Clark University - Clark News summer 2003
Commencement 2003: Some advice for living
Photos by Dan Vaillancourt
Don’t be paralyzed by the fear of failure. Confront it and keep pressing forward.
That’s one key piece of advice nationally known political columnist Mark Shields offered to graduates at Clark’s 98th commencement exercises, held May 18 on the campus green. This year, Clark conferred 432 bachelor’s degrees, 575 master’s degrees and 20 doctoral degrees.
Shields, who received an honorary doctor of humane letters degree at the ceremonies, has spent 30 years covering American politics from the courthouse to the White House. He is moderator of the Cable News Network’s (CNN) “The Capital Gang”—CNN’s award-winning public affairs roundtable—a regular guest analyst since 1988 on the Public Broadcasting System’s “News Hour with Jim Lehrer” and co-host of CNN’s weekly interview show, “Evans, Novak, Hunt and Shields.” Shields has also been a syndicated columnist for the Washington Post since 1979 and is author of “On The Campaign Trail,” his bestseller about the 1984 presidential campaign. Before entering journalism, Shields managed a wide variety of political campaigns, held leadership positions in three presidential campaigns and worked in Washington, D.C., during the administrations of nine U.S. presidents. In addition, he has taught American politics and the press at Harvard University and the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business.
In his address, Shields gave a lot of lighthearted advice to the graduates and their families. Rule number one: “Call your mother, call her tomorrow and then call her again the next day.
“Rule number two: If and when you become a mother or a father, please promise to spend more time with your children than you judge to be reasonable. You will never regret that time, and please remember that nobody in recorded history on his or her deathbed has ever said, ‘Gee, I wish I’d spent just a little more time at the office.’”
Shields also reminded the graduates that it is almost impossible to over tip a waiter or waitress at breakfast, and asked them to remember the words of writer Walker Percy: “Do not be the kind of a person who gets all A’s and flunks ordinary living.”
“And finally remember that the fear of failure is the most paralyzing of all human emotions,” Shields said. He told graduates that one of their main ambitions in life must be to “confront, reject and overcome the fear of failure.”
In addition to sharing his wisdom, Shields spoke about the important role the U.S. federal government has played in creating and maintaining a fair and just society. He highlighted the federal government’s achievements in advancing labor and civil rights and protecting the environment. He also reminded graduates of their civic responsibilities.
“You will leave Clark today, but may the values and the vision of Clark never leave you,” Shields said. “And let us never forget, that each and every one of us has been warmed by fires we did not build. Each and every one of us has drunk from wells we did not dig. With your energy, your ideals, your imagination, together we can do more for those who come after us.”
Also receiving honorary degrees were Abraham Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League, expert on the Holocaust and Christian rescuers and advocate for respect for all peoples worldwide; Ruth Hubbard, professor emerita of biology at Harvard University who is best known for challenging colleagues who promote sociobiology and the biological theory of women’s inferiority; and Mannque Rho ’60, a theoretical physicist who is internationally known for his research into matter at its most fundamental level. Foxman received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree. Hubbard and Rho received honorary Doctor of Science degrees.
Richard Fields ’03 served as this year’s senior speaker. See page 28 for excerpts of his address. Full texts of Fields’ and Shields’ speeches are available on the Clark Web site, www.clarku.edu/resources/commencement.
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