The two principal speakers at Sunday's Farmer School divisional recognition ceremony urged graduates to lead in an era of growing complexity and diversity.
Guest speaker Beth Brooke, Global Vice Chair of Ernst & Young, told the graduating class that they must think inclusively.
"You have come along at a time in history where diverse perspectives and ideas are not only plentiful, but easily accessed," she said. "You will have the opportunity to work with——and be enriched by—men and women of many cultures, ethnicities, country origins, and lifestyles.
"But this is not just going to happen by itself. While no one can deny the progress made in creating inclusive cultures within our organizations, much, much needs to be done."
Erika Wirtz, a marketing and political science major, represented her graduating class at the podium. She emphasized the importance of confronting one's fears of the unknown, citing her own "epiphany" at a women�s leadership conference in Dubai that drew participants from six continents. Rather than finding differences and perhaps hostility among attendees, Wirtz said, "I found openness, similarity, and clarity."
Wirtz closed by calling upon her classmates to follow Mahatma Gandhi's advice to "be the change you wish to see in the world."
During the ceremony at Millett Hall, approximately 850 graduates walked across the stage to receive the official good wishes of the Farmer School faculty and deans.
In bidding farewell to the graduates, Dean Roger L. Jenkins shared a bit of wisdom from Mark Twain: "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."
