Posted on Jun 15, 2003

Remarks by President Roger H. Hull

Union College Commencement

June 15, 2003

Citation for Fred
Rogers

“The dictionary offers a half-dozen
definitions of the word 'neighborhood,' but to children of all ages, the word
neighborhood means Mister Rogers.  When he
invited us to be his neighbor, promising us a beautiful day, we happily left
our living rooms to join him in his.  His
compassion and commitment to all that is best in us led to an astonishing range
of honors, from the Presidential Medal of Freedom to being called a 'hero' by Esquire magazine.  We eagerly looked forward to having him to
our neighborhood, and we add our voice to the many who mourn his passing.  For his unceasing efforts to teach our
children to love themselves and each other, we are proud to make him an
honorary alumnus of this College.

“By the
authority vested by the Regents of the University of the State of New York in
the Trustees of Union College and delegated by the Trustees to me, I am happy
to confer on Fred M. Rogers, the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, with all the rights,
privileges and obligations immemorially the due of the academic community.

Charge to the
graduates of the Class of 2003

“What a beautiful way to conclude
four years at New York's oldest and best college.   What a beautiful day on which to do so.

“Last month, at Prize Day, we
announced the list of honors and prizes that are printed on the back of the
Commencement program; today we recognize again all the winners and invite them,
the rest of you, and your family members to join together at the divisional
receptions immediately following the ceremony, for they are a wonderful way for
faculty and students to say goodbye.

“I want to thank once again the
Commencement Committee, the entire Facilities, Security, and Dining Services
staffs (and the weatherman) and the rest of you whose efforts over the past
weeks have contributed to the success of this program.  Your help in making today such a special one
is greatly appreciated.

“I would like now to invite, on this
Father's Day, the parents of today's graduates to stand for a well-deserved
round of applause from their daughters and sons.  I also would like you now to join with me in
applauding the members of the faculty and staff for their efforts over the past
four years in preparing the Class of 2003 for what lies ahead.  And I want to ask you in particular to join
me in thanking Professors Sigrid Kellenter, Carolyn Mitchell, James Underwood,
and George Williams, who will now be retiring, for their years of service to Union and to thousands upon thousands of
students.”

“For more than two centuries, Union's presidents have told your predecessors that, in effect, their best days lay ahead. I can't disagree with that advice, especially since I have given it often myself.

“During much of that time, we as a nation faced a variety of challenges from recessions to wars. However, I recognize that, since September 11, 2001, our world – – your world – – has changed. In talking to my sixteen year old son last week, I came to recognize – – better than ever before — the pressures that he — and you — face.

“The past four years provided a respite from some of those pressures. As you prepare to leave the most beautiful campus in America, I hope that you know that your Union home — your respite — will always be here for you.

“You entered Union as the twentieth century was drawing to a close and as the focus of the world was on Y2K; you leave the College at a time when the talk on campus is about U2K. Certainly there are different views about the benefits of U2K, but we are all in agreement that we seek the best for this historic college and that we want to do all we can to move it to an even more prominent position among this nation's elite colleges.

“While you were here we came together as a country better than we had in 60 years. However, that unity was all too fleeting. Some rightly focused on matters of national import; others were focused on themselves and taking unsavory shortcuts.

“Indeed, hardly a day goes by when one does not read of a scandal of some sort. Hardly a day goes by when I don't think that we should be handing out lanterns and, like Diogenes, looking for an honest man.

“Yes, the pressures upon you are great, and the temptations for shortcuts great, too. You want to be happy and successful, and I wish you happiness and success. More than that, though, I want you to live honestly and compassionately. Take a page, take several pages, from Fred Rogers. At the beginning and at the end of the day, and at any other time that you look in the mirror, you will then like what you see. Live your life so that, if Diogenes saw you, he could stop his search for an honest man. In that way, you will always feel that your best days lie ahead.

“Make a difference: Do well and do good — honestly. Good luck.”