By Anne-Marie Seltzer

Special to the Gazette

Novelist Gish Jen '77, Bunting Institute '87, author of Mona in the Promised Land (Knopf, 1996) and Typical American (Houghton Mifflin, 1991), delivered the keynote address at the annual Radcliffe College Convocation on Sept. 16 in Radcliffe Yard, and received a standing ovation from the enthusiastic crowd of more than 500 students, alumnae, scholars, and staff.

In a speech that was filled with humor, Jen described her undergraduate days at Harvard and Radcliffe. She talked about her experiences as a member of the lightweight crew team, then went on to discuss her education more generally. "What I did not realize then was that the same way I had been transformed physically, I could and should have been transformed mentally while I was here. I did not realize that was what education was all about," she said.

"I thought an education was something you received; meaning that it was not unlike, say, a UPS package. I did not appreciate that, actually, you received it into yourself, and that it was more like Holy Communion than a box from L.L. Bean."

An important moment came during her junior year. "I took the most important course of my life while I was here, yet managed to not quite accept it. This course was English 283," Jen explained.

"Writing was a truly horrifying prospect, and yet I loved it right away. But you know, it never really occurred to me for one moment to try to become a poet or any other kind of writer. I became a writer by process of elimination. I regret that I did not give myself over to writing the way I gave myself over to crew. I regret that I was not open to transformation. I regret that I squandered my time here. It's hard to believe that I never took one fiction writing class at this university, but it's true. I didn't allow myself that. I was afraid to let my education really get me where I lived.

"I wish for you a different narrative. I urge you to be open to your education, to take your risks now, to be transformed. It is harder to switch directions in the real world. Opportunities arise more sporadically. It is less fluid."

She encouraged students to learn from her experiences. "I hope that you will find my perspective helpful. If I have saved even one or two of you some time and confusion, I will have honored the tradition of this Yard. You have lives beyond your imagining ahead of you. You have only to give in to them. Seek to be changed. Trust in yourselves. Be unafraid."

Radcliffe College President Linda S. Wilson presided over the traditional ceremony. She noted that students often question themselves when they arrive at a new or unexpected place in their lives. "Take a deep breath and wait. For it is often when you feel the most bewildered that you discover a new path that enriches your life in ways you could never have foreseen," she said. "There will be aspects of your lives at Harvard and Radcliffe that you never could have imagined, and for which no interview nor any conversation with an alumna could have prepared you. Yet, it is often life's unplanned-for detours which illuminate your true course."

Tamar March, the newly appointed dean of Radcliffe Educational Programs and director of the Radcliffe Office of Undergraduate Programs, encouraged the students "to seek to balance your formal academic work with informal, social experiences. In other words, I am encouraging you to have fun, because if these are to count among the best years of your lives, you must create and embrace occasions to make that happen."

She also emphasized Radcliffe's commitment to undergraduates. "We who enjoy the privilege of having offices in Agassiz House want you to know that those offices are open to you. We are here for you, and want you to feel absolutely certain that all of us are here for no more important purpose than to do whatever we can to ensure that this year, and the years to come, will indeed be the best years of your lives -- so far."

Remarks were also made by Radcliffe College Alumnae Association First Vice President Jane Tewksbury and Radcliffe Union of Students Co-presidents Corinne Funk '97 and Megan Peimer '97.

Funk said, "Not sure of what Radcliffe had to offer me, I didn't bother attending Convocation when I was a first-year. It's hard for me to fathom ever having made that choice, because Radcliffe has turned out to be one of the best experiences of my college life."

Added Peimer, "Radcliffe's ability to prepare the young women -- especially us -- of today for the leadership roles of tomorrow makes it unique among colleges. It has challenged us to address issues of gender inequality as well as inequality within genders through provocative lecture series and programs. It has provided us with an on-campus forum for the discussion of these salient issues, most notably the Lyman Common Room and Radcliffe Yard, where I have had some of my most treasured experiences."

The Radcliffe Choral Society performed several musical selections, and offered prayers for peace from diverse cultures and religious traditions. A reception followed in the Horner Room in Agassiz House. Students were encouraged to visit the information tables to learn about Radcliffe's programs in education, research, public policy, and the arts.