“You are civically prepared to contribute to our democratic society, and you approach others and new situations with curiosity, courage, inclusion, and grace. You start by respecting the humanity in everyone.
Delving into civic preparedness, I reflect on the century-old wisdom of philosopher and educator John Dewey. He observed that, “Democracy has to be born again each generation, and education is its midwife.” When Dewey spoke of democracy, he emphasized democracy in association. That’s what you have honed during your time at St. Olaf by working together to seek solutions, learning to view challenging moments as opportunities.”
See more from the 2025 St. Olaf College Commencement.
St. Olaf 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 Susan Singer.
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