Welcome Class of 2029. Convocation marks not just the beginning of your academic journey at Pomona, but a renewal of our entire campus as each fall, we are reborn with a new class of Sagehens joining our vibrant intellectual community.
I’m truly sorry not to be able to join you in person today. Please know I wouldn't skip it for anything—almost anything. The reality is, I'm across the country seeing my daughter start her college journey, a milestone I know you will relate to. Just last week I was delighted to meet so many of you and your families as you arrived on campus. And today I'm wearing my own parent hat.
Before I left, you could already feel it: that hum of anticipation that comes with a new academic year. I'm looking forward to being back in it with you in just a couple of days. Look around you: your classmates to the left, right, ahead and behind. It’s one of the few moments you'll all be together. These fellow Sagehens, as I said last week, are your extended team, your support network as you move through Pomona.
In May 2029, when you cross the graduation stage, they, along with your families and friends, will cheer you on with pride. You'll remember the experiences you've shared during your time here together. Beyond this extended team of yours, this Class of 2029, you have other teams you'll connect with, like your sponsor group of first and second years that will help you find your footing this fall.
Pomona offers expansive possibilities for you to explore: from the campus radio station to POSSE, and from the Ballroom Dance Company to the Afro-Cuban Music Ensemble. The hard part is deciding which to try first. Within the consortium, there are more than 300 student organizations that will benefit from your curiosity, participation and leadership. But most importantly, I encourage you to go beyond the familiar. Engage with perspectives alien to your own. Join teams that stretch your horizons and expose you to something new. The teams you form and join will help shape your emerging self. At times, you'll step forward and seek the limelight; at others, you'll support from the wings.
Let me give you an example from my life. When I went to college, I did something I never would have dreamed of in high school. I joined the women's club rugby team. The recruiting poster said this was for women who liked to rip the heads off of their Barbie dolls, which suited me to a T. And I was one of just three straight women on the squad. Now, I'd been a minority my whole life as a Black woman in the American South, but this was a different kind of experience of being one of the few. And watching my teammates come out loud and proud for the first time was awesome. Every game, every time, every try, it was special. It was joyous, and we had so much fun together. I played and practiced my heart out, but my most formative lessons came off the pitch as I cheered on teammates who were discovering their authentic selves and living their authentic lives for the first time as newly independent adults.
My role there was to support, not lead, and you have to learn how to play whatever role you're in. You never know what teams you'll end up joining or what role you'll be asked to play. My advice to you, then, is bring an open mind—in how you contribute—to the lessons that unfold. Thank you, Class of ’29. Welcome to Pomona. Thank you to my colleagues. I'm sorry I'm not with you today. I can't wait to return and join you all in just a few days as we embark together on this shared journey.
Chirp, chirp!