NMH Magazine : Fall 2006

Leading Lines

Why We Do What We Do

I asked senior class president Blisse Wilkinson ’07 what topic she thought I ought to address today, and she replied that students might be well served to hear about the purpose of the challenges and educational requirements they undertake. So I will take this opportunity to follow Blisse’s suggestion and reflect upon why we do what we do here.

The richness of the social and cultural fabric of our community is a curriculum in itself. We have students and faculty from over 20 nations because we know the world is shrinking and that making intercultural connections may be the key to global peace and economic prosperity. Developing multicultural sensitivity and awareness may seem like it should come automatically to NMH. However, the benefits of living and learning in a diverse community do not come automatically. They require effort, intention, and individual commitment to seek and understand a variety of perspectives as well as the inclination to advance one’s own beliefs and opinions.

I know of a courageous student who pushed herself to understand more about the complexities of cultural identity over the course of a year. She read several good books, attended a conference, and engaged in thoughtful conversations with other students and faculty. By the end of the year, she had gained the confidence to navigate across cultural boundaries without fear. Her story compels me to encourage students to follow her example and seek real conversations about identity, culture, and difference.

Our academic and cocurricular programs foster both independent and interdependent living. Our emphasis on writing and on developing one’s voice and opinions prepares you for success in college and, more important, gives you an essential skill for leadership. Good writing is like good manners: it is always appreciated; and when lacking, it’s always noted.

Longer classes, which provide time for interdisciplinary discussion, allow multiple approaches to problem-solving and foster the kind of thinking that complex problems require. We use long blocks to inspire each student to engage in her own way and to allow for discussions that might deepen one’s understanding or even change one’s views on a given topic.

Some students find technical subjects like math and science harder to appreciate than the subjects in the humanities. We require significant work in these areas not simply because it’s a tradition of academia, but because quantitative thinking is essential to the kinds of analysis that make businesses thrive and succeed.

The outreach program, the farm, and our 128-year-old work program highlight the interdependence of lives within and beyond our community. It is important to make the connection between the job you do when collecting sap in the spring and the syrup you might enjoy one Sunday morning at Alumni Hall. In fact, it is worth considering carefully why the school asks you to do a work job. You do it because it serves the community that supports you.

We sing a lot of old songs that we all learn by heart in our first few meetings. Beyond the artistic and aesthetic values that song brings into our lives, our singing literally binds us to each other and to generations of alumni who sang here before us. When we sing “Jerusalem” or “The Northfield Benediction” or the senior class song, we experience the wholeness of our community.

For all the advice and perspective on our educational program I have offered here, the success of our students and the inspiration of our community come down to individual commitments made by each of you.

I am confident that, with the very talented postgraduate students, the class of 2007 will set the tone for wholehearted participation in the life of our community. With their leadership and the support of our faculty and staff, we are going to have an outstanding year together.

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