Commencement Remarks
May 24, 2009
by Luis Gabriel Hoyos, Class of 2009 President
Thank you President Hill for that generous introduction.
What's up Fine Class of 2009!?
Before I begin, let me start by thanking the one person who is responsible for me being here and making it this far: my mother. Throughout the toughest times, regardless of the mistakes I have made or the obstacles I have struggled to overcome, you have always reminded me that I have no other choice but to succeed. That has meant the world to me and I love you.
At the end of last summer, as I was getting ready to return to Vassar for one last amazing year, I decided to have coffee with my dear friend Jessica Wilson. I was hoping that since Jessica is a recent Vassar graduate from the Class of 1997, she probably had good advice for me as I began my last stretch at Vassar. After reminiscing about all the fun she had here, she concluded with one single reminder: "whatever you do your senior year, remember that commencement is the first and last time your entire class will be together, therefore, you should spend as much time with your friends as possible". She proceeded to explain that after today there will be no occasion meriting the presence of every single one of us, and that despite the fact that we spent four amazing years together, tonight we part ways forever. Hopefully many of us will return for Reunion every five years, and we will stay close to friends we've made here throughout our lives. However, Jessica has yet to see some of the classmates who sat next to her the day of her graduation, which means there is a pretty good chance that after this ceremony is over, you will never again see some of the people that are sitting next to you.
This rather depressing prediction made me realize that my highest priority as Senior Class President should be to help seniors, including myself, have as many opportunities as possible to spend time with each other throughout this our last year at Vassar. It turned out to be easier said than done. However, thanks to the support of the incredible 2009 Senior Class Council and the Council of Black Seniors we were able to succeed at planning an amazing year. Also, the Daisy Chain and the African Violets, who look adorable today in their white dresses and blue suits, were essential for everything we did. I would like to ask all of you to rise and request a big round of applause for these committed students that always went above and beyond what was expected of them.
On top of making our senior year memorable, I also had the daunting task of writing a speech to give today; the day we say goodbye to Vassar and enter the real world. What!? First of all, English is my second language, how am I supposed to write a speech on the most nostalgic day of my life? After suffering several panic attacks and writing a desperately belligerent Facebook status requesting people NOT to ask me about my speech, I decided to turn to my trusty Senior Class Exec Board for advice. I thought "they've been giving me good advice throughout the year, why not ask them to help me now?" Treasurer Adam Greenberg, in that calm and collected way economists tend to speak said "if you give a good speech no one will remember it a year from now, but if you give a horrible speech, everyone will always remember you as the kid who quoted Alanis Morissette: those are your incentives." That's when Vice President Derek Lawes said "yeah, and if you give a mediocre speech no one will remember either, and that's easier to do than writing a good speech". Secretary Beatrice Capestany, always a trooper, simply said: "Oh shut up Luis, you'll be fine!" Finally, CBS Liaison Summer's Grace-Green took me aside and said "Babe, as long as it comes from the heart, it will be great!" Apparently that was the best advice! All I had to do was stop complaining and write a mediocre speech that came from the heart. Thanks again guys, as always, you came through!
As this day drew near I still had too much and nothing to say, and I kept waiting for a sign, a divine inspiration. Finally, two days ago, I was reminded at an Alumni event that the Chair of our Board of Trustees, Mr. Bill Plappinger, is quite proud of the fact that he graduated with the Legendary Class of 1974. That was it! All I needed to do was to explain what makes our class exceptional. Could we be, the Ultimate Class of 2009? Now, this posed a problem because we were not the first class to graduate men from Vassar, and we certainly have not produced the highest number of trustees or donated the largest amount of millions to the College, at least not yet. And that's when it hit me: our class is exceptional because in the four years we have spent at Vassar, we have transformed this place in ways that no other class has.
Think about that despite its tragic conclusion, it was the Class of 2009's Sweet Sixteen Party that brought 90s pop music to the forefront of the Vassar party scene our freshmen year. This was when Facebook only allowed you to upload one picture and had no applications besides the "wall". That same year we transitioned from President Ferguson to the fierce Catherine Bond Hill, a change that was almost as significant as going from Squirrel Mail to Zimbra. A year later, thanks to our sophomore Class Gift, this campus was inundated with cute little pink bikes that anyone can share for a nominal fee of $10 a year. Our class saw the Mug get renovated and wireless Internet be expanded beyond the library premises, although I must say this achievement was a little tainted by the establishment of VPrint. We were also the class that was smart enough to get out of the dorms right when the College decided to renovate Davison and switch the meal plan from points to meals- good job guys for dodging that bullet! I am also convinced that our relentless appetite and incapacity to cook for ourselves (or I should say, for myself) brought about the expansion of Babycakes and the arrival of Twisted Soul, Thai Spice, Baccio's and the Krafted Kup to our immediate family of delicious local restaurants. Our community outreach did not end there; we were also the first Class to ever go to Platinum Lounge and Mahoney's, twice.
Aside from changing Vassar in these fun, seemingly meaningless ways, our presence here has had a profound effect on all aspects of college life. The VSA Council that endorsed Need-Blind Admissions and Gender-Neutral housing was composed almost entirely of 2009ers. Students from our class spearheaded the committees and efforts that brought about the renovation of Kenyon, the construction of the new THs, the decision to move the bookstore off campus and the stunning make over of Raymond Avenue. Student activists from our class lead campaigns to Kick Coke off campus (and then to make sure it stayed) and to advocate for the rights of college workers and minority students. Members of our class transformed athletics in just four short years: now we have a nationally ranked Volleyball team, beautiful fields at Prentiss and an informative website! We have celebrated Vassar's history by hosting once-in-a-lifetime events like Jewett Centennial and the 40th anniversary of the Africana Studies Department. These are just a few examples of the countless ways in which the Class of 2009 has made Vassar the awesome place it is today. Our class was involved in enhancing the Vassar experience, dancing beautifully on VRDT, transforming the look of campus with their public art and hosting the first annual Vassar Ultimate Frisbee tournament. Congratulations guys, Vassar is fierce because WE went here!
Although we live in a bubble, we can't ignore that Vassar's transformation pales in comparison with some of the dramatic and certainly unexpected changes that took place in the past four years in what we fearfully call "the real world". For example, our class has the honor of being the first in the history of the college to graduate under the leadership of an African American President. Despite this exciting prospect, the reality is that war and poverty are still ravaging entire populations, climate change is rapidly developing and the AIDS epidemic seems unstoppable. Equal rights are denied to equal citizens every day, and we are in the worst economic recession since the Great Depression. Let's face it: the world has Swine Flu! I struggle to find a reason to celebrate leaving the cushiony comfort of the Vassar bubble and entering this threatening world.
But there is a reason, and it is sitting right in front of me. Tomorrow at 10AM, when ResLife kicks us out of our rooms, the world will inherit the best of what Vassar has to offer. If we were able to survive and transform Vassar in just four short years, I have no doubt that not only will we survive, but also contribute to improving a changing world. More importantly, if I was able to write this mediocre speech (in English), and you graduate today knowing that Vassar is a better place because you were here, then there is no reason to feel nostalgic. Although you might never again see some of the people sitting next to you today, that's ok! They will be busy doing exactly what they did best at Vassar: being positive agents of change. That is what makes our class exceptional. So, Chairman Plappinger, you might have graduated with the Legendary Class of 1974, but I graduate with The Ultimate Class of 2009!
Thank you.