Brandy L. Curtis, ’02, Student Commencement Speaker

This past academic year began with many expectations and aspirations. We all hoped for a better world, and a brighter tomorrow.

Who were we directing those wishes toward?

Does it matter anymore?

Only two short weeks after this academic year began, we, the Class of 2002, went from dreamers and searchers to the hope and the future. A horrific tragedy caused this nation and its citizens to once again look to the future for it seemed that was the only remedy for escaping the now. And that future is us. We are it.

The University of Massachusetts is no newcomer to dealing with hardships and overcoming challenges. This campus has risen to many occasions in the past four years. When affirmative action was challenged in 1998-99 students stood up and demanded that minorities be given equal opportunities. When the women of this campus were threatened we joined hands around the pond to show our unity as a community and as a symbol that we were not a few scared but 25,000 strong. Now it seems that as we depart, we leave our successors yet another challenge: budget cuts.

We are a campus of invaluable resources and opportunity. What is so priceless about this campus some might ask?

I am sure all the graduates here have their opinions about what made UMass 'their school' and what cannot be simply 'cut' out of life here.

I would like to share with you some of what made UMass my university: Julius Lester's 'Social Change in the 1960s' class, UMass hockey games, Worcester breakfast sandwiches, endless hours spent in Whitmore, RA rounds, Ralph Nader's visit in 2000, People's Market, Pierpont, Butterfield, studying abroad in South Africa, PVTA bus drivers, all-nighters, Alternative Spring Break, and the first and the second time I took Chemistry 111.

UMass is not only a 4-year institution, it is an experience!

We cannot forget the people we leave here and are with us tonight.

We must realize in these times that we are members of a privileged class: 2002. I don't mean in monetary value, but academic wealth.

Faye Wattleton, founder of the Center for Gender Equity, wrote, "(academic) privilege carries a high price tag—the obligation of service and especially the duty of leadership."

I know 'what now?' is on everyone's mind and so I leave you with this story called 'That's Not My Job' written by an unknown author:

This is a story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody. There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry because it was Everybody's job. Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.

So what am I trying to say here today?

As clichéd as it might sound, we are the next generation. There are problems in our society that perhaps you didn't create, but if not you then who? Let us use our knowledge and power to support those less fortunate at home and abroad, develop true partnerships, find common ground wherever we are and attempt to live a life full of passion and without regret. It is time to rise up and come together now not only as members of the University of Massachusetts but as citizens of this Earth and show Everybody that we are not Nobody, we ARE the graduating class of 2002.