Student Life Archives

It has been my honor to serve Washington University as the Margaret Bush Wilson Professor in Arts & Sciences and Director of African and African American Studies. Washington University graduates of the class of 2006 began this academic year as witnesses to global racial conflicts and controversies in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, riots in the suburbs of Paris, and the horrific enormity of the on-going suffering and dislocation in Darfur, Sudan. These are sobering subjects for such a celebratory occasion, but I would like to take this opportunity to issue a call for justice and peace, as well as a reminder of the work that remains to be done in the world you are entering today.

We who live in St. Louis know well that racial strife and disparities in wealth, education, and health care also reflect local concerns. Washington University Graduates of the class of 2006 may recall hearing Margaret Bush Wilson pay tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, and Coretta Scott King as people of action who did more than merely “dream.” You may also recall the inspirational words of Robert Moses, Cornell West, Lanie Guinere, and Marion Wright Edleman, among others.

I have come to know many wonderful students here at Washington University who have devoted themselves to advancing racial reconciliation locally, nationally, and internationally. Many of you traveled to New Orleans to help rebuild houses and reestablish necessary services. Others have traveled to Mother Africa to teach, learn, and serve others who, by accident of birth, are much less fortunate than ourselves.

Margaret Bush Wilson reminded us all that African Americans must never forget the importance of the 13, 14, and 15 amendments. Prior to their passage, America was not truly the land of liberty that all U.S. immigrants cherish. Whereas the vast majority of U.S. immigrants have come to this country in poverty, speaking a language other than English, they did so of their own volition. Those of us who trace our ancestry to Africans who were once enslaved in America know well that our ancestors were prevented from profiting from their labor, or speaking their native languages, or stopping the daily atrocities they were forced to endure. Those who would diminish or denigrate the essential contributions that slave labor provided to the primordial U.S. economy are sorely misguided, as are those who would deny the enormous contributions to this great nation that African Americans have made since slavery, despite formidable odds.

Washington University graduates of the Class of 2006 have witnessed the growth of the African Students Association, and a remarkable African Film Festival that showed vivid portraits of African life and culture. You witnessed the Association of Black Students call for ethnic unity in the quest to extend the Voting Rights Amendment, including a panel discussion where Washington University students from diverse backgrounds were united in the call to increase access to voting for all eligible voters, regardless of their background. Their example, of embracing others in the quest for racial reconciliation, is consistent with the quest for freedom and racial dignity for which St. Louis is historically well known.

Graduates of the Class of 2006 depart of the eve of the 150th anniversary of the Dred Scott Supreme Court ruling, a ruling that shows St. Louisians of a bygone era in a most favorable light. The citizens of St. Louis who served as jurists during the Dred Scott trial voted to give Dred and Harriet Scott their liberty. It was the U.S. Supreme Court that reversed the decision, setting back the course of justice for many generations.

Despite this history of long-standing racial suffering, Washington University graduates of the Class of 2006 give us great hope for the future. I have come to know my own students most well, and they represent a remarkable array of future leaders from different parts of the country and the world. Many of them have produced important scholarship that will advance racial reconciliation in various ways. Some of you are devoted to teaching in inner-city schools, others strive to devote your professional lives to health professions in service to medical maladies throughout the African Diaspora, while others are devoted to political, economic, legal, and environmental justice and human rights for people at home and abroad. It has been my pleasure to observe the hard work and dedication of Washington University students who challenge the evils of racism in their vigilant quest to advance the human condition through innovative academic excellence.

I serve Washington University today because African American students on this campus in 1968 called for the creation of “Black Studies.” Their inspiration has given rise to a program that seeks to advance distinguished scholarship of and by people of African descent and to advance human rights and justice regardless of race. It is in this spirit of racial harmony, in honor of the lessons that we have learned from Margaret Bush Wilson and others who have championed the quest for true equality in America, that I pray for your health, happiness, and peace on earth. Congratulations on your achievement.

When someone makes a decision, he is really diving into a strong current that will carry him to places he had never dreamed of when he first made the decision.” These words are from Paulo Coelho’s “The Alchemist,” and when thinking of the past four years, they seem almost an understatement. Over four years ago I made the decision to apply to Washington University early decision and it wasn’t until the summer before freshman year that I visited for the first time. At that point in my life, I put a very important decision, one that has defined who I am up to this point, to luck. I’d like to spend some time talking about the last four years and how the only thing I ever should have expected was, well, the unexpected.

Every year of college I felt like I was inundated with challenges, hard times, good times, and above all else I felt that I grew a lot. During these moments I met people I never expected to meet, developed connections with people who had recently been strangers, and had some people leave my life. Like the current mentioned by Coelho, my life took many turns, sometimes good, sometimes bad. But what I always tried to remember was that it was leading somewhere, and that fact was hard to conceptualize since I didn’t know where it would take me. After each year I left school confident that I had grown and that I was finally maturing and developing stable connections in my life – I mean, why expect your life to dramatically change from year to year?

And like clockwork, each time I went into a new school year I was expecting very little change. I think it’s normal to have such confidence-if we felt that life was always going to throw us a huge curveball we’d never feel stable, or even positive that we could handle the challenges that come at us every day. So each school year started the same, reconnecting with friends and trying to remember a new class schedule.

Somewhere in the tunnel vision of getting homework, reports, problem sets, etc. done I would slowly make decisions or actions that would point me in different directions, unknowingly leading me to change. Part of this change was developing new connections, meeting new people, and losing touch with friends I already had. Some of these people who came into my life were there only for a few moments – perhaps just to help me get through something, or vice-versa. Some people came in and have stayed, forming strong connections that persisted despite the academic workload, co-curricular obligations, and other stresses.

Seemingly by the end of the year I would look back and realize how far I had come, how many new people were in my life, how many had left, and all the memories of great moments and challenges that I had gone through with those people. Yet, just as quickly as I would realize the lesson I would start assuming the next year would be the same, only to be surprised once again.

At this point, you may be asking why I’ve traced through this whole story; or if you’ve given up already, it doesn’t matter since you’ll never read this and I could say something like “David Ader is awkward”. My point in sharing the thoughts are this: we, as seniors, are entering a new chapter, just like a school year, where we will be confident in ourselves and be hopeful that our existing connections will remain in place. While I wish I could say nothing will change, I encourage everyone to be open to the possibilities that life will bring, the connections with new people, and to find something in life that you are passionate about, and follow it through. I’m at the point where I want to start giving advice, or maybe utter some words which will stick with everyone for the rest of their lives, but I don’t think it’s my place nor am I eloquent enough to says something truly profound. But, it seems appropriate to say something borderline clich‚ and obviously applicable: be passionate, take chances, and expect the un-expected.

As I said above, you never know where the current will take you, but rest assured it will be a lifelong experience that you’ll enjoy and if you pay attention, maybe you’ll learn a lot about yourself along the way.

As I walk to class each day, I always have to budget an extra five minutes into every trip in order to account for those random encounters with friends, classmates, and acquaintances that happen all too often. Having been in a very public position for the past two years, many of those acquaintances are simply that-acquaintances. I didn’t mind it; it made me feel like I had many more than 365 friends as the Facebook tells me I have.

Just as often is the experience of walking to class and seeing someone that you’ve never seen before, hanging out with others that are completely unfamiliar. I went to a high school with 140 fellow students in the high school and 36 in my graduating class, so this was one of the aspects of Washington University that I found very appealing-on your way to class you would encounter both old friends and fresh faces. On the surface this sounds like an attractive idea, but when you really think about it, it’s slightly overwhelming. There are people who will forever represent themselves as Washington University graduates, much as I will, yet I have no conception of what experiences they have had which qualify us to be lumped together in such a way. Their lives and experiences are completely foreign.

We, the graduating seniors, have just spent four years learning about ourselves, experiencing things that we never would have expected. We all think we know what the “Wash. U. experience” is, and my bet is that most would be willing to go on the record explaining their interpretation. When it comes down to it, however, we only know a tiny sliver of what it means to have gone to school here. Our perspective is shaped by those random occurrences that happen everyday without our knowledge and forever change the way we look at life.

To borrow a line from everyone’s favorite politician, Donald Rumsfeld: “.there are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns – the ones we don’t know we don’t know.” ‘Unknown unknowns’ are a concept that is never really discussed in education; we’re told to conduct research, state our assumptions, and above all else be well-versed in a subject. There is hardly ever time dedicated to exploring for exploring’s sake, trying to figure out what we don’t know.

How would one even go about this seemingly impossible task? Taking it back a step, why should one even care about these ‘unknown unknowns’? Without making the conscious decision to take the different route to class, sit in a different place in class, or even attend that random lecturer that we all see posters for, would there ever be a chance to learn what is unknown? Even looking out the other window while driving is an attempt at this style of unguided learning.

Complacency breeds failure, and if we for one second start to think that we know what we know and don’t know then our learning will cease, and stagnation will set in. The world is ever-changing, meaning that in order to be successful, however you define that, one must always be trying to figure out what they do not know in the spirit of learning. What is found may not be what was originally targeted, but that’s the great thing – learning anything can be considered a success. Forgetting things is much more difficult than noticing them, meaning that that bit of knowledge will rest in your head for longer than you would expect.

So what does this have to do with Commencement? Perhaps nothing at all and I have simply been rambling; on the contrary, perhaps it means that we must realize that there are people, places, and things to experience out there that we cannot even fathom, and yet they all somehow can have an impact on how we live our lives, and that by discovering them we can begin to understand more fully what we do in fact know and don’t know and how it impacts our way of thinking.

It wouldn’t be a Student Life article without a clich‚ pop-culture reference, so here it is straight from MTV’s True Life series: “You think you know, but you have no idea.” We have been extremely fortunate to receive the education that we have, but on this day of celebration of our accomplishments and achievements, we must realize that we, like the viewers of the MTV series, ultimately have no idea – we’ve only scratched the surface. What else is out there? That will forever be an unknown unknown.

I’ll tell you, I spent the past four years imagining all the things I’d say in my final column. (Pretty predictable for an editor in chief, neh? Some of my greatest fantasies involve seeing my byline on the printed page). Whenever I was particularly pissed off about something, I’d mentally prepare scathing condemnations of the University and its residents. And whenever I was actually happy about something, I’d mentally spin the predictable “I thought the University sucked, but it turned out to be pretty cool” yarn.

When it comes down to it, though, this is a tough column to pin down. I’ve already written a number of scathing condemnations, and I don’t think the cheesy “OMG-Wash.-U.-rocked-I’m-going-to-miss-it-you-should-appreciate-it” column is really my style. One topic I’ve consistently hoped to write about, though, is what the University could stand to do better.

This became a theme in my op-ed columns over the past few years, as I found a number of the University’s flaws difficult to ignore. I’ve continually noticed easy things the University could do to improve its service to students and the community. I know that’s not standard Commencement Issue fare – after all, I’m certainly very happy to be graduating, and I don’t want to puncture anyone else’s happiness. But in the midst of our happiness, I think it’s appropriate to remind ourselves of the progress that needs to take place before we can truly celebrate Washington University’s place in the higher education community.

So this is my parting salvo, if you will – my last shot at letting the University know that students are paying attention to what goes on around here, and that we won’t stand for mediocre management. As alumni, my graduating classmates and I can and will continue to make ourselves heard – our donations (or lack thereof) will help determine the University’s standing. The following are four major problems facing the University right now, which I sincerely hope the administration will address in coming years.

One: Rampant wastefulness. So much of the waste on campus results from simple carelessness and cutting corners. Students regularly throw trash into ambiguously labeled recycling bins, contaminating what’s already there and thwarting well-intentioned recycling efforts. Bon App‚tit contributes to this problem by using plastic lids that can’t be recycled. Similarly, the University regularly throws away its old furniture, rather than donating it to people who can use it. This is a boon for savvy neighbors, who often manage to snag some of the better pieces – but there really needs to be more oversight here. Our tuition dollars are buying thousand-dollar couches that are ultimately given away for free. Students and administrators alike need to curb their wasteful habits.

Two: Dangerous and inaccessible architecture. When it rains, all those smooth terra-cotta stairs on the South 40 become slippery pitfalls. Ditto for the stone path past the music department, which really should have been re-cemented four years ago. And a little bird told me earlier this year that the ramps down to the new Habif Health & Wellness Center don’t actually meet federal accessibility guidelines – apparently they’re not wide enough. Similar problems exist elsewhere on campus. Can we get some accountability here?

Three: An utter lack of transparency. Student Life will continue to serve as a campus watchdog – that’s not going to change. But it’s a shame that we have to bang down administrators’ doors when we hear of alleged misdeeds – administrators and Student Union executives alike need to work on being straight with students. Dean McLeod, for example, is a great diplomat – but he often has trouble giving students an unequivocal, honest opinion. This “deanspeak” needs to go. Similarly, it’s about time that WUPD, whose officers are deputized by local authorities, opened up all of its records, not just the tidbits found in Police Beat, to the community. Ever heard of the Sunshine Law? It’s an important piece of legislation that keeps the authorities from abusing their power. But our authorities on campus keep a lot of things under wraps in the name of protecting students. In a conversation about alleged alcohol abuse, Judicial Administrator Tamara King once told me, “What happens on the freshman floor stays on the freshman floor.” You know what I think? It’s time for that attitude to go.

Four: A failed instrumental music program. I know the department touches the lives of relatively few students – but instrumental music is something that any world-class university would do well to encourage. Unfortunately, the department doesn’t just suffer from a lack of space; it suffers from inept management. The problems range from administrative snafus to major failures in direction. The symphony orchestra the department likes to boast about, for instance, is largely composed of professional “ringers” from the faculty and surrounding community. It can hardly be called a student organization. And pit orchestras in the Performing Arts Department are often staffed with paid professionals, with only a few spots left for students. Many Washington University students are talented musicians, but unfortunately, the department pushes out many interested students with these discriminatory practices. This is disgraceful – it’s time we had an All Student Orchestra to complement our All Student Theatre.

Those are some things to work on. Again, I don’t want to go out on a negative note – it’s not as though this is all I’m taking away from my University experience. But I didn’t think you really needed another fluffy, self-congratulatory Commencement Issue column, anyway.

Commencement is both an end and a beginning – an end to what I hope has been a rewarding and stimulating educational experience and a beginning to a new era in the lives of our graduates. Earning a degree from Washington University is a significant accomplishment, and this achievement is a source of pride for family and friends of our graduates and for our faculty and staff.

Commencement is the academic highlight of each year for all of us here at Washington University. It is a time of celebration and reflection. Our graduating students should celebrate their accomplishments and successes, even as they look ahead and begin to define their life’s work. Some will pursue advanced education while others step into public service or other professional careers. I am confident that the Washington University education our students receive will serve them well as they take up the next phase of their lives, and I look forward to learning of their contributions in new settings.

The academic life of Washington University is rigorous and demanding, and our graduates will take their place among the world’s educated elite and be respected for their achievements. The strength of our academic programs assures that our graduates have matured intellectually. But beyond their academic work, our graduates will have also matured in other ways. Through experiences with many others and in many different settings, our graduates have grown emotionally and socially as well. Indeed, it is the combination of intellectual, emotional, and social maturation that is so vital to a Washington University education.

Our graduates are far better able to face new situations and challenges than when they began their studies here. Whether they are earning a bachelor’s degree and reflecting on the trepidation they felt as incoming freshmen away from home for the first time or earning a graduate or professional degree and looking ahead to a life of service and learning, every new graduate is now enriched with important knowledge and the skills necessary for every dimension of life. We are very proud of each and every one of our new graduates.

Much has changed in the world during the past four years, and this has been an interesting and important time of growth for Washington University. Think of just some of the important events and developments that have happened in the past four years. The Campaign for Washington University, completed in 2004, resulted in support to further endow our efforts and make possible more world-class research and teaching facilities, scholarships, fellowships and professorships. We have also seen a flurry of new construction and renovation projects that have made our campus better, including the Olin Library renovation, several new residential houses on the South 40, the Laboratory Science Building and the Earth and Planetary Sciences Building in Arts & Sciences, Whitaker Hall for Biomedical Engineering, and the Farrell Learning and Teaching Center on the Medical School Campus. This coming fall we will dedicate the Sam Fox Arts Center, which includes the Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum and the Earl E. and Myrtle E. Walker Hall.

During the past several years we have witnessed a renewed focus on community and public service, including the establishment of the Richard A. Gephardt Institute for Public Service. The University was the host site of a Presidential Debate conducted by the Commission on Presidential Debates in the fall of 2004. In 2003-04 the University celebrated its 150th anniversary with a year-long series of events. In the fall of 2003 the Women’s Volleyball team won the Division III NCAA National Championship.

We have made strides in scientific and medical fields as diverse as plant science, infectious diseases, biodefense and nanotechnology. The Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center earned designation as a Comprehensive Cancer Center from the National Cancer Institute. In labs, studios, classrooms and performance spaces we celebrated achievements in a wide range of academic fields. The Human Genome Project was completed two years ahead of schedule, thanks in part to work done here at Washington University at our Human Genome Sequencing Center. Researchers in our Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences played key roles in both the Mars Orbiter and the Mars Rover expeditions. We began a campus-wide initiative to teach entrepreneurship principles and skills to our students, whatever their major.

At the core, the educational experience is one focused on academic activities, but our wide variety of co-curricular programs, community service projects and special events strengthen the experience for students. Our graduates have been both givers and takers in these activities, and the University and the St. Louis community have been enriched by the presence and contributions of our students. This enrichment has taken many forms, from the leadership of those involved in Student Union and Student Life, to those involved in community service in the St. Louis region. Our new graduates are destined to be leaders in society, and their track record of achievement while at Washington University is most impressive. The world will be better because our graduates will be among those contributing to their communities.

To all 2006 graduates, congratulations! You have earned your degrees and are prepared well for the next phase of your lives and careers. Yours will be lives of meaning and purpose, because you are well-educated and you take responsibility for the community around you. You have my thanks for leaving Washington University a better place than when you came. The faculty and staff join me in expressing our wishes for continued success for you, our newest alumni, and we will look forward to hearing about you and from you as your life unfolds.