Hi, Harvard College Class of 2024. I鈥檓 President Bacow鈥攂ut please feel free to call me Larry. Everybody does.
It鈥檚 my honor to welcome you officially to the Harvard community. We鈥檙e more than 315,000 strong鈥攍iving and working in nearly every country鈥攁nd making countless contributions in communities around the world.
Today, you begin to undertake a task of great significance: determining how you鈥攁nd you alone鈥攚ill spend the next four years of your life. Dean Khurana urged you to see your time at Harvard as transformational rather than transactional, and Dean O鈥橠air encouraged you to take full advantage of your newness. To their wisdom, I鈥檒l add my own words of advice鈥攁nd they鈥檙e simply:
Find your way to heal this world.
Throughout childhood and young adulthood, you鈥檝e experienced the thrill of more and more opportunities to decide what you will do, when you will do it, and how you will do it. It started simply enough鈥攑eas or carrots, for example. Then it grew into negotiations about bedtime, about screen time, about driving time鈥攖he list goes on.
If you haven鈥檛 thanked your parents鈥攐r the people closest to you鈥攆or all of those chances to learn and grow, chances that ultimately set you on a course to this very moment鈥攜ou should make it one of your goals this week. And鈥攊f you鈥檝e done it already鈥攖here鈥檚 no harm in doing it again. Remember, you have lots of people to help you through this transition鈥攁dvisors, resident tutors, deans, PAFs, and others. By contrast your parents and family are on their own. You need to help them through their transition.
This moment is about you, but it is also about the people who helped you along the way鈥攁nd the people you will encounter over the course of the next four years鈥攁nd, candidly, over the course of the rest of your lives. With the privilege of a Harvard College education comes the responsibility to use your considerable talents to make this world a better place.
Start close to home. Social distancing, mask wearing, hand washing: these actions may save your life, the life of someone close to you, the life of someone you鈥檒l never meet. In moments when compliance feels like a nuisance鈥攁nd we鈥檝e all been there鈥擨 hope you鈥檒l remember the stakes and do the right thing.
Expand your reach and make your voice heard. There are, as Dean Khurana has mentioned, political campaigns that would benefit from your involvement, especially at this moment of deep division in this country. For those of you who are eligible to vote in the upcoming elections, I will now give you your first homework assignment: register to vote, inform yourself of the candidates and the issues, and cast a ballot. It鈥檚 the first responsibility of citizenship in a democracy, and at Harvard we take this responsibility very seriously.
In fact, while you are at a computer, bookmark this website: (IOP鈥攆or Institute of Politics). We have made it very easy for you to register and request a ballot. Now go do it.
And, finally, find your cause and fight for it. And, when you see something wrong, try to right it. I have yet to meet anyone鈥攐f any political leaning鈥攚ho thinks the world we live in is perfect. The only way it鈥檚 likely to get better is if good people like you work to repair it鈥攖hrough everyday action, through focused effort, through lifelong attention and engagement.
This summer鈥攋ust this week鈥攖he streets of cities across this country have been filled with protestors鈥攄emonstrations unlike any I have seen since I was your age. People are marching for justice. They are marching in the name of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and now Jacob Blake. They are marching against racism, and they are shining a light on systems and symbols in this country and elsewhere that perpetuate inequality. That, too, is democracy in action鈥攃itizens exercising their rights to help right wrongs鈥攑eople working together to form a more perfect union.
Always remember that anything worth doing tends to generate discussion and debate. In difficult moments, I hope you鈥檒l be generous and patient listeners, eager to understand those whose views you do not share鈥攁nd I hope they pay you the same courtesy. Every conversation that deepens your understanding of something that鈥檚 important to you even if鈥攅specially if鈥攊t is the perspective of someone who disagrees with you鈥攊s education, too. Never forget: No one has a monopoly on virtue. If we believe in truth, if we believe in Veritas, we must all be willing to be proven wrong.
Today, you accept the challenge of making good on the opportunities before you鈥攆or your own sake and for the sake of causes as varied as the members of this class. Welcome to Harvard, Class of 2024鈥攇ood luck to you and Godspeed.
And, now, a beautiful meditation on the power of public service prepared by the Harvard Choruses and the Kuumba Singers鈥攆ollowed by a special welcome from Dani P茅rez. They are a senior in Leverett House and one of this year鈥檚 co-chairs for the FYRE Pre-Orientation program.
Once again, best of luck to each and every one of you. I look forward to seeing you鈥攖o meeting you in person鈥攚hen that permits. Thanks a lot鈥攕ee you soon.