2013 Cerussi Graduation Address

Commencement Address by Ms. Virginia Cerussi to the Class of 2013 May 31, 2013 Mr. Oroszlany, Mr. Lyness, Mr. Sheehy and the Board of Trustees, Dr. Bolton, Ms. Cupillari, fellow faculty members, parents, family and friends of the graduates, and most especially members of the Class of 2013: I want to begin by saying how privileged I feel to have the opportunity to offer my thoughts on this important occasion of your graduation. I have a special connection with the Class of 2013. All but two of you have been in math class with me for at least one year (sorry Alex and Adrian) and for some others, it has been two years. They may consider themselves the unlucky ones! Nine of you were my mentees this year. We prayed together on both your Junior retreat and on the Kairos retreat. We had fun last Spring Break when a group of you traveled with me to Paris, Geneva, Strasbourg, and Brussels and together we discovered the beauty of those cities. I have seen you grow in so many ways over these past four years. Obviously, you have grown physically, but more importantly, you have matured into caring, sensitive, compassionate young women and men who, I have no doubt, will leave their mark on the world by helping to make it a better place.

There are many important “firsts� in one’s life: the first baby step, the first word uttered, a first love, the first prolonged stay away from home, the first time driving a car on your own, a first job, as well as getting married, becoming a parent, and even becoming a grandparent. I can personally attest to the fact that the last one is the best of all. Each of these stages brings on new responsibilities and new challenges and can even appear quite frightening at times. Graduation from high school is one of these firsts, a threshold moment. You are leaving all the trappings of

childhood behind but you have not yet fully become an adult. This period between the ages of 18 – 25 is often referred to as emerging adulthood, defined as young adults with no children, who do not live in their own home and who do not have sufficient income to be fully independent. It is a time during which adolescents become more independent and begin to explore life’s possibilities. It is natural at your ages to want to have everything all figured out, but that is an impossible task even for those much older than yourselves. Remember that life is fluid – your needs, priorities and interests will constantly change. Be open to that. You don’t have to have all the answers right now. If anyone had told me when I was your age that I would become a teacher, I would have scoffed at the idea. It was the farthest thing from my mind and I had no interest in it nor did I pursue that course of study in college. And now I cannot imagine doing anything else!

Be open to the path that unfolds before you. Open to growth --- one of the characteristics of the Grad-at-Grad.

As I was preparing my thoughts for this talk, I looked back on the past year, your Senior year, and realized what an unusual year it has been. In late October, the devastation wrought by Hurricane Sandy hit home hard and in a personal way; November brought an unusual early blizzard to our area.

In December we witnessed the heartache and pain at Sandy Hook Elementary school. March saw tragedy strike again at the Boston Marathon. And only two weeks ago a tornado ravaged Oklahoma. All of these events emphasize the importance of prioritizing what we should value in our lives. Possessions come and go and can always be replaced. My father died a relatively young man some thirty years ago and by no stretch of the imagination could he be described as wealthy but I still remember the words which he spoke to me and my sister often: “If something can be

replaced by money, it is not worth worrying about”. Not so with relationships and those dear to us. These need to be valued each and every day as they can be taken away from us at a moment’s notice. As a group, you were generous in reaching out in the Rockaways after Sandy, by collecting food and clothing in various school drives, and probably most important of all, by praying for the victims and their families in all of these tragedies. Once more the Grad-at-Grad was at work: Religious and loving.

It has been said that “greatness is not found in possessions, power, position or prestige. Real success is measured in goodness, humility, service and character”. You have been generous in the time you have given in service to others and I know you will continue helping the less fortunate in programs at your respective colleges.

There were also some great things happening during these months of tragedy, heartache and sadness. October saw you discovering God’s love in those around you during the Kairos retreat at St. Ignatius Retreat House, Inisfada, due to close its doors permanently tomorrow. Silliness abounded at the Senior Halloween parade. Fall ushered in all the successes of the athletic and forensic teams where you, as Senior members, were such contributing factors. Of course, there was also the stressful college application process to deal with, but from the list of colleges you are attending, that all turned out extremely well. Another characteristic of the Grad-at-Grad: academically excellent. December saw your talents on display at the Christmas Concert and the Christmas Door Decorating contest, which, by the way, was won by my mentor group. I just had to get that in there! Christmas at Loyola was fun as usual but many of you left time afterwards to participate in YSOP, remembering those less fortunate than yourselves. And then there were the various visits to the Romero Center in

Camden, New Jersey, working with the underprivileged and marginalized population there. Grad-at-Grad once again: Committed to Doing Justice.

January saw you take the lead in Spirit Week, a way to de-stress after the midterm exams. You rejoiced when college acceptances began to roll in and were truly happy for one another – you displayed the Loving characteristic.

Your talents were evidenced during Coffeehouse, the Fall

and Spring plays, the Christmas and Spring concerts and displayed in the mural on the wall of the Jug Yard. Many of you celebrated the milestone birthday of turning 18 during these months as well. Even though there have been some failures and disappointments – after all, it is life we’re talking about -- all of these activities have helped you discover what you like, what you are good at, and are helping to move you toward maturity and full adulthood.

In a book entitled, “The Best Advice I Ever Got”, a compilation of lessons from many extraordinary lives, I found numerous quotes worth passing on. I would like to share my Top Ten list from that book with you now, in no particular order: From Madeleine Albright, the first woman to become the United States Secretary of State: Never play hide-and-seek with the truth.

From Apolo Ohno, speed skater and eight-time Olympic medalist: It’s not about the forty seconds; it’s about the four years, the time it took to get there.

From Anna Quindlen, best selling author and Pulitzer Prize winning journalist: Acts of bravery don’t always take place on battlefields. They can take place in your heart, when you have the courage to honor your character, your intellect, your inclinations, and yes, your soul by listening to its clean,

clear voice of direction. So carry your courage in an easily accessible place, the way you do your cell phone or your wallet.

From John Wayne, actor: Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway.

From Maria Shriver, journalist, author, and former First Lady of California: Don’t sell yourself short by being so afraid of failure that you don’t dare to make any mistakes. Make your mistakes and learn from them. And remember: no matter how many mistakes you make, your mother always loves you!

From Michael Bloomberg, Mayor of New York: Eighty percent of success is showing up --- early.

From Thomas Jefferson: I’m a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it.

From Larry King, television and radio host: I never learned anything while I was talking. The best learning lesson I can give you on accomplishment is to listen. Learn how to listen. You don’t learn anything when you are talking.

From Colin Powell, Four-Star General and 65th Secretary of State, who grew up in Harlem and graduated from the City University of New York: It doesn’t matter where you start in life but where you finish, and along the way, whether you do something that you love and enjoy doing. Never settle for anything less.

From Jay Leno, host of The Tonight Show: I spent the first half of my life trying not to embarrass my mother and the second half trying not to embarrass my wife. It’s a good thing to live by. It’s always been my mantra: Oh, my God, what if my wife saw this? What if my mom saw this? It has worked out pretty well.

Well, your graduation day has finally arrived. This moving on from Loyola and toward higher education is called a “commencement” because it is more of a beginning than an ending. True, one chapter is ending but another exciting chapter is about to commence. In a few moments, you will be receiving your Loyola diplomas. You will have in your hands something more precious than a winning lottery ticket. It is the key that will open many doors for you not only in college but in life. You have heard a lot over the past four years about the Grad-at-Grad. You have now become a true “Grad-at-Grad”, a graduate of a Jesuit high school at the time of graduation.

Hopefully, the five characteristics are so instilled in you and have become such an integral part of who you are that they will guide your future decisions. You have been shown how to be academically excellent, open to growth, loving, religious and committed to doing justice. Loyola School has prepared you well for what lies ahead. You have with you by your side at all times your virtual tool box, containing all the tools necessary for future decision-making and for becoming a contributing member of society.

In closing, I would like to repeat a quote shared by Mr. Oroszlany at the recent Ascension Thursday liturgy which he attributed to Pope Francis: “Do not be afraid to dream big things”. Good advice from our Jesuit Pope --- dream big things and you will accomplish much. We will miss you in the halls and classrooms of Loyola, but know that you are always welcome home for a visit and a chat. Your teachers are only an e-mail away. I wish you the best in all the ways that are most meaningful and once again, congratulations on your commencement.

Thank you.