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WEEK of JUNE 14, 2004 |
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Commencement 2004 “Be who you are and say what you feel because...those who mind don’t matter...and those who matter don’t mind.” This quote, attributed to Dr. Seuss and delivered by student speaker Dominic Hackley, nicely summed up the tone of Commencement 2004, held at the Brooklyn Marriott on Wednesday, June 9 at 3:30 pm. With temperatures hovering at a blistering 92 degrees outside, inside the 28 members of the graduating class met with family and friends before processing into the hall. Dr. Michael Nill, Head of School, opened the ceremony by asking the graduates to take with them the essence of Quaker Meeting. “You are about to encounter a world that may not value what you have learned at Brooklyn Friends. At those times, remember Quaker Meeting. Remember encountering the truth of yourself in that silence. This is one of the greatest gifts we can give you as you leave us today,” he said. Guest speaker Dr. Lewis Gordon, Professor of Africana Studies at Brown University, spoke eloquently about the existential nature of being a teenager and the value of education. “As you go forward, remember to stop and ask questions. Don’t take things at face value,” he said. “In college you’re likely to encounter people who are there just for that degree. Don’t be one of those people. Education is all about experience.” Dr. Gordon also quoted noted author Anna Julia Cooper, saying “To be a healthy individual is to give back to the world more than it has invested in you.” Diane Weathers, a member of the class of 1967 and recipient of the George Fox Distinguished Alumnae award, spoke to the graduates about the importance of following one’s heart. “Don’t pick a career or a job just for the money. Do it because you love it, because it stirs a passion in you. But please, please, don’t do it for the money.” Weathers, the editor-in-chief of Essence magazine, also took a moment to thank her mother, who accompanied her to the ceremony, for insisting that she attend Brooklyn Friends in the first place. “I hated it at first, I have to be honest. But something happened in my second year, and I realized how lucky I was to be at BFS.” Faculty speaker Derek Chase added a unique touch to the ceremony by recalling the graduates as sophomores. He also thanked fellow advisors Hyacinth Foster and Norma Gordon. Dominic Hackley served as the final speaker of the day and brought to mind the inclusive and diverse nature of the BFS community. He also had a message from the seniors to parents in the audience: “We are going to prove that we were worth this.” Photos, clockwise from top left: Faculty marching in to commencement ceremony; Dr. Michael Nill, Head of School; faculty speaker Derek Chase; guest speaker Lewis Gordon; student speaker Dominic Hackley; and alum speaker Diane Weathers.
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