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| Graduates-including (left to right) Katie Kern, Chris Massey, David Blackwell, Abel Osorio, Jen Peck and Bill Truelove-cheer at the conclusion of the ceremony. | |
And finally, you have been in a community that values service to others as a critical part of its mission. Many members of the class of 2002 have been personally involved in community service during their time at Exeter, and all know the value and significance the Academy places upon it. Last fall we heard in Assembly from a graduate who was awarded the Academy's highest honor, the John Phillips Award, for his selfless dedication to the students of his farm school, many of whom suffer from the most severe forms of emotional distress and learning impairment. You jumped to your feet to cheer for Patrick Lydon '68, as well you should.
And the time is fast approaching when you will have to decide how to fit service to your communities into your life. Recognizing its importance will be critical to rebuilding the trust that was shattered on September 11, as will finding a way for Americans to help relieve the suffering of those at home and abroad who from their own want and hardship wish us ill.
Robert Mair, Kevin Maier and Brian MacPherson check out the graduation issue of the Exonian.
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A friend of mine from Minnesota often told me the story of his grandfather who took him camping a lot when he was younger. Whenever they arrived at a campsite, his grandfather would gather his grandchildren together and tell them that their job was to leave the campsite cleaner than they found it. Thus, even before they had pitched their tents and begun to enjoy the experience, everyone, young and old, cleaned the campground. I've always enjoyed that tale because I hope it speaks to a universal human desire to leave the world better for our children than we found it ourselves. Yet if my generation looks at the pollution it is bequeathing to your generation, or the violence we have allowed to consume so many people and so many resources around the globe, the judgment of that grandfather in Minnesota would be pretty clear. Right now the campground is messy, and we all need to get busy and clean it up. Phillips Exeter Academy expresses the same idea when it asks you all to adopt the Academy's motto of non sibi as your own. May the task of cleaning the campground bring you the true satisfaction that grows from doing your best in good work.
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Kathryn E. Corker
An Eye-Opening Experience
Katie Corker, now 19, came to the Academy as an upper from Hudson, Canada, a small town outside of Montreal. Her initial homesickness made her an especially compassionate and committed dorm proctor during her senior year. "At times it's hard and time-consuming," she says, "but after everything that dorm life and the individual girls in McConnell have given me, I feel like I owe it to them to give something back." At the Academy, her interest in languages has flourished, as has a newfound fascination with economics, "because it really determines how our lives end up." An avid basketball player since seventh grade, she co-captained the girls varsity and shared MVP honors this season. But Katie, who has studied piano since age 9, says her favorite place on campus may be the Forrestal-Bowld Music Center: "So many beautiful pianos, and we can use them all!" She will attend McGill University.
What personal lessons have you learned at Exeter, in class and out?
The idea of taking advantage of every opportunity that is given to me, and also to be extremely thankful for each one I get. I have also learned that first impressions can definitely be completely wrong. So many times I have assumed that because this person is a varsity captain she cannot be an excellent student, or because another student hangs out with a certain crowd he must act a certain way-only to discover that I'm wrong. Because the people here are so talented and multifaceted, you really cannot attach any kind of label to them.
What's changed most about you during your time at the Academy?
I think I've become a much more adventurous person. Beforehand, I always used to stick to what I knew best, whether it was food, extracurricular activities, friends or experiences. Coming to Exeter has completely opened my eyes to so many different things. I have come to realize that I need to do things for myself and not allow the possibility of others' judgments to discourage me. Quite a few of the assembly speakers have inspired me to achieve great things, and to do great things for others. And upon observing many students' mindsets about college, grades and life in general, I think I have changed the order of my own priorities. Getting the best grade in the class is no longer of utmost importance. I would rather enjoy the class and learn about the subject than simply shoot for an A.
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