Hail
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By Garry VanGorder Photos by Jon Crispin and Dan Vecchio |
Commencement '97 photos -- it may take a while to download |
"Whatever I do, I hope that I remain productive and I hope to make some modest contributions to education, community, and society," said Whalen, who stepped down at the end of June after 22 years as College president. "In that, my hope for 'J.J.' is really no different from my expectations of each of you." Conducted before a crowd of some 10,000 at Butterfield Stadium, the College's 102nd Commencement coupled Whalen's poignant remarks with those of Dot Richardson, the Olympic gold medal winner and orthopedic surgeon. The ceremony included the naming of Whalen as president emeritus, his receipt of an honorary degree, and the announcement that the College's expanded music facility would be named in his honor.
Richardson said Ithaca College graduates face a future bright with promise. "I think I was brought here today to let you know that your future looks so bright, and inside of each of you there is a light that's going to make our future even brighter," she said. "God has given us, all of us, a special talent-that special something you feel inside, that something that you know is a gift."
"As a young girl I knew God had given me a talent in the world of athletics. But unfortunately I don't think the world was ready; the world had said girls are not supposed to be good in athletics," Richardson said. "But I believed all along the way. I continued to believe that talent is given to us for a reason. Never stop believing that that special gift that you know you have is there for a reason." Richardson also urged the graduates to be charitable in the use of their talents. "There will be moments in our lives when we will be given the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others, even if only for a brief moment. I pray that you choose to share your talents and your time, and that your goals are to make a difference, to make this world even better." Also offering remarks to the 1,275 graduates and their guests was senior class president Joe Gutierrez, who along with fellow class officers announced the class's pledge to raise $25,000 for the College's new fitness center. President Whalen was presented with a $7,000 check as a "down payment" on that pledge.
"This Commencement signifies not an end, but a new beginning," said Gutierrez. "It's a symbol of our move from the safe haven we call Ithaca College into an exciting new life of change, decision making, and responsibility."
Honored at the ceremony were professor of anthropology Joel Savishinsky, who was named Dana Professor in the Social Sciences, and three recently retired faculty members: John and Mary Ann Covert were named professors emeriti of music, Aniello Massa professor emeritus of accounting. Also recognized were the faculty members retiring this year: Florence Bernard, biology; Milton Chiu, philosophy and religion; Howard Cogan, television-radio; Sarah Rich, recreation and leisure studies; and Michael Yarrow, sociology. Ithaca College Board of Trustees chairman Herman E. Muller Jr. '51 saluted Whalen for his 22 years of leadership before announcing that, upon its completion, the new facility for the College's School of Music will be known as the James J. Whalen Center for Music. "You have left the mark of your dedicated service on this aca-demic community and on all of us who have been privileged to know you," Muller read from a resolution approved earlier by the board of trustees. "We are grateful beyond expression for all you have done to advance our college and for giving the fullest measure of your vast energies and talents." Muller said the facility will be named for Whalen in recognition of the "enduring legacy" of his leadership. In a special presentation by Muller and acting provost Mary Lee Seibert, Whalen was also named president emeritus and was awarded the honorary degree of doctor of humane letters. In his remarks Whalen spoke of the challenges that await graduates in a world of explosive technological and scientific growth. "Technology- driven questions will shape the intellectual and cultural landscape of your future," Whalen said. "Yet their answers will not lie in technology, but in the hearts and minds of yourselves. As you have learned more about computers, about science, about business and communication, I hope you have also acquired in your time here the tools of humane thinking, of reasoning, of flexibility and openness to change. These are the tools that will help you to cope with the unprecedented demands of the incredibly complex world you inhabit. These are the tools that will serve you well in a lifetime."
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He stood at the Commencement podium as he
had many times before, offering words of advice and bidding farewell to
a sea of happy Ithaca College graduates. This time, though, the good-bye
was of particular significance. This time, Jim Whalen was leaving, too.
For Richardson, that gift was athletics. In 1996
she took a leave of absence from her five-year residency in orthopedic surgery
at the University of Southern California to join the U.S. softball team
in Atlanta for the sport's first appearance in the Olympic Games. The starting
shortstop and leadoff batter, she hit three home runs, including the game
winner in the gold-medal contest against China. Less than 48 hours later
she was back on her rounds seeing patients at Los Angeles County Hospital.
Gutierrez took a moment to reflect on the college
experience, recalling when graduates arrived on South Hill to embark on
their "thrilling adventure" of enlightenment. "Ithaca College
provided a safe environment for us to dabble in our broad spectrum of interests,"
he said. "We identified the things we really enjoyed doing and developed
an understanding of the things most important to us. In studying ourselves,
we learned to better understand our personal strengths, weaknesses, and
fears."
Before closing the ceremonies, Whalen noted his
appreciation for all that had been done for him in recent weeks and was
particularly thankful to the trustees for commissioning music professor
Dana Wilson's composition Wailin', performed during the Commencement
Eve Concert. Whalen was also pleased with a surprise gift from special friends
and alumni, a fountain in the Centennial Garden that bears his initials.
"I had said many years ago that I did not need a building named in
my honor," Whalen explained, "but that I would like to see a small
drinking fountain somewhere on campus that would have three levels: one
for people to drink from, one for birds, and one for four-legged animals.
On it, I wanted a simple inscription: 'J.J. was here.' That dream is now
a reality."
Finally, Whalen thanked all who had helped make
Ithaca College a home for him over the years. "Your real gifts
to me have been on my doorstep each and every day of my tenure," he
said. "Those gifts have been your warmth in treating me as a friend
and colleague, your willingness to work together on behalf of a fine institution,
and your commitment to an academic community that will thrive into the next
millennium. I will always be grateful for the opportunity to have served
as president of Ithaca College."