Halberstam highlights graduation

By Laura Deneau and Tiffany Maggard

Daily Staff Reporters

At the Spring Commencement exercises that took place Saturday morning at Michigan Stadium both Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist David Halberstam and University President Lee Bollinger reflected on the difficulty of passing on accumulated wisdom and advice in a single afternoon - as a graduation speech often requires.

Halberstam, the highlight of the ceremony as both the keynote speaker and an honorary degree recipient, saluted the University and other land-grant universities as demonstrative of the character of the United States in its ethnic diversity, socioeconomic diversity and abundance of educational programs.

"We here, more than any other society, give ordinary citizens the privilege to develop their best potential," Halberstam said. "We have the right to choose any profession and name to go by - this is what separates us from the rest of the world."

He said the strength and youthful energy of the U.S. is fueled and embodied by students of ordinary backgrounds seeking to realize their fullest potential.

Halberstam stressed the need to realize the choices that freedom provides, reminding the graduates that the pursuit of happiness, which Americans so greatly value, is a choice-making process.

In his conclusion, Halberstam offered the graduates one final question to ponder - "How can you tell the difference between life and a career - between the authentic and the inauthentic?"

In her opening remarks on behalf of the students, Jamie Lynne Katz, a graduating LSA student, stressed the need to appreciate education while realizing the personal growth an education can entail.

Katz gave a recollection of pivotal events she experienced that enriched her years at the University.

"Few places could have held a mirror so close to my face than (the University)," she said adding that the experiences "can constantly change me from day to day."

While Katz stressed the impact that a single moment can have on the life of a student, Bollinger expressed the need to appreciate the present through an awareness the past.

Bollinger then explored the impact that students graduating today will have on the world, reflecting on the evolution of the University since its founding in 1841.

"Consider your predecessors from a half a century ago," Bollinger said as he noted the term of former University President James Angell, who Bollinger said brought many new and unique philosophies to the functioning of the University.

Bollinger said at the time of Angell's presidency, students were not graded, but received pass/fail credit because Angell believed grades "led to improper motivation among students."

In a projection of the what he believes the University will be like 100 years from now, Bollinger told the graduates that "everyone will graduate with high-paying and personally beneficial jobs, the president will continue to warn against different societal dangers, and student expenses will be just over one million dollars for residents and over 300 million for non-residents."

inauthentic?"

In her opening remarks on behalf of the students, Jamie Lynne Katz, a graduating LSA student, stressed the need to appreciate education while realizing the personal growth an education can entail.

Katz gave a recollection of pivotal events she experienced that enriched her years at the University.

"Few places could have held a mirror so close to my face than (the University)," she said adding that the experiences "can constantly change me from day to day."

While Katz stressed the impact that a single moment can have on the life of a student, Bollinger expressed the need to appreciate the present through an awareness the past.

Bollinger then explored the impact that students graduating today will have on the world, reflecting on the evolution of the University since its founding in 1841.

"Consider your predecessors from a half a century ago," Bollinger said as he noted the term of former University President James Angell, who Bollinger said brought many new and unique philosophies to the functioning of the University.

Bollinger said at the time of Angell's presidency, students were not graded, but received pass/fail credit because Angell believed grades "led to improper motivation among students."

In a projection of the what he believes the University will be like 100 years from now, Bollinger told the graduates that "everyone will graduate with high-paying and personally beneficial jobs, the president will continue to warn against different societal dangers, and student expenses will be just over one million dollars for residents and over 300 million for non-residents."

BRAD QUINN/Daily

After walking around the Michigan Stadium field on Saturday, members of the Class of 2000 wait to find their seats.