Franklin Celebrates its 40th Commencement
06/09/2010
Sunshine and reflections from the nearby lake of Lugano embraced the participants in Franklin College’s 40th Commencement ceremony, creating a festive and light-hearted atmosphere for the 85 students graduating—the largest number in the history of the College. On Sunday, May 16, Franklin President Erik Nielsen welcomed members of the senior class—representing 31 different countries—their parents and friends, faculty and members of the Franklin community to graduation at the Palazzo dei Congressi in downtown Lugano.
A common thread ran through the comments of everyone who spoke at Commencement —public service. In his opening remarks President Nielsen noted that today the inculcation of civic responsibility in students is a vital component of a college education. He commended the senior class for the number of public service projects initiated by the students themselves, from Academic Travel programs designed to help communities rebuild homes, learn English or initiate sustainable development programs, to blood drives in support of the Red Cross, to after-school English language instruction in the community, to cleaning up and monitoring the lake water in the College’s local environment.
The Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Franklin College, Paul Lowerre, then took the podium. After greeting the members of the audience, he told the story of a boy from Banjul, The Gambia, in Africa, who wrote a letter to him 10 years ago. Without ever falling into bitterness the handwritten letter spoke of the loss of a family to war, of a life of indescribable hardship and of a fervent desire to be reinstated in a school. As a result of this letter Chairman Lowerre helped the boy return to school and later enabled him to come to Franklin. Kebba Fadera is graduating today. Chairman Lowerre paid special tribute to him and also to the Franklin students who “embraced and encouraged” him in a new and different world.
Richard H. Bell ’65, member of the Board of Trustees, presented the 2010 Ursula Gentile Lowerre Outstanding Service Award, which is given annually to a Franklin alum who has made outstanding efforts on behalf of the College and which is aptly named in honor of Ursula Lowerre ’76, one of Franklin’s most dedicated benefactors. This year’s recipient was Sally Dodge Mole ’65, a member of the Franklin Board from 1983-1993 and member of the Alumni Council. As Mole, who is dedicated to land conservation and a founder of the “buy local” movement in Vermont, accepted the award, she promised students that they would find that “service to others will fill your lives with passion, purpose and many new friends.”
This year’s Commencement Speaker was Diane Farrell, member of the Board of Directors of the Export-Import Bank, which is the official export credit agency of the United States. She has had more than 25 years of professional experience in the private and public sectors in financial management, maintaining fiscal integrity and managing budgets. Speaking with irresistible enthusiasm, she enumerated eight “pearls of wisdom,” all extremely practical, positive and inspiring, which included maintaining the global citizenship that the students have acquired at the College through which they must set good examples and aim for “inclusive growth” for the masses of less privileged people throughout the world. She also recommended finding personal mentors, being diplomatic and a good listener, keeping a sense of humor, building up a “good will bank,” running for public office, saying “yes” more often than “no,” and . . . taking many photographs throughout life! And, in fact, she astonished everyone by pulling out a camera on the spot and taking pictures of the graduating class and all the faculty members.
The Dean of the College, Sara Steinert-Borella, then presented the degree candidates to President Nielsen and Chairman Lowerre, and the conferring of degrees began. Each graduate was saluted by joyful, deafening cheers and applause from friends, family and classmates.
The Valedictorian of the Class of 2010, Kyle Hartman, from Tennessee, U.S.A., was then introduced by Provost Kris Bulcroft. The academic career of this outstanding student dovetailed perfectly with the public service theme that had already characterized the entire Commencement ceremony. One of Kyle’s major passions was the cleanup of the Lake of Muzzano, which is near the College. Working as Professor Brack Hale’s research assistant, he co-authored an article on their research at the lake and wrote his thesis on invasive species in Ticino. Kyle’s speech, which was succinct and lively, began with the words, “It’s all over—the great college experience, and we all did it together.” He reminded his classmates that the world-at-large isn’t really so large any more so they should all stay in touch with each other. He urged them to explore, not to give up, and above all to live long and prosper.
President Nielsen then provided some final thoughts, pointing out the incredible changes that have taken place in the world since the Class of 2010 arrived at Franklin in 2006, especially politically, financially and in the field of technology. He reminded the students of Mark Twain’s words: “There are basically two types of people: those who accomplish things and those who claim to accomplish things.” He urged them to strive for the former and make themselves and their college proud and then announced, “Ladies and Gentlemen, I present you Franklin College’s graduating Class of 2010!”
