On May 18, President Kumar spoke to the Class of 2024 at the annual Baccalaureate Ceremony in the Gantcher Center on the Medford/Somerville campus.
Watch the video of the president’s speech:
President Sunil Kumar
2024 Baccalaureate Service
Saturday, May 18, 2024
Opening
Thank you, Sebastian, for that introduction.
Hello everyone! A warm welcome to family, friends, colleagues, guests and most importantly, the Class of 2024!
Graduation from Tufts is a milestone—not just for our students, but for all those who are close to them within their families and communities but also in their classrooms and labs.
Therefore, before we make this all about the Class of 2024, let me take a moment to ask them to recognize those who have made this day possible for them:
- parents…grandparents…siblings…partners…children…and friends
- your teachers, members of the faculty, deans, coaches, advisors, and staff.
Graduates, please stand and applaud these individuals who have contributed to your success over many years through their support and their devotion to all of you.
(Pause for applause)
Thank you.
I am also grateful to the students who have enriched our campus and this day with the important messages of their faiths, traditions, and philosophical perspectives. Thank you to the string quartet and jazz ensemble for sharing your talents with us today and bringing life to the ceremony through music.
Special thanks to Reverend Elyse Nelson Winger and her colleagues in the University Chaplaincy for organizing this afternoon’s celebration.
Finally, thank you, Saffiyah, for that thoughtful Wendell Phillips address. You are an outstanding representative of the Class of 2024, and we are very proud of you.
Moment of Silence
Before I share my reflections on your Class and what lies ahead for you, I would like to pause for a moment in memory of a member of the Class of 2024, whose time with us was tragically cut short.
Although they are no longer with us, they left an enduring legacy in the hearts and minds of their friends and family, classmates and faculty, and everyone whose lives they touched. Let us pause in a moment of silence in memory of Cher Xiong (CH-ur Shong).
[Pause for moment of silence]
Thank you.
Generic components
This has been one of the most illuminating years of my life. I learned a lot about a community that I was new to, and I learned a lot about myself in the process. Further, we are at a consequential moment in history where educational institutions are being tested on their commitment to their mission and values.
Today’s ceremony is the first time that I have the honor of addressing a graduating class as Tufts’ president. That said, I have made speeches like this before. They all have a certain generic quality to them. The components are standard: praise, advice, gentle humor.
Given all this, I feel that I need to do less of the generic, and simply concentrate on two things that are very specific to your class: COVID, and reflections on a Tufts luminary that hopefully will help you navigate your road ahead. They are both weighty and potentially depressing topics; so I will request your forbearance in putting up with something less than humor.
COVID and the herd
For the past four years, your class has been an exemplar of resilience. Together you have navigated the uncertain path that the COVID-19 pandemic laid before you. For no fault of your own the end of your time in high school and the start of your college careers was disrupted through a once in a century event.
When you arrived at Tufts, a lot was asked of you. Regular testing, mask wearing, smaller social circles. But you did not let these limitations stop you. Through sheer will, determination, and resourcefulness you have accomplished great things. You made something that was profoundly challenging into something truly positive.
I hope that when you need inspiration and encouragement at a particularly difficult time, you will remember all of the people who gave you a shoulder to lean on, and who provided you with the motivation to keep going while rooting for your success.
This was a valuable lesson for me – being part of a Jumbo herd really helps. We are not in it alone, and we should always remember this. We should do our part for the herd and not hesitate to ask for its help when needed, even when we disagree with much of the herd.
That said, you will often have to act, and act alone. Here, I would like to turn to the writings of one of our luminaries.
Dennett and Determinism
Daniel Dennett was a giant on the Tufts faculty. He passed away a few weeks ago. He was a philosopher who studied, among other things free will and determinism. I have admired his writings greatly, and they have helped shape my thinking.
The past few years have reinforced a key concept for me. We do not fully control the outcomes of our actions. Two people can act identically only to have very different results. This lack of complete control raises many thorny questions: How should we act? How should we judge actions?
Dennett tells us to rely on intent: what were they trying to accomplish? I try hard to discern intent when I speak with someone whose actions I disagree with. I find it illuminating. I also try to discern whether they appreciate the potential consequences of their actions on others, in unintended ways.
Furthermore, appreciating incomplete control has led to me to appreciate old-fashioned words and concepts like honor, duty, sacrifice, compassion, empathy. We must act even when the outcome is uncertain, and our actions must be guided by our principles and values. We will be second-guessed when the outcome isn’t what we (or others) wanted, but that is neither here nor there.
This brings me to the other life lesson that was reinforced for me in the past years: we can’t develop values and principles on the fly. We need to develop and hone them all the time. Our education helps a great deal as we arrive at our values and principles, as does continued learning, informed debate, and, of course experience.
The good news is that as Jumbos, helped by your Tufts education, you are already on your way to being compassionate and ethically strong leaders. I urge you to continue to develop your values and principles, to remain committed to them no matter where life takes you.
What next for Tufts?
As we enter another uncertain year, Tufts will be challenged in several ways. Given the conflict in the middle east since the Oct 7 attacks, and consequent war in Gaza with tragic loss of life and suffering, we will continue to be challenged to make a difference in a positive way.
Some will ask us to take formal political positions, others will demand institutional neutrality. We will be asked to support free expression while fighting antisemitism, Islamophobia, and other forms of hate. There will be no answer that will satisfy all, and the outcomes of our decision will be far from certain.
We must rely on our values and our understanding of our mission as a university to guide us as we work with the community to move forward. We must go back to our touchstones: teaching, research, policy development and support for our community.
We must continue to support our scholars who study and teach about difficult conflicts, and who influence policy. We must learn, talk and debate openly, in a civil manner. We must underscore the importance of listening, particularly to those with whom we disagree, to learn from their perspectives and truly gauge their intent. And we should demonstrate our empathy and compassion for all members of our community.
In short, we should be an even better Tufts. We should stay this course regardless of uncertain outcomes.
Conclusion
It has been a privilege to start my time at Tufts with such an inspirational class of graduates. I am confident that you all will do well and do good. That guided by your values and principles, you will sail through this uncertain year and beyond with ease.
Congratulations, Class of 2024! You got this.
Thank you.