. Ambrose looked back at them, shook his head, put his hands out in front of him, and bowed his head as if to say, “No, thank you for doing what you did. Thank you for playing such an integral role in our nation's story.” There was so much said in those few seconds, and yet no words were exchanged. I left that evening with goosebumps, and it is with similar feelings and memories that I leave Carroll College.
I bow my head to the amazing faculty and staff of this institution. I know that every graduate here today has found at least one mentor in this outstanding group of professors, administrators, and other professionals. We have come to you in times of academic need, in times of emotional need, in times of spiritual need, and even in times of humor. We’ve struggled, we’ve learned, we’ve failed, we’ve excelled, and we’ve whined excessively in your presence. I would be willing to bet that virtually every one of you have the knowledge and talent to teach at a big university with a salary twice as large as the one you receive at Carroll. And yet, you come back every August.
To our friends and family out there, I bow my head also. You were there to answer the phone when we called home upset over our first failing grade. You were there when we called home announcing our first “A” on a test. You were there when we fought with our roommate or the person we were dating at the time. Sometimes you helped us pay for school while at other times you wished us luck in finding a job. Some of you cried as you drove away the first time while others did a little dance of joy as you said goodbye.
For some parents it is really difficult to understand just what the Carroll experience is all about and why it's so hard to leave. If you're one of those parents, I ask you to consider this question: Throughout the many vacations over his/her four years, did your child ever sit at the dinner table in the house they grew up in and refer to Carroll as “going home?” If the answer to that question is yes, you’ve begun to understand why saying goodbye to this community will be so difficult. Thank you for sharing your children with us. I bow my head to all of you.
Most importantly and most reverently, I bow my head to my fellow graduates. One year a friend gave me a picture frame with the phrase “Friends are the family we choose for ourselves” on it. I think this phrase accurately describes many of our friendships. Throughout these past four years I’m pretty sure that we’ve all made at least one joke about Carroll’s motto. We did it out of love, but we did it none-the-less. “Not for school, but for life.” I don't think the significance of that statement really hit home until recently.
Over the past semester, I’ve come to join the school of thought that says history is simply the story of individuals, the story of our lives. We've all become a part of Carroll College’s history, and we've all become a part of each other’s history. Hopefully you’ve documented your time here with letters, journals, and pictures. Friends are the family we choose for ourselves... Make sure you keep in touch with every person you think of as family.