Commencement Speech by Valedictorian Andrew Nguyen ’15

Thank you for the introduction Elio.

You know, it's funny. I remember a conversation that Elio and I had last October. I had asked him what he does in his role as Senior Class Chair. Among many things, he said that he introduces the Valedictorian at Commencement. I jokingly asked Elio, “What if you introduce me?” and I distinctly remember Elio responding, “Oh no. That won’t happen. I won’t do that.” Well, Elio, you should have knocked on wood.

Trustees, Brothers, Faculty, Staff, Family, Friends, and my Fellow graduates, I’m honored to be here today to represent the class of Two Thousand Fifteen.

We begin many things at Saint Mary’s with “Let us remember.” And as we remember, let us also reflect. Let us reflect upon these past four years. What has happened?

During our time here there have been many changes to Saint Mary’s. The College celebrated its sesquicentennial, we welcomed in a new president, our choir won Gold medals at the World Choir Games in Latvia, our rugby team won the National Championship (twice), we finally built the Alioto Recreation Center, and we were made the only Catholic and California college in the prestigious list of Colleges That Change Lives.

And the world has changed with us: the Vatican elected Pope Francis, the Rover Curiosity landed on Mars, and most memorably, the Giants won the World Series, also twice. A lot has happened.

But as the world and our college change, our Lasallian mission stays the same. That mission is beautifully expressed by the phrase, “Enter to Learn, Leave to Serve.” Most of us entered Saint Mary’s four years ago, and many wonderful people have since joined us.

We all knew that we entered to learn....and as we sit here today ready to graduate, we are reminded that we also leave to serve, however that may manifest. But why? What has happened?

To borrow the slogan of The Collegian, I want to “Look closer.” I want to look closer at the comma between “Enter to learn” and “Leave to serve.” Because in that comma is our time at Saint Mary’s, and something special happens there.

We have shared many experiences. Some of these are daily occurrences such as standing in line for Clarence’s eggs, hiking up to the cross, finding out that the bells aren’t real, going abroad or staying home for January Term.

Others are more profound. We formed friendships, joined clubs, pursued interests, passions, and curiosities. We have declared our majors in the Registrar’s Office and we have found our voices in The Lounge or in Cultural Nights. The luckiest of us have found our calling. Through all these experiences we have created community. So what’s happened in the comma? We’ve changed.

But how have we changed? There is a reason Saint Mary’s has been deemed a college that changes lives. In April, the Intercultural Center celebrated the eighteenth annual Asian Cultural Night, whose theme was I Am Because We Are. It emphasizes the value of community. The bonds we cultivate with our classmates and friends shape the people were are and form the memories we carry with us.

One way we do this is through Seminar. Community is not just existing with one another, but rather living with one another. It requires engagement and dialogue. Seminar makes this happen. It brings all of our schools together. Whether or not we have all enjoyed seminar, whether or not we have all finished the readings, where else can a book lover, a budding entrepreneur, and a brilliant scientist come together and engage in the Great Conversation? We are different people, with different minds, and different sensibilities. But as we read Homer and Virgil, Dante and Galileo, Augustine and Jane Austen, Darwin and Newman, we are brought together in shared inquiry. Our conversations shape our minds and we educate each other.

Sir Isaac Newton once said, “If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.”

This is our collaborative experience. I Am ... Because ... We Are. It is through these experiences these past four years that we have changed. We learn from each other and with each other.

And as we move from local, to national, to global communities, let us continue to learn from and grow with each other by pursuing the difficult questions from Seminar. What is Justice? What is the Good? How should I live in this ever-changing world? Here is some unsolicited advice. Keep your Seminar skills.

As we move into the world, we’ll find that not all bonds are friendships. We’ll encounter conflict and disagreement. In Seminar, we learn how to disagree with people civilly. We do this by finding common ground and working through the problems together. Do not be afraid of difference. Difference is real. It is good. The idea is not to seek similarity, but rather harmony. We must meet difference with grace. Difference makes room for compassion, generosity, and love.

One of my favorite quotations is from Marianne Williamson who said, “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same.”

In our time here, we have taken our fears and turned them into strength. We become more fully ourselves. So why do we feel compelled to serve when we leave?

After four years we leave to serve because we recognize that we are no longer the same people that we were when we started. We have found within ourselves something special that we wish to share.

Brother Michael Avila recently told me, “Responsibility is the ability to respond.” I think what really happened in the comma is that together we acquire this responsibility. This is how we serve others. We take the lessons of Seminar into our lives and engage in responsible education. That doesn’t always mean teaching. Not all of us will be teachers, but all of us can be educators.

We take our light and we use it to liberate others.

This is what happens in the comma. This is what empowers us to Leave to Serve. This is the value of a Saint Mary’s education. We leave here today with the ability to respond. If there is anything to remember, let us remember this comma ... because commas brings us to something new. My fellow graduates we are ready for something new. Congratulations class of Two Thousand Fifteen.

Thank you. And Go Gaels!