Reflecting on the passing of another academic year

By John R. Finnegan, Jr., Ph.D.
May 7, 2007

Dear SPH Graduates:

It hardly seems possible that another academic year has passed, but here we are in finals week with commencement upon us! As we have grown in size, so too have our needs for an adequate commencement hall. This year, we will hold our celebration in the one and only Northrop Auditorium.

I can't count how many times I have attended commencements at Northrop. At two of them (I won't say how long ago), I stood where you graduates will stand to receive a small piece of paper in recognition of all your hard work. It's your credential proclaiming to all that you earned this degree by fulfilling the requirements set by the faculty and ratified by the Board of Regents. But it's the start, not the end. From here on, lifelong learning must be your mantra and your companion as you move into the day-to-day world of public health, whether in the government, private, or academic sectors.

This school and this University will be there as your partner. As others have given to you, we hope that you will choose to give back to the next generation of students in whatever ways you are able. As you stand in Northrop Auditorium, know that you are the next in a long line of graduates stretching back many generations. As a faculty member, I believe that you, our graduates, are among our best "gifts" we can give back to the world. You leave us a better school for choosing to learn here, and I know that you will make for a better world with your work in public health.