By Eileen Wingard
SAN DIEGO — I traveled to Ann Arbor, Michigan the end of last month, to be at my granddaughter, Hannah Gail Schiff’s graduation from the University of Michigan. I was pleased that she attended this institution that numbers many Jews among its faculty and student body. It also boasts one of the strongest Judaic Studies programs in the nation. The Frankel Center for Judaic Studies offers a major and minor in Judaic Studies, a minor in Yiddish Studies, a master’s degree in Judaic Studies and a doctoral certificate in Judaic Studies. While at the U of M, Hannah participated in Hillel programs and even went on Birthright to Israel, sponsored by the University of Michigan Hillel.
At the graduation exercises, I noticed many other three generational families in attendance. The older generations, no doubt, shared my feelings of pride and hope for the young graduates.
I attended three ceremonies: the first, for the Sweetland Minor in Writing; the second for the Communication Studies Major; and the third for the entire U of M Graduating Class of 2016.
Thursday, in the late morning, we assembled around tables for a luncheon in honor of the 39 graduates from the Sweetland Minor in Writing. There were printed programs with a paragraph by each graduate. Hannah’s paragraph recalled her last four years at Michigan, “Unforgettable… I have made my best friends, taken thought-provoking classes, and created a long list of fantastic memories…I know that I will be utilizing all the skills I have acquired at U of M, especially the knowledge I have gained from the Sweetland Writing Minor. Thank you to my writing minor professors for pushing me to produce my best work; I am extremely fortunate to have learned from all of you.”
At the Friday morning graduation ceremonies for her Communication Studies Major, the Michigan Theatre was filled to its 1200 capacity by the 200 graduates and their families. Hannah, as president of the Michigan Association of Communication Studies (MACS), was the student speaker. She began by highlighting the prominent role the University of Michigan has played in her family history. Both paternal grandparents graduated from the U of M, and her grandfather, attorney Michael Schiff, waved to the audience when Hannah declared him “the biggest Michigan fan” she knows. Hannah recalled how her family adapted the Michigan fight song as her signature baby cheer, “Hail, hail to Hannah Gail, the baby we adore!” She spoke about visiting the University during her high school year and realizing that “Michigan was my perfect school.”
The theme of Hannah’s talk was connection and the importance of staying connected. She began by reminiscing about her freshman year and her need “to start fresh and build my new college network.” Her continued involvement with MACS bridged “the gap between communication studies classes and real world career ventures,” and led to many common experiences, which connected her to her classmates. She advised her fellow graduates to embrace the forthcoming transition “by reflecting, valuing and utilizing the connections we have made here at U of M.”
After thanking the Communication Studies Department, her fellow classmates, the executive board of MACS, her family, and, especially, her parents, she concluded with a quote from Arthur Ashe, “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” She went on to say, “When we walk out these doors, we will all be starting a new chapter in our lives…The past four years have prepared us all to go into the world with confidence, pride and intelligence. We are all extremely capable individuals, but just as we have learned throughout our college careers, sometimes we will fail or fall, and that is okay. I hope that we all will do our best as we move forward and utilize the connections we have created…for we are each other’s most valuable resources. I know that we are all going to do incredible things as alumni and that we will always share a lifelong connection to Ann Arbor, Michigan.”
The next day, in the U of M’s gargantuan football field, known fondly as “The Big House,” 9000 graduates and some 40,000 more family and friends gathered to celebrate the graduation of the class of 2016. The University of Michigan’s Commencement Band, under the direction of Courtney Snyder, performed. Paul Grosvenor, a Master’s Candidate in the School of Music, Theatre and Dance, sang The Stars Spangled Banner in a vibrant voice reminiscent of Paul Robeson, and various speakers took to the podium prior to the Keynote address. All of the speakers alluded to the elite status of Michigan graduates; to their good fortune at having attending one of the nation’s leading universities; and to their future roles as leaders. Martha Pollack, Provost for Academic Affairs, named the two important characteristics of leadership: being smart and caring about people. “Leadership should not be confused with being in charge.” She quoted President Obama, speaking about the “empathy deficit.”
The U of M President, Mark S. Schlissel, spoke with pride about many of the outstanding alumni of the U of M. He also admitted that there is still much work the university needs to do to encourage greater diversity among its student body.
The Keynote speaker was Michael Bloomberg, retired mayor of New York City, who also received an Honorary Doctor of Law degree. After some lighthearted comments to the graduates about having arrived the previous night in order to meet up with students at Ricks, their favorite bar; re-paint the ever-changing and famous “Rock”; and eat at Zingerman’s, Ann Arbor’s famous delicatessen; he became more serious. Bloomberg quoted George Washington’s admonitions about the dangers of political parties: that they serve to distract and foment riots. He warned about what he views as the demagogues in both major parties today. He viewed the blaming of Muslims and the blaming of Wall Street as demagoguery. “Power comes not from tearing down success, but by building opportunity.”
The former mayor warned, “Those who promise you a free lunch will invariably eat you for breakfast.” He emphasized the need to start behaving more civilly. He maintained that we are better off the more we say “we” and the less we say “I,” because there is nothing we do alone. “An open mind is our most valuable asset in dealing with problems.”
Bloomberg’s advice on getting ahead: “Work harder, be dedicated, go the extra mile. The harder you work, the luckier you get. “He recommended that the students build contacts in the information economy. He stressed the need for constant vigilance of public liberty, that democracy is fragile. He encouraged the students to “Never to be afraid to express ourselves.” And he quoted Benjamin Franklin: “We have a republic, if we can keep it.” Following the graduation ceremonies, we had a buffet lunch with the families of the ten students sharing the house where Hannah lived.
One of my most inspiring moments was when I arrived at Ann Arbor and first entered Hannah’s ten-bedroom house. Everyone was in the midst of packing, and the place was in an uproar. However, Hannah’s housemates greeted me, Hannah’s grandmother, with great warmth and kindness. I was happy to learn that most of them were secure in their plans for post-graduation. This seems to reflect the improved economic outlook in our country today. Hannah has a job, which she begins on May 19, with Clique Media Group, a media and commerce company with offices in Los Angeles and elsewhere. She interned with them last summer, and was pleased to be hired as Assistant to the Vice President of Business Development and Marketing.
I left Ann Arbor with great expectations for Hannah’s future and the future of all our country’s university graduates. May they succeed in their careers; may they preserve our democratic way of life; and may they help make the world a better place.
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Wingard is a freelance writer who specializes in coverage of the arts. She may be contacted via eileen.wingard@sdjewishworld.com. Comments intended for publication in the space below MUST be accompanied by the letter writer’s first and last name and by his/ her city and state of residence (city and country for those outside the United States.)