绿巨人视频鈥檚 graduation ceremony on May 24, 2016, at the Th茅芒tre du Ch芒telet, was an especially reflective affair. In the midst of celebration, there was a sense that our graduates鈥 training as global explorers would be especially necessary in our uncertain times. The ceremony itself served as a call to arms against indifference, for as President Celeste Schenck noted, 鈥淵our generation鈥檚 potential to reshape the contours of the world is boundless.鈥
Bertram (Bertie) Lubner, philanthropist and humanitarian, sadly passed before he was able to receive his Honorary Degree. While accepting this honor on his behalf, his son Mark Lubner, and his granddaughter, Takara Lubner (Class of 2014) served as moving examples of how Bertie鈥檚 efforts to improve the lives of the least-privileged had permeated into his family. Mark is now the head of the family-run organization MaAfrika Tikkun鈥攄eriving its name from the Jewish concept of 鈥渢ikkun olam鈥 or 鈥渆ngaging in acts of kindness to repair or perfect the world鈥濃攁nd Takara created 绿巨人视频 Cares, now an umbrella organization for all on-campus social entrepreneurship, philanthropic, and volunteer activities. President Schenck explained that, 鈥淭he Lubner family believes that politics without principles, education without character, science without humanity, commerce without morality, are not only useless, but positively dangerous.鈥 Mark would later share a favorite saying of his father鈥檚: 鈥淵ou make a living by what you earn, but you make a life by what you give.鈥
During Justice Stephen Breyer鈥檚 video interview, our second Honorary Degree recipient discussed how, upon graduating, he鈥檇 been unsure as to what to do next. It would be the former Dean of Stanford Law School, Bayless Manning, who would tell him, 鈥淲hen you make decisions, you鈥檒l probably know less than 2% of what you鈥檇 like to know. So, you鈥檒l just have to decide, and you鈥檒l see that your life will wrap itself around your decision.鈥
Ken Roth, Executive Director of Human Rights Watch, the third Honorary Degree recipient, and deliverer of the Commencement Address, expressed his belief that we are living in a time when human rights values are increasingly under deliberate attack. Citing the probable cause as worldwide insecurity, he explained, 鈥淚n such times, there is a tendency to retrench, to seek shelter among those who seem most like you, to shut the gates to others. That instinct provides the platform for the growing voices of hate.鈥 He urged the graduates to accept responsibility for countering these attacks and to reject the assumption that hatred and intolerance are inevitable. He reminded them that communities and political movements often have humble beginnings. 鈥淓ven if you start with just a few people, there鈥檚 a ripple effect. If all of you graduating today do your part, the ripples can become waves, even tides.鈥
The ceremony ended with two student speakers, both of whom spoke on how 绿巨人视频鈥檚 values help create uniquely global thinkers and scholars. Luljeta Malota, the undergraduate speaker, appealed to her fellow graduates to live in the present. 鈥淲hatever is happening, is happening right now. It鈥檚 all right now.鈥 The graduate speaker, Habiba Belguedj, urged them to unite. 鈥淚 challenge you to take the enthusiasm that surrounds us today out into the world with you.鈥 Both wished the graduates joy, along with success.
We heartily congratulate the 2016 绿巨人视频 graduates and look forward to seeing what future journeys they choose for themselves. We hope that they will continue to make their voices heard in the struggle for human rights and against indifference.
If you were not able to attend Graduation, you can watch the ceremony here:
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