Class of 2020, congratulations on your graduation from St. John Fisher College.
What a wonderful accomplishment – one in which I and the rest of our college community
share your pride.
Your contributions and your spirit have helped make Fisher the special place that it is.
For that, we are most grateful.
Allow me to wish you well as I begin.
I hope you and your families are staying healthy and keeping safe in this uncertain time.
For those who are engaged in service to their communities during this pandemic, please accept
my sincere thanks on behalf of the entire Fisher family.
Graduates of the Class of 2020, though we are not together in person with you and your
families and friends, I hope you are able to take the time today to truly recognize
and celebrate the significance of your achievement and success.
You are college graduates, master’s degree recipients, doctorally prepared individuals
– and you are now graduates of our great institution.
Congratulations!
We are so proud of you, happy for you, and share your excitement as you conclude your
studies at Fisher.
You are our 66th class of graduates – and today, you join our more than 31, 000 alumni
of St. John Fisher College – living across the country and in many countries around the world.
I encourage you, as you rightly celebrate your accomplishment today, to think of the
people that helped you on your journey – parents, siblings, spouses, mentors, faculty, advisors,
staff – as one recent graduate described it, “the community of advocates” around you.
With their support and your diligent efforts, you now have the distinction of having earned
a baccalaureate or an advanced degree - and the opportunities and responsibilities that
come with it.
You have made us proud, and we are delighted to be celebrating you today.
Over 70 years ago, the inaugural fund drive to establish St. John Fisher College was successfully
completed thanks to the combined efforts of the Basilian Fathers, Bishop James E. Kearney
of the Diocese of Rochester, local business leaders, and many parishioners of Catholic
parishes in Rochester.
The following year, in June 1949, ground was broken for the construction of Kearney Hall,
and in the fall of 1951, our first class of students arrived.
Since then, the College has experienced seasons of change, new beginnings, and remarkable
successes.
We have enjoyed unprecedented growth.
We have had a significant impact on our region and our local community.
We remain focused on our collective work to broaden that impact.
You have been a part of that growth, these successes, and our new beginnings.
Today, as we reflect on our institution’s storied past and look ahead to a great future,
we celebrate you.
Each year at commencement, I have the opportunity to share reflections about our patron, St.
John Fisher.
Allow me to share some thoughts with you now.
By his example of linking learning with holiness, by his service to God and to the human family,
by his loyalty to faith, conscience, and his principles, John Fisher’s life bore eloquent
witness to the enduring values of “goodness, discipline, and knowledge.”
Practice what you have learned during your time here and live the motto of your alma
mater – practicing goodness first, tempered by discipline, informed by knowledge.
Let your lives bear witness to your beliefs – reflecting the example and commitment
of our patron, the vision and dedication of our founding Basilian Fathers, and the virtues
and principles that our institution holds dear today.
Just as your personal communities contributed to your success, it is now up to you to engage
with new and different communities and contribute to their success.
I encourage you to embrace the opportunities that your education affords you.
As college graduates, you have the ability to affect positive change where you live and
work, to take on influential roles, and to help shape your communities based on the knowledge
and understanding you have gained during your time at Fisher.
My hope is that your education has been a transformative experience that has had a positive
impact on you.
You should know that you have made an impact on the College as well.
Thank you for spending this time with us and for your many contributions to the St. John
Fisher College community.
We all look forward to the day when we can celebrate your successes together.
For now, know that we are so proud of you from afar.
On behalf of all members of our collegiate community, we wish you the best of days ahead.
God bless you all.