I look forward to Friday mornings, when, as often as my schedule allows, I join fellow members of the Carleton community at Convocation from 10:50-11:50 a.m. in Skinner Chapel. I usually attend the Convocation luncheon, as well, where the speakers provide additional insights into their life work to a more intimate audience.
Convocations have challenged my thinking, stretched my curiosity, and affirmed my belief that tomorrow will be better than today. Isabell Wilkerson’s discussion of the Great Migration and how one decision influences future generations struck a personal chord. Fred Hagstrom reminded us that we could all do a better job of thanking those who remove the trees after a tornado, ensure the grass is kempt, and prepare food in the dining halls. Darryl Davis used his voice and his piano to tackle hate groups that I knew all too well growing up in the American South. Pakou Hang shared her efforts to create a unified Hmong American Farmers Association committed to building community wealth among Hmong farmers and their families.
I share my fondness for Convocation during New Student Week, telling first-years that, at the end of each academic year, a major regret of graduating Carls is that they did not take advantage of Convocation. In my travels, alumni often share the same sentiments. Even in discussing Convocation with faculty and staff, I hear similar laments. In many circumstances, individuals say that "busyness" keeps them from experiencing one of Carleton’s most special traditions.
Convocation is an opportunity for all of us to sit together and learn from speakers who have been inspired to take risks to make a difference in their own or others' lives. Whether you agree with a speaker or not, I encourage you to cherish these Friday times and make the most of the opportunity to refocus, challenge, and reenergize your knowledge and thinking, both individually and as a community.
Carolyn H. Livingston, Ph.D.
Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students
