Category Archives: Convocation Address

Senior Dinner Moment of Silence by Dean of Students Kathy Noble

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As we gather together on this beautiful evening to celebrate the seniors for the first time, the great Class of 2016, I’d ask that we take a moment to remember and honor those that have come before us through the Williston gates, as they have passed onto us a wonderful legacy. May we admire their sacrifices and triumphs and appreciate their efforts on our behalves.

And looking forward, may we take a moment to acknowledge and appreciate the good will, many friendships, and strong bonds that exists among so many of us in the room this evening, faculty and students alike of the Williston community. With optimistic enthusiasm, it is our hope that each of us will continue to cultivate these ties and develop many new ones during the school year ahead.

As we prepare to share a wonderful meal together, may we take a moment to reflect and express our appreciation for the many opportunities that are available to each of us at Williston and all that is good in our daily lives.

Posted in: Convocation Address, Uncategorized

Moment of Reflection by Dean of Students Kathy Noble

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We have Convocation every fall to mark the official start of school. This year is a particularly special one; as you may have noticed from all the banners around the Quad and on the Chapel, the school is celebrating its 175th year.

That’s a long history—one of the longest of all the other boarding schools in this area.

So, for my reflection today, I’d like to ask us all to think about our school history, about our own history, and to also think about how the future is simply a history that hasn’t happened yet.

Yes, we may think we know what this year will bring. We will have favorite classes and ones where we have to work a bit. We will win athletic games and loose some. We will study for finals, rest during the breaks, and eventually, celebrate with the Class of 2016 and our alumni next spring.

But although we think we know what the future brings, here’s something to remember:

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Posted in: Convocation Address

Convocation Address by Emmett O’Malley ’15

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Photo by Matthew Cavanaugh
Photo by Matthew Cavanaugh

Welcome to convocation. This speech is divided into three sections—the three S’s if you will—Socrates, “Success,” and Summing Up.

Part One: Socrates

Since it’s the start of another academic year, it’s probably appropriate that we engage with the big Socratic question right off the bat. That is: What course of life is best? A question that Socrates directed toward Calacles, a sophist – a person not in pursuit of virtue — in Plato’s masterpiece, “The Republic.”

From my humble perspective, the answer to that existential question — What course of life is best? — is that we acknowledge the convergence between our own personal pursuits and the moral obligations that we owe to others for our privileged positions as members of the Williston community. That convergence between our personal and moral obligations is, at least for me, where the answer to the question – What course of life is best? — lies. In addition, our answer to the essential Socratic question inculcates us with — as Mr. Hill likes to remind us — purpose, passion, and integrity.

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Posted in: Convocation Address, Student Speaker

Hagedorn Chair Presentation by Peter Valine

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Photo by Matt Cavanaugh
Photo by Matt Cavanaugh

Editor’s note: Dean of Faculty Peter Valine presented the Hagedorn Chair to Sue Michalski during Convocation on September 12, 2014. The Hagedorn Chair was established in 2006 by Robert Hagedorn ’76, and his wife, Meladi, who are the parents of Gregory Hagedorn ’06.

Good afternoon. It is my privilege today to award the Hagedorn Chair to a member of the Williston faculty.

This year’s recipient of the Hagedorn Chair is a passionate teacher whose dynamic and effective teaching style has been consistently on display since her arrival on campus in 1999. Her approach to teaching is characterized by her commitment to a philosophy of language acquisition that emphasizes the use of relevant, real-life situations encountered fully in the target language. Her classroom is always a hive of energy as her students are immersed in rapid-paced, imaginative, and purposeful activities.

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Posted in: Convocation Address, Faculty Speaker