After months of contained enthusiasm in Morningside Heights, the highly anticipated day finally arrived-President Obama came to the South Lawn of Columbia University to deliver the keynote address to nearly 600 roaring and excited Barnard seniors.
Like many had predicted, his speech not only imparted conventional wisdom, but also focused heavily on issues pertaining to women. His decision to come speak to Barnard students in March came at a pivotal time- during what is deemed as the beginning of the GOP’s “War on Women.” But before he delved into issues of the economy and women’s rights, he gave a brief nod to his alma mater, Columbia College. “I will begin with a hard truth,” Obama told the Barnard graduates. “I am a Columbia College graduate. He also made light of the controversy that swept through the university in March, and said, “I know there could be a bit of a sibling rivalry here.”
Obama swiftly shifted gears to discuss the more relevant and pertinent issues that the graduating class will face when they cross the threshold into the real world. “Of course, as young women, you’re also going to grapple with some unique challenges, like whether you’ll be able to earn equal pay for equal work; whether you’ll be able to balance the demands of your job and your family; whether you’ll be able to fully control decisions about your own health,” Obama told graduates.
While many argue President Obama’s decision to speak at Barnard’s Commencement was strategic and an essential ploy to attract female voters, his speech was more than political. President Obama got very personal and opened up to share stories of the struggles and lessons learned from the important women in his life: his mother, grandmother and wife, Michelle. “I wish I could say that this perseverance came from some innate toughness in me. But the truth is, it was learned. I got it from watching the people who raised me. More specifically, I got it from watching the women who shaped my life.”
President Obama then went onto share three-pronged advice to the senior class. While his counsel may have seemed trite to some people’s standards, when the President of the United States urges women to “fight for a seat at the head of the table,” to follow strong female examples and to persevere, the wisdom seems more substantial. “The message of perseverance was very important, said Abby Caparros-Janto BC’12. “I think it’s what our generation really needs to hear. In a lot of ways, the first part of our lives has been relatively easy-for a lot of people. Instilling the value of hard work is important for everybody.”
The President also struck a chord for many when he noted the youth of past generations’ commitment to change and social activism. “What young generations have done before should give you hope. Young folks who marched and mobilized and stood up and sat in, from Seneca Falls to Selma to Stonewall, didn’t just do it for themselves; they did it for other people.”
Obama’s speech to the all-female class would not have been complete without a mention of the need to break into traditionally male-dominated fields instead of gravitating towards “beauty and fashion.” However after four years at Barnard, these well-rounded seniors erupted in cheer and showed that they understood exactly what Obama meant by, “You can be stylish and powerful, too.”
Obama concluded on a very inspirational and progressive note, while not forgetting to make a plug for re-election when he said, “If you are ready to fight for that brilliant, radically simple idea of America that no matter who you are or what you look like, no matter who you love or what God you worship, you can still pursue your own happiness, I will join you every step of the way.”
It’s not every day that the President of the United States chooses to speak at our small “college on the hill”. It is clear that there is something happening up at Barnard College and people are taking notice. This historic moment will be remembered by all those present, the Barnard Class of 2012 and its impact will be sure to reverberate for centuries to come.
Photo credit: Barnard College/Asiya Khaki ’09