SPEECH AT TODAY'S COLLEGE MATRICULATION

Ripon College held its annual matriculation ceremony this noon welcoming the roughly 250 new students to the campus. I was honored to be asked to participate and had the following comments:

Good morning, Ripon College students, faculty, friends and staff. Today marks a historic day, a watershed day in the world of education. Today is the first day of school for my daughter…in four-year old kindergarten. She, like you, is about to embark on a large chapter of her life. And, she is probably as nervous as you are on these first few days of this adventure.

So today, I speak to you not only as a mayor, but also as a parent. A proud parent, just as yours are of your reaching the position you are in today. Your journey still has a few more steps to take. Kylie’s has just begun, but, for all of you, the doors to new worlds, new ideas, new concepts. As I have encouraged my daughter to do, wrap your arms around all of those ideas, and keep those close and growing which make you a better person tomorrow than you were yesterday. I am also a proud mayor, proud of welcoming you as residents of the city of Ripon.

The residents of Ripon College make up roughly 14 percent of the city’s population, and I work for you, as well as the remaining 86 percent. Some may view you as less than full citizens, because of such facetious arguments as you do not pay taxes. If that were true, I would recommend you tell the clerk at K-Mart you aren’t going to pay the sales tax or convince Kwik Trip you don’t pay gasoline tax. You are residents, and you will be treated equal to the other individuals who call Ripon home.

With residency comes responsibility. As mayor, I would ask that you become involved in the community, through volunteering, employment, or some other means. If you see a wrong, ask it to be righted. If you see an area we can improve, make the recommendation. The worst thing you could do as a resident, even if your stay is for only four years, is to leave with issues about the city and no involvement in trying to rectify the issues.

In closing, I leave with some advice. You are surrounded by a faculty which will do what it can to nurture your intellectual growth. At times, you may think they can’t comprehend your problems and concerns, but, trust me, they do. We have walked the same road, albeit with different street signs, that you are starting to take your first steps on. Capture their experience and squeeze them for every drop of educational juice they can provide. Maximize the investment you have made in your brain, heart and soul, and leave here with nothing short of a mind full of ideas and plans to conquer the world. Somewhere, possibly, in this room, is the person who will solve the AIDS mystery, or fine-tune the rockets which take us to Mars and beyond, or the artist who will paint the next masterpiece, or the author who will be known as the John Steinbeck of the 21st century, or the artist who will capture an armful of awards from the Screen Actor’s Guild. The sky is the limit, they say, but I encourage you blow past those limitations and reach for the stars.