Ellie Kahn
Features Editor
The sound of bagpipes floating through the sky, droves of seniors and faculty decked out in academic regalia and the air filled with nervous yet excited energy — Convocation 2019 was held in McGaw Chapel on Thursday, Aug. 22, serving as a benchmark for first years and seniors alike. The ceremony served as the official convening of the 150th academic year, and was dampered only by the rain that fell outside.
Following an invocation from the Interim Director of Religious and Spiritual Life Erin Guzman, President Sarah Bolton addressed the audience and shared her hopes for the upcoming year.
The audience then heard from four seniors who each serve as student leaders within an organization on campus: Courtney Lockhart ’20, president of the Black Student Association (BSA), Emilee McCubbins ’20, president of the Student Government Association (SGA), Garima Nayar ’20, president of the International Student Association (ISA) and Alberto Peralta ’20, president of the Organization of Latin American Students (OLAS).
While each speech differed in content and length, they were united in their shared themes of forming connections on campus and advocating for what one believes in.
I reached out to the four seniors to ask about the thought behind their speeches, and their views on the direction of the senior class. A common theme among the speakers was offering advice to first-year students and words of wisdom they wish they had received back in 2016.
Nayar reflected, “When I was asked to speak at convocation, my initial question to myself was ‘What would I have wanted to hear as a first-year?’ So, I knew my speech had to be student-to-student. I wanted it to be more casual and honest. So I tried to keep it personal, yet helpful.”
McCubbins echoed this sentiment, sharing that from her speech, “I hope people took away a sense of relief and introspection. Relief in that they can know their insecurities aren’t exclusive to them — none of us really know what we’re doing most of the time, and reaching out to others for help is perfectly okay. Introspection, in that it’s good to take a moment to yourself here and there to remember how far you’ve come in life, in and outside of Wooster.”
Another form of inspiration behind the Convocation speeches was derived from the current political and social climate, which has become notably tense and divisive over the past few years. Peralta’s speech focused on the contemporary treatment of immigrants in America, an issue that he found critical to speak about because of his family. According to Peralta, “I have always done everything for my family. I will continue to do everything in my power to help my family. I believed I could honor those before me by encouraging those after me to make a change and take a stand against the injustices of the world.”
Peralta then urged the audience to engage with the community around issues they find important, stating, “Whether you’re protesting the violence against trans folk, the human-made fires in the Amazon or the treatment of immigrants in America … I hope people can have some urgency to do some community work; we are such capable individuals and our work will empower this world. Our work is incredibly important to the world.”
Lockhart, too, used the current political and social climate as insight for her speech, expressing that “when writing this speech my inspiration was the reality of our world and the steps that anyone can take to changing its demise. Today, the lines between right and wrong are becoming more and more blurred and people hold too tightly to previous conditioning, become self-absorbed and/or fail to respect others.” Lockhart hopes that the audience left with this message: “It is not your privilege or achievements that make you. It is truly the person that you allow yourself to become and influenced by what matters and changes the world. There is no rush, life isn’t easy, but press through.” As for the direction of the senior class as we approach this academic year at Wooster, the speakers were no less thoughtful in their responses.
McCubbins hopes that “myself and my fellow seniors will take on our Independent Studies with grace and passion, and that this year will be one of fervent conversation about research … This class is a special group of folks, and I don’t doubt it’ll be a hard year, but I have the utmost faith in myself and my classmates’ capacity to take this year and completely rock it.”
This thread is reflected in Lockhart’s answer as well, who aims to see “this class finISh and be the role models for the underclassmen.” Adding to this, Nayar wishes that “we, as a class and as a part of the Wooster community, try to help others around us and try to uplift each other as we’re all in the same boat, not knowing where it’s going.”
Finally, Peralta acknowledged the unique timing that the senior class has been faced with, reflecting that “we came to this school and in our first months here we saw an unprecedented shift in politics as Trump began his first term. We have experienced challenges in all avenues, we have felt changes at all levels, and we are those in charge of making sure we take care of the country we will inherit someday. I just hope that we continue to work on ourselves and not succumb to pressure in our lives. I hope we can become leaders in our own respective fields and that we continue to learn.”