“Macalester, and across the whole higher education sector, we have a powerful opportunity and a unique responsibility to prepare students to engage with and tend to our democracy as a core part of our educational mission. The world may seem especially challenging right now, but confronting complex problems is what a liberal arts education teaches people how to do. Despite the current critiques, colleges and universities remain vital spaces where free expression is essential, where hard questions are asked, and where democracy is not only studied but strengthened. I’ve seen that at work this year as our students developed skills not just to pursue meaningful careers but to think critically, engage across differences, and shape the communities in which they will lead lives of meaning and purpose.
Graduates, you are entering an increasingly polarized world, and yet I’m hopeful because I think you’re exactly what this world needs: your passion and your compassion. You’ve already done so much on our campus: listening, advocating, debating, compromising, and reaching across differences to find common ground. I know you’ll carry these skills with you and join together with others who want to make positive change. Indeed, I think our greatest strength is our capacity to work together, take care of each other, and support one another.”
See more from the 2025 Macalester College Commencement.
Macalester College Commencement was one of seventy campuses participating in From Campus to Community a new national campaign to champion civil discourse and democratic engagement in this year’s commencement season. More from President Suzanne Rivera.
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