Commencement Remarks by President Larry Bacow to the Class of 2022

May 26, 2022

To everyone who is assembled here today to celebrate the Class of 2022, welcome!

Congratulations to moms and dads, and spouses and children, and family and friends – cheerleaders and champions all.

And a special congratulations, and I really mean this, to all of you who are joining us online. I actually met last week with four graduating seniors – all international students – and we talked about this day. And I asked them, “Are your families going to be with you?” And unfortunately, some of them said, “No,” because given the pandemic, some of their families could not travel, and be sure that they could not only get into the country, but return home.

So many of them are watching online. And I think what we should all do is now turn and wave and welcome a special hearty hello, including to the Prime Minister’s father, who’s also watching online from New Zealand. So on the count three, let’s all turn towards the camera and wave. Welcome!

So, as you all know, the motto of this University is Veritas. So let me begin by sharing something that actually happens to be true.

The view from here is really, really amazing. I can’t actually believe that we finally did it. We all managed to come together in person like this. It’s just wonderful.

Being here – being together at long last – is, frankly, moving beyond words. But, to our graduates, you guys did not get here alone. Nobody in the world accomplishes anything on their own. So I wanna ask you now, to please rise, turn and thank the people – your friends, your family, your loved ones who actually helped you to make it to this moment. Let’s turn and congratulate and thank all of them for helping you all get here.

Thank you. I love seeing the waves coming back in the opposite direction.

So now that you’re all settled in your seats, let me share another truth with you.

Something very inconvenient happens when we combine a pandemic with a global supply chain shortage and problem, and that is: not enough folding chairs/seats to go around. I’m actually, I’m not kidding you, with all the commencements that are going on and dual commencements and extended commencements, just like we’re doing here, we actually had problems finding enough chairs. Half of you almost wound up sitting on blankets today. I’m not gonna tell you which half.

Fortunately, our amazing staff – the people who really make this place run – who make it possible for all of us to gather, who support us in so many ways, figured out a way around the Great Seat Scramble of 2022.

Now, I’m telling you all of this because this is likely the last time in your lives that you almost did not get a seat. Soon, you’re gonna have a degree from an institution whose name is known no matter where you go in the world, an institution whose name is synonymous with excellence, ambition, achievement – and maybe some other modifiers on which we needn’t dwell on today. You’ll hear those in the future.

But with your degree in hand, you may often find yourself invited to sit and stay awhile, invited to share your thoughts and ideas, invited to participate, to contribute, yes, to lead. Who knows? Someday, one of you may find yourself standing up here, like me, welcoming a future graduating class and congratulating them on their accomplishment. Now if that seems far-fetched, I guarantee you that when I graduated from this place, I never could have imagined this is where I would wind up.

Now, what have you all to make of all that – the fact that people are gonna make room for you, basically, to find a seat for you?

You could take that for granted. You could assume that you deserved it all along.

But what a waste that would be.

Today, I wanna challenge you – members of the Harvard Class of 2022 – to save a seat for others, to make room for others, to ensure that the opportunities afforded by your education do not enrich your life alone. You will have more chances than most to make differences in the world, more opportunities to give others a chance at a better life. Take advantage of these opportunities when they arise. Whatever you do with your Harvard education, please be known as much for your humility, kindness and concern for others as for your professional accomplishments. Recognize the role that good fortune and circumstance have played in your life, and please, please work to extend opportunity to others just as it has been extended to you.

That actually is how you will sustain the pride and joy you feel today. And that’s also true.

Congratulations, Class of 2022. You’ve accomplished great things just by being here, and I’m confident you’re gonna accomplish even more. Good luck to each and every one of you – and Godspeed.

And now, we will hear from the three students selected to deliver this year’s orations, the Latin Salutatory, in honorum Johannes Martini Annenberg inicis, candidate for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in East Asian Studies, Benjamin Porteus.