Commencement 2024: Speech by Trustees President Alisia St. Florian ’86
On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I am honored to welcome you, students, parents, families, and friends to Wheeler’s 135th commencement exercises. To our graduates, a heartfelt congratulations!
As I thought of what I might say during these brief remarks, I was reminded of a guy that I follow on Instagram. He wanders the streets of New York City and stops strangers as they are walking to ask what they do for a living. Perhaps you have seen him too. Many times these people look at him suspiciously and continue to walk along. The guy asks a second question as they are walking away from him in one last effort to engage. The question is, “If there’s one piece of advice you would give to the world, what would it be?” Inevitably, the person stops, turns around, walks back toward the guy, and eagerly answers the question. It does not matter how young or old they are. They always seem to have words of wisdom to impart.
This got me thinking that the way to meaningfully capture the attention of others is to ask questions that spur interest. Also, it signals that you think the person you are engaging with is capable of giving interesting answers and, in turn, that you are interested in hearing their response.
This may sound very basic, but as you are ready to move into the world, where you are sure to encounter new people from different backgrounds and varying points of view, the level of interest that you bring to learning about the people that you meet will inevitably contribute to how much you learn from each of these new experiences.
As they say, you reap what you sow. The more you put in, the more you get out. Bringing genuine curiosity to what you study, who you meet and what you experience will undoubtedly enrich your life. Ask questions that inspire people to answer authentically and vulnerably. These are the conversations that will matter most.
In a world where we put great value in what we produce, and what we accomplish, my simple thought for you today is to turn your attention from time to time on those around you and stop to ask them for their perspective. Meet them where they are and engage in topics that are of interest to them. The best compliment is sensing that the person asking you a question is genuinely interested in your opinion. Don’t feel you always need to have the answer.
Remember, and this one is a tough one, that listening is much harder than speaking. Being heard does not mean talking loudly. Being valued does not mean earning all the accolades. Use your voice intentionally and kindly and listen actively. Be humble and embrace the mantra that learning is a lifelong endeavor.
That guy on Instagram is now well known apparently because when he stops people on the street they now recognize him and seem happy to have been stopped by him. He in turn seems exactly the same – just asking a simple yet meaningful question and eager for the response.
I offer you my very best wishes and please always remember to come back to Wheeler and share all that you have learned. Your community will be all ears.
