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The 2012 Wilson Lecture: A Great Conversation

In my Convocation address earlier this month, I challenged Wellesley students, faculty, and staff to engage in great conversations—conversations that promote the exchange and exploration of ideas and the philosophies underlying those ideas.

This week, we had a wonderful opportunity to do just that when journalist, scholar, and political commentator E. J. Dionne delivered the 2012 Wilson Lecture. Dionne’s lecture, “Our Divided Political Heart and the Election of 2012,” addressed the tensions between Americans’ love for individual freedom versus our desire for community and the many manifestations of this tension: e.g., government versus the marketplace, local versus national.

Whether or not one shared Dionne’s politics or beliefs, last night’s lecture—and, specifically, the Q&A session after the lecture—was an opportunity to engage in the type of great conversation that I spoke of at Convocation. Members of the audience didn’t always agree with Dionne. Indeed, he welcomed—and even seemed to enjoy—dissenting points of view. It is clear that everyone left the lecture with a broader view of American politics. And that, I believe, is what makes the Wilson Lecture, and engaging in great conversations, so powerful.

Making a Difference

Here we are with the mother gibbon at the Stoneham Zoo

I had the pleasure of attending a one-year-old’s birthday party this morning. It wasn’t an ordinary party, though. Nor was it an ordinary one-year-old. As part of A Day to Make a Difference, I joined Wellesley students and alumnae at the Stoneham Zoo, where Paddy, a white-cheeked gibbon, turned one. We were there helping out with the party.

I also had an opportunity to stop by the Greater Boston Food Bank, where Wellesley women were busy inspecting, sorting, and repacking food in the product recovery warehouse. In fact, those who worked the morning shift organized 4,500 lbs. of food, or enough for 3,000 meals.

A Day to Make a Difference is always a fun and meaningful day that exemplifies Wellesley’s rich tradition of service. I was proud that so many in our community participated in this important day.

Starting Their Stories

Yesterday was a splendid day on campus. Not only was the weather picture perfect, but our newest Wellesley sisters—the red class of 2016—arrived on campus. As part of Orientation, I welcomed the members of this class and their parents to Wellesley during a special program.

The theme for this week’s Orientation is Start Your Story; as our new students learn the ins and outs of campus, I know that they are starting an important chapter in their own stories.

This week’s Orientation wouldn’t have been possible without the hard work of many in the Student Life Division, including the Office of the First Year Dean, as well as Student Orientation Coordinators Gissell Castellon ’14 and Grace Roberts ’14 and other student leaders.

I hope the Class of 2016 will enjoy getting to know Wellesley as much as I did when I arrived here five years ago. There is much to learn—our story, our traditions, our faculty, and our alumnae, to name a few.

I know they will soon discover what the rest of us know already—that Wellesley is an amazing place! Welcome, Class of 2016—we are so glad you’re here.

Wellesley’s Women in Public Service Institute

Photo by Richard Howard

Yesterday was a tremendous day at Wellesley. We launched the first Women in Public Service Institute—the flagship program of the new Women in Public Service Project—and, as part of the Opening Ceremonies, we welcomed to campus Secretary of State Hillary Clinton ’69 and former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright ’59. (You can see the video of their remarks on YouTube.)

Our Opening Ceremonies received quite a bit of press, including stories from ABC, The Boston Globe, and many others.

I was honored to be among so many smart, talented leaders yesterday, not only Secretary Clinton and Secretary Albright, but the 49 delegates.  Those delegates are emerging leaders from around the world, who had traveled far and endured incredible journeys just to attend the two-week Institute.  It was inspiring to hear the personal stories of these brave, bright, and committed young women.

Among our delegates are: a parliamentarian in Myanmar, who has worked to make the government accountable for its human rights violations against women; the youngest member of the Afghanistan parliament, who grew up under Taliban rule; a former journalist and now a parliamentarian in Kosovo, who is committed to press freedom and issues of human rights; and an Egyptian urban planner, who spoke about raising her daughters in a post–Arab spring Egypt.

Photo by Richard Howard

I was delighted that Wellesley could host the inaugural Institute of the Women in Public Service Project—a partnership between Wellesley and our sister colleges, and the U.S. State Department. I was also honored that Wellesley’s two Secretaries of State joined us for the occasion.

It was a rare and special moment to share the stage with the two of them yesterday.

 

 

Embracing Nerdland

I have often spoken about the importance of Wellesley’s intellectual community, where we value and encourage the open exchange of diverse opinions and ideas. Our intellectual community is one of Wellesley’s great strengths. 

Our Commencement speaker, Melissa Harris-Perry, also encourages such discourse—during her weekend show on MSNBC, which she has dubbed “Nerdland.”

In fact, as we prepare for Commencement on Friday, the campus is “nerding out” in anticipation of Harris-Perry’s arrival. Students have created a Facebook page, a Tumblr, and have distributed 1,500 boxes of nerd candy around campus. (I have two boxes on my desk.)

I will be delighted to welcome Harris-Perry—and her concept of “Nerdland”—to campus on Friday.  I know she will feel right at home.

Celebrating Our Davis-UWC Students

Several times a year, I join our Davis United World College Scholars for various events in which we share stories and laughs. Last week, this special group—I like to think of them as a sisterhood within a sisterhood—gathered for a lunch at Slater International Center.

We celebrated our Davis-UWC students, especially those who will be graduating in just a few weeks, and we welcomed to campus Phil Geier, who is the executive director of the Davis-UWC Scholars Program.

Wellesley is proud to be one the five founding colleges of the Davis-UWC Scholars Program, which provides need-based scholarships to students around the world, enabling some of the brightest, most capable students to come to Wellesley and other selected U.S. colleges.

 

Marathon Monday, a Wellesley Tradition

I may be biased, but you would be hard-pressed to find a better location to watch the Boston Marathon than from Wellesley’s Scream Tunnel. Just as the runners come up the hill, passing the College’s athletic fields, they are greeted by cheering students with festive and witty signs, and the offer of a kiss to those who need a little encouragement. In my first year here, students presented me with a sign that read, “Kiss Me, I’m the President”—a sign I have not yet used. It’s a fun day and a fun Wellesley tradition! I always enjoy it.

Here is just a taste of Monday’s Scream Tunnel.

Debating Political Extremism

The ability to engage in thoughtful discourse, the ability to take a position and defend it– to debate effectively– is one of the many outcomes of a liberal arts education. Last night I enjoyed, as I always do, seeing students practice these important skills during The Wellesley Debates. The topic debated was: Political Extremists are Destructive to American Progress.

Those arguing against the motion stressed, among other points, the formative influence of previous political extremists (our founding fathers and leaders of the suffrage and civil rights movements). Among the points made by those arguing for the motion was the paralysis that comes to government from the lack of willingness to compromise for the public good. Both sides made many excellent points and it was a lively and interesting debate. The before- and after-balloting revealed that those arguing against the motion gained adherents following the debate.

The students did an impressive job last night: Nicole Blansett ’15 and Melanie Kaplan ’12 argued for the motion, while Belgin Palaz ’12 and Maggie Polacheck ’12 argued against it. Veronica Martinez ’13 moderated.

Modeled after the Oxford-Union Debates, The Wellesley Debates promote an exchange of ideas that is both vigorous and thoughtful on controversial topics of local, national, and international interest.

I am proud to be part of an intellectual community that engages in such a discourse. The ability to hear and learn from a diversity of opinions– even ones you may not agree with– is central to the Wellesley experience.