From a Professor to the Class of 2006
Congratulations on graduating today. I marched in the ceremony, but I didn’t chat with you personally. A smile, a glance, a nod, a brief wave—at most, that’s all there was.
These are awkward moments for me. I’ll never see many of you again. For those of you I taught in class or knew in some other capacity, we spent a lot of time together. You shaped me and I hope I had some slight influence on you. I would have liked to have met your parents to tell them how much you've grown in your time here--and how proud I am of you. I probably wasn’t up to the emotion associated with such an explicit acknowledgment of my loss, however.
I know that there has always been some distance between us—please don’t mistake that for me not caring about you. Part of the distance stems from practical hurdles—it is difficult to have extensive friendships with the scores of people that I teach each year and also fulfill my responsibilities as parent of small children, spouse, writer, and civic participant. Part of it is necessary—I never spoon fed you because I know that you'll need initiative, gumption, and independence to make it in today's workforce. I also wanted to create a professional tone so that you'll be comfortable when you move into the work world.
Despite the distance, I do care. Outside of my immediate family, not too many other people have listened to me blather on for dozens of hours. How could I not care for someone who has tolerated that?
Most likely, the next time I see your name will be in an alumni magazine entry or a newspaper article announcing that you just made partner, won an election, became CEO, wrote a book, had a child, or realized some other achievement. I will smile, but I’ll also be sad that the practicalities of this job didn’t allow me to get to know an interesting and special person better when our lives crossed in the classroom.
Let me end with a saying that my former pastor sometimes recited. . .
May the road rise up to meet you, may the wind be ever at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face and the rain fall softly on your fields.
And until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of God’s hand.
Comments
Prof. O: I know you are interested in voting. What regular subject do you teach? (Not a trap question.)
Posted by: Supremacy Claus | May 21, 2006 11:49 PM
Property
Posted by: Anonymous | May 21, 2006 11:58 PM
Anonymous: If students leave understanding anything of that subject, you are probably the best teacher in the school.
Posted by: Supremacy Claus | May 22, 2006 07:49 PM
Making this post anonymous so I can say this without being accused of any ulterior motive.
From personal experience I can testify that Prof. Overton is one of the best.
Posted by: Former Overton Student | June 22, 2006 11:37 PM
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Posted by: thomson | October 16, 2006 11:40 AM