Honor’s Breakfast Remarks
December 16, 2006
Northern Michigan University

Dr. Leslie E. Wong
President

Honor students, trustees, faculty, parents, friends and Wildcat supporters,

The students in this class were sophomores when I arrived.  Your first year was behind you.  Rather than homesickness, you were ready to leave for college by mid July.  Your parents didn’t fret so much about your departure like they did before.  After all, they worry about what you might pierce, tattoo, cut or color.  More independent? Certainly, and yes, there were, after all, college friends to meet.   Perhaps for the first time in your young life, you felt more like a college student than a high school student. 

Now, you are graduating.  The world is not only out there, it has crept closer to you here. You now think about how to allow your piercing to heal, the wonder of makeup or dermatology to remove your tattoos and, well, the color and the cut are always temporary.  But the view for you now is less about courses and credits than it is about putting motion into your own adult processes.  Yes, you’re closer to paying taxes, worrying about tax deductions, seeking long-term, committed, responsible relationships and building your reputation.  Sound like your parents.  Don’t cringe.  You want reality to creep in and confirm some of your dreams.  Don’t forget your parents because you are now mature enough to return their worry because you’re closer to their perception of the responsibilities of life.  No matter what phase you go through, they are always your parent, and they will always worry about you.  Give them a hug.  They’ve done well because your presence at this breakfast is reality to their dreams.

For three years you have heard me voice many themes, perhaps some of them too many times.  I still implore you to think outside and beyond your own needs.  The world does want you to care and to be involved.  I believe you’ll not only live out in the world, you will craft and change the condition of the world for the better.  I remain convinced that you will be good citizens; you will make a difference.  Why?  You won’t realize it now, but your experience at Northern is very, very special.  I can’t tell you why, you’ll come to realize that in about 10 years.  Write me an e-mail, tell me how your NMU experience helps you deal with what’s going on in your life.

But I’m not here o speak about NMU, Marquette or necessarily about the things you typically hear at graduations.  I am more aware than you that you want to get to the Dome, cross the stage, shake my hand and get out of the Dome.  Let’s get to it.