'A Place That is Permanently Yours'

Rudenstine and Wilson address seniors at Baccalaureate ceremonies

By Alvin Powell

Contributing Writer

Go. Take with you the wisdom you've accumulated at Harvard, but understand how much you still don't know and how much the world has to offer.

With that advice, Harvard President Neil L. Rudenstine and Radcliffe President Linda S. Wilson bid the Harvard-Radcliffe Class of 1998 an official, solemn, and sometimes humorous farewell Tuesday during the annual Baccalaureate Service at the Memorial Church.

The traditional service, which traces its roots to Harvard's first Commencement in 1642, gives officials and clergy a chance to address graduating seniors alone before Commencement Day ceremonies. Parents, friends, and well-wishers were not allowed in the church but were able to hear the service, which was piped outside to Tercentenary Theatre, where chairs were set up for Thursday's graduation ceremonies.

The Baccalaureate Service reflected Harvard's modern diversity, with students reading from religious texts in Hebrew, Sanskrit, Arabic, and English. Students heard words of wisdom from the Hebrew Bible, the Hindu Vedas, the Koran, and the New Testament.

The service gave students their first official chance to try on their graduation garb -- caps, gowns, and smiles. Though gowns and mortarboards gave the seniors a uniform and serious look, hints of their individuality were still visible below. Some wore dress shoes, some sneakers, some sandals, even the occasional tattoo was visible, peeking out below the gown's hem.

Several students said the ceremonies -- and seeing classmates in their graduation attire -- brought out conflicting emotions. Some said that, even though they are looking forward to graduating, the idea is a bit unnerving after four years of calling Harvard home.

"It's sort of terrifying," said senior Susan Groppi. "It makes it real that we're graduating. It's big."

Seniors began gathering in the Old Yard about 20 minutes before the 2 p.m. service. As the Memorial Church's bells began tolling, they lined up and, led by the Rev. Peter J. Gomes, the Plummer Professor of Christian Morals and Pusey Minister in the Memorial Church, trooped through rows of applauding family members into the church.

In a speech that quoted Groucho Marx and referred to everything from the Titanic to King Lear, Rudenstine told students not to expect too much clarity from life. He urged them to understand how little they know and to realize how much they will change with the passage of time and with changing circumstances.

"Whenever we think that we know what we are doing, it's worth pausing for a moment to reconsider," Rudenstine said. "Remembering how little we in fact know may help us, at the very least, make fewer mistakes than otherwise."

Rudenstine ended his speech by urging students to remember the people around them, even those they don't know, and to give them consideration and patience, if not affection and love.

"Try to understand the full meaning of anything you do, how it will impinge on others, as well as on yourself. Because it is in this way that you will come to define who you really are and what your values are," Rudenstine said.

Wilson told the students to learn lessons from their experiences so far. Drawing from the world of chemistry, Wilson said people make plans to create order out of chaos. She asked students to reflect on their years here to see where plans changed, and how different they are from when they arrived four years ago.

Wilson also told students to combine individual initiative and effective partnerships to get things done, and to consider the consequences of their actions, intended and unintended.

"Our job is to handle unintended consequences and take advantage of unintended opportunities," Wilson said. "I'm frankly in awe of your accomplishments, your stamina, your creativity. I'm really excited about your prospects."

After the service, seniors left the church, walking past the rows and rows of empty chairs, to the steps of Widener Library to pose for their class picture.

Carey Bollinger, a social studies concentrator, said the service was impressive but made her a bit nostalgic about her years at Harvard.

"It was kind of weird seeing everyone in their gowns," Bollinger said.

Sameer Sheth, a physics and astronomy concentrator, said the service was inspiring. He enjoyed the chance the Baccalaureate Service gave the graduating class to come together, something they rarely did during their time at Harvard. He said he has enjoyed his years at Harvard, but is looking forward to graduating.

"It's nice for the class to come together. It doesn't happen very often," said Sheth. "It's been a good four years, but it's time to move on."

Both Rudenstine and Wilson urged graduates to return often and to think of the Yard and pathways around Harvard and Radcliffe as home.

"Think of it as a place, with its Yard and trees, its Houses, its libraries, and its lawns along the river, think of it as a place that is permanently yours, as a home where you will always be welcome and always warmly received," Rudenstine said.