“At Wellesley College, we seek truth, and we understand that there is such a thing as truth, even though the search for it may never end.
We perceive what our second president, Alice Freeman Palmer, called “the wealth that lies in differences.” We acknowledge that we grow when we encounter people who are unlike us in perspectives and experiences—and begin to consider all that we have in common.
At Wellesley, we know that teaching and research are part of the fabric of the College, and that students and their professors are explorers together searching for knowledge.
We also believe that academic freedom is essential if those explorations are going to contribute something new to humanity.”
“Graduates, you have spent four years at Wellesley College breathing an atmosphere of freedom—and you may not appreciate how truly free you are until you spend time in environments where speaking one’s mind is not always wise, not always rewarded, not always respected. Nonetheless, I hope you have developed a taste for freedom that you will never, ever give up.”
See more from the 2025 Wellesley College Commencement.
Wellesley 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 Paula Johnson.
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