Joe Marren
Political Science
Chicago, Illinois

Hi everyone! I’ll try not to talk for too long, because I know you’re all probably starting to feel the heat by this point. I remember last year hearing some advice from one dad to another about commencement. “Wear a short sleeved collared shirt. If you wear a suit, you’re going to want to take your coat off the second you sit down, but by that point you’re already going to be too drenched in sweat that taking off your coat will be socially unacceptable, and you will be in for a very fun ceremony.” I probably should have mentioned that to my dad before now.

When we were invited to submit speeches for commencement, the guideline was that the content should “reflect my personal experience at Carleton, while at the same time represent the Carleton Class of 2011 and resonate with other graduates.” A lot of my peers may be thinking right now, “Joe, you’ve never even met me. How can you possibly represent me with a five minute speech?” It is a daunting task. I’m guess I’m just going to have to settle for trying my best to have this resonate with you, but I think in the end I’ll be able to represent a bit of what we’re all feeling right now.

Carleton has changed quite a bit in the last four years. The Mini Bald Spot’s even more mini since we added two new dorms. You can no longer waltz out of the dining hall with a whole tray of cookies or a pie in each hand, like you could with Sodexho. Not that I ever did such a thing of course. There are no more pinball machines in upper Sayles, and the sidewalk outside it is no longer sinking. No one lives in Stadium anymore, and good thing, cause that would have made the housing crisis from the fall flood even worse. I hear that we’re getting a new wind turbine soon, and a new state of the art building. The eagle down at Bridge Square was actually turned toward us for a while, and we’ve got a new broomball-playing, strategic plan-making president who’s bringing fresh energy to this campus. I can only imagine what the next four years hold.

And yet, what has changed the most is harder to see, for it’s within us. It’s tough to recognize change happening as it happens (just ask President Obama), but when we step back and look at the difference between us when we were 18 year old kids and now 21 and 22 year old young adults, the difference is striking.

Because we’re here first and foremost to get a great education, it is only fitting that we take a minute to thank our dedicated and gifted professors. I have been fortunate enough to take courses in twelve departments over my time here, and while the subject matter in Organic Chemistry is incredibly different from that of War and Peace or Macroeconomics, the enthusiasm for teaching and helping students achieve their potential is universal here.

But professors understand that life is not all about classroom learning. One of my favorite memories comes from Professor Steve Schier, who led my study “abroad” trip to Washington, D.C. At our end of term dinner, Professor Schier, who had been on us all term about keeping the apartment building nice, actually snapped one of the apartment’s brooms in half because of the vigor with which he attempted to obliterate a piñata. It is the little things like this that I’ll remember most about our professors, how much they cared about us as people. This is also true of the staff members. Every staff member at Carleton has a specific job title, such as LDC card checker, custodian, dean, or director, but unofficially they are the warmest, most welcoming people around.

Most of my personal growth in the last four years occurred outside the classroom. Having been involved in multiple activities over four years, I can tell you that many aspects of Carleton shape you in many different ways, nearly all of them positive. Not everything has been roses and peaches the last four years though. Or even rainbows and unicorns. But real growth comes in the face of adversity, and I must thank my friends for helping get me through the tough times. I’m sure all of you have had your own struggles here, but we made it, and now we can fully appreciate the sentiment in Rob Oden’s favorite phrase, we’re all in this together. Sadly, we can’t be physically together for much longer. But even if we’re separated geographically, we all know that Facebook will keep us together. But I better not see a lot of unfriendings tomorrow!

We would be remiss if we didn’t thank our families as well, for supporting us from afar these four years and for making the trek up here this weekend. I know my twelve year old brother Matthew has been looking forward to this for literally a year and a half. Since December 2009. He doesn’t get out much.

I can’t believe they haven’t started playing the music yet! I’ve been talking forever! So class of 2011, thank YOU for the memories, and try to take a few minutes after the ceremony to express your own gratitude to everyone who made Carleton what it has been for you. Thank you.