The annual convocation series started last night with a keynote address from Maryland’s first female lieutenant governor, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, who turned to the Oberlin College and town community with the words, “Get involved! You have the greatest stake in the future!”
The program of the convocation opening Oberlin College’s 172nd academic year began with a performance by the Jasper String Quartet, which was formed last fall by Oberlin Conservatory students.
After the Quartet welcomed the audience in Finney Chapel, Rabbi Shimon Brand, the Jewish Chaplain, gave his introduction to the new members of the Oberlin College community. He spoke to the first-years who were present with or without their parents, about the journey of leaving home about the search of a new family here in Oberlin. He told them that there is no way back on their path, just forward, discovering new loves and their new family, and extending a hand to others if they want to have a hand extended to them.
Oberlin College President Nancy Dye also welcomed the new students and their parents to the first convocation for the year. She encouraged students to take part in Oberlin’s music life.
“Oberlin is a musical heaven,” Dye said and, after that, turned to other aspects of the importance of being active. She raised the question of the influence of U.S. politics over the rest of the world, mentioning her recent visits to Jordan and Iran. After that Dye presented the upcoming visits from contemporary U.S. politicians and commentators that will take place in September and the beginning of October, and then she introduced Morgan Shelton, president of the Class of 2005.
Shelton, a triple major in Theater, Politics and African-American studies, also encouraged the new Obies to explore the possibilities that are given to them. She compared education with the knowledge of how to operate a VCR or a DVD; one may have the tools and the instructions to get it to work, but sometimes things just go wrong; what is needed is experience, which is acquired through participation in various organizations and activities.
The keynote speaker, Townsend, congratulated Shelton for her speech and predicted a bright future for the Oberlin senior. Townsend began her speech, dedicated to the young people and their participation in politics by greeting Oberlin for its progressive politics.
Using many examples from her personal life, Townsend built up to her main idea: activism is the key to a society which carries the mark of political freedom.
“Politics is what we are saying about our world and ourselves,” she said.
She expressed her opinion in front of the enthusiastic audience that this election is the most important one in the 200 years of U.S. history because it will decide what kind of nation the U.S. is. She said that people should not surrender to the “privatization of public life” and should fight for their right to be heard, just as she was taught to get involved and to be active, to do something for her country.