IC News

Trustee Traci Hughes ’85 introduced President La Jerne Terry Cornish with her own reminder: “Every single one of your here has something to add, has something to gain. We from you, and you from us.”

“Welcome to la familia,” Cornish said, before laying out what Dialogue means to her: not a slogan, but “a lived approach to learning, leadership, and community-building.”

“Dialogue means asking meaningful questions, listening actively, and engaging in respectful exchange across cultures, across disciplines, and across experiences,” she said. “At its best, dialogue sparks creativity, empathy, and real transformation.”

Cornish challenged the students to make Dialogue part of their daily lives:

• Think deeply, question boldly, and seek knowledge not just for yourself but for the betterment of others.
• Live our institutional values—integrity, respect, inclusion—in tangible ways.
• Commit to lifelong connection with this community, as students now and as alumni later, as a learners, as leaders, and as people who give back.
• Use your education to lead, serve, and make a difference on South Hill and the world beyond.
  
  “Well, you made your choice,” Cornish said. “Here you are. So let the intellectual grounding begin. Embrace dialogue. It will be your compass, and it will also be your strength.”

Not every speaker painted Dialogue as easy or neat. Derek Adams, professor of literatures in English, admitted he was a little nervous when he was invited to speak about dialogue. “This is supposed to be a festive celebration, after all,” he said, and “any discussion of dialogue necessitates addressing the array of societal issues we want to use dialogue to resolve. Things like codifying trans rights, decriminalizing reproductive healthcare, ending racist policing, big things which sit heavily on our hearts.”

He offered a candid warning: “when we call for dialogue, we don’t all mean the same thing. In fact, calls for dialogue are regularly made in bad faith. Some people ask for dialogue simply because they have something to say, and they don’t care to listen to anyone else ... far too often, insistence on dialogue becomes a way of fostering animosity between all of us so that nothing actually gets done.”

He underscored reciprocity. “One-sided dialogue is not dialogue. It requires partners giving and getting from one another equitably. We are all responsible for giving as much as we get in any situation.”

Near the end of his remarks, a powerful line landed: “Dialogue is never about being right, it’s about getting it right.”

Luca Maurer, executive director for student equity, inclusion, and belonging, expanded on that point. “Dialogue is messy, complicated, and sometimes awkward,” he told the students. “You'll need humility, empathy, compassion—and yes, a little courage.”

He cautioned against expecting a neat, linear path. “We need a compass, not a map. A map tells you where to go. A compass helps you navigate when the terrain changes, and trust me, it will change.”

And he reminded the students that participation is part of the deal: “Each one of us should not only be accepted but expected. Expected to show up fully as your whole self, to have what you need to succeed, to contribute, to show up for others … you deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. And you are responsible for giving that in return.”

The last word belonged to Student Governance Council President Rishabh Sen ’26, a chemistry major who knows both what it’s like to be new on campus and what the next four years might be like. His advice—and Dialogue call to action—was both practical and challenging.

“Go forth, and find your people,” he told the Class of 2029. “Talk to one new person, however daunting it may seem.”