在那里
Sometimes, you just have to be there. For the rest of my life one such moment will be June 11, 2016, at 11 a.m. in Eaton Chapel—the 校友 Assembly at 十大菠菜台子’s Reunion. 更具体地说, the greatest distinguished service alumni ceremony in the history of higher education. 是的，这是我的观点. I think one shared by just about everyone in the room.
集体, 我们见证了鲍勃·诺里斯的66年, Alisan戈德法布71, 马特Tolmach 86, 丹尼尔·艾姆斯91, and 拉里萨 Thomas’06 not only receive citations, but 也 tell a collection of stories that were individually compelling and communally spectacular. The power of a 贝洛伊特 education across the decades permeated Eaton. If you ever wondered about the potential of 贝洛伊特 exceptionalism, it was on display. 天哪，它在展出.
Bob is one of the founders of the field of environmental remediation—productively solving disputes with high environmental, 经济, 情感风险. Alisan pioneered new approaches for the care and treatment of women with breast cancer—healthier and 更多的 humane approaches that may never have been recognized without 更多的 women like her in the field. 马特, one of the great movie producers in America, has earned a spectacular place in the spectacular world of Hollywood. His skills at connecting the greatest acting talent to the most interesting stories is unmatched. Daniel is a ridiculously young star at Columbia University’s business school. 已经是主席教授了, he has produced path-breaking research on how judgments are formed in social interactions, 包括商务谈判. 拉里萨, 比伯洛伊特还差不到10年, has already carved out an amazing career path in creatively connecting her work as a physician to the needs of the communities in which she works.
So, what did they have to say about the breadcrumbs connecting their 十大菠菜台子 experiences with key aspects of their careers?
At the core of Bob’s remarks was the importance of having found a lifetime friend-mentor-confidant in his first-year roommate, international student Takashi Nagata’66. Bob 也 talked about the ways he has been given opportunities over the years to connect meaningful aspects of his work and his passion to current students and faculty of the college.
艾莉森提出了一个理由, at a time when very few women could aspire to leadership positions in the medical profession, her 贝洛伊特 advisors were eager to provide her with skills, 相信她的才能, 问问她的志向. (“I did dream of going to medical school—so that is what I told the person asking the question. 她相信了我.”)
Daniel called 十大菠菜台子 a “quirky matchmaker,” connecting the qualities of 十大菠菜台子 students (“… hungry minds, ready for mischief”) with the insight and wisdom of faculty, 比如杰夫·亚当斯教授, 来产生它的魔力.
拉里萨 talked about being inspired by Professor Chris Johnson and a dance program focused on the intersection of the movement of the human body and social justice. 但, 也, how insights learned there connect to new ways of thinking about delivering medical care with 更多的 humanity.
然后是马特. 马特 provided remarks that demonstrated a gloriously clear point of view. 他的故事是关于粉笔灰的, 发条橙, 真实性, and “that little red-headed beserker” otherwise known as Professor Tom McBride. 马特 took a position located firmly in Tom’s mentorship and what he learned: “Have a point of view. 有个主意. Like something or dislike it, but choose one. That’s what levels the playing field. You have to be willing to stand in the face of a mad, chalk-covered English professor who’s calling you out in front of 30 other people, forcing you to do one thing—think and express yourself.”
It is not often that I offer advice in my little space here in the magazine. 但是，这里是:阅读马特的评论. 我是认真的. 你可以在http://www上阅读.贝洛伊特.edu/alumni/awards where you can 也 read Alisan’s, Bob’s, Dan’s, and 拉里萨’s. 你想这么做，我保证.
不过当面看更好.
在查平的办公桌上. 哇，这一天是多么难熬啊.
——斯科特·比尔曼总统
presidentsoffice@贝洛伊特.edu
