Speach delivered by Gregory Moffitt '12
2012 Randolph-Macon Commencement Ceremony
May 26, 2012 |
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Members of the Board of Trustees, President Lindgren, distinguished guests, faculty, parents, friends, and the 2012 graduating class of Randolph-Macon College, welcome. I asked to address you today to share with you my perspective of Randolph-Macon College, the perspective of a non-light dependant person.
Being blind has some obvious disadvantages and challenges. You learn to deal with these and overcome them on a daily basis. As a non-light dependant person, I learned to judge people by what they say and how they say it; rather than by what they wear, what they look like, or the color of their skin. This philosophy played a major role when choosing my college.
For as long as I can remember, my parents told me I needed to go to college; it was my job to get the grades necessary to be accepted at the college of my choosing and once there, maintain the grades necessary to obtain the degree I was striving for. It was their job to take care of the other things. I think they meant paying for it.
Like most of you, I, along with my parents, traveled to a number of colleges and universities to find the school that would provide me with the best possible education. At each college, we had the tour, walking around the campus to take in the sights, the classrooms, the dorms, etc. While I believe my mobility is very good, I cannot walk as fast as some of you light-dependant people. At one school, I caught back up with the group just in time to hear the guide say “If there are no other questions, let’s move on”. Move on? Heck, I just wanted to know where we were and where we had been.
I also had to meet with Disabilities Support Services (DSS) representatives. These are the people who would translate handwritten material into an electronic format my equipment could handle. Their representative would tell my parents all the things that were available to me, the services they would provide, and then ask my parents if they had any questions. Upon finishing, they would tell us how much they were looking forward to having me attend their institution.
At the last school I visited, the entire enrollment was smaller than the freshman class at most of the other schools; however, this one was “at the center of the universe”. Yes, I’m referring to Randolph-Macon College, but at that time it seemed like just another college to tour and another meeting with the DSS.
At Randolph-Macon, we were introduced to our tour guide and, after a few minutes of small talk, we set off on our journey. After about 10 steps, our pretty tour guide (I knew she was pretty because my dad told me) was walking next to me and describing all that was around us. Rather than hearing “over there is” or “here is”, I was told “Greg, on your left is…” or “Greg, you are facing the football field”. As we walked around the campus at a comfortable pace, it was apparent she was proud of Randolph-Macon. While answering all the questions thrown at her from the other members of our entourage, she was asking me questions regarding my plans, what I liked to do, a person-to-person dialogue, not just institutional propaganda. What a lovely walk I had.
Once again, it was time to meet with Disability Services. The Director of Disability Services, Dr. Trammell, introduced himself to me and my parents. After showing them to their chairs, he took me to a chair next to his desk and said “Greg, I know you have a number of questions, so let’s try to answer them.” Whoa! He’s talking directly to me, the person who needs their services not my parents. What a unique way of doing business. After answering all of my questions, he asked my parents if they had any questions or concerns. Needless to say, they had none.
Before we left the campus, I told my parents, “This is where I want to go to school”. You see (no pun intended), I chose Randolph-Macon not because it was ornate, well manicured, or nationally known, I selected it because, for me it was compact, easy to navigate, had great food, but most importantly because of the people I met.
During the last 4 years, I have met some wonderful, caring people. At what other institution of higher learning would the President’s wife, members of the Board of Trustees, coaches, faculty, security, and others call us by our first names? Yes, I know, my Black and Lemon cane makes me standout, but I believe they do it not because of our uniqueness, but because they are caring and are committed to giving all of us experiences and memories that we will take with us throughout our lives.
To the faculty, I would like to express my sincere appreciation and gratitude for all you have done for me. I am sure having a student who is blind in your class provoked some deep thoughts about presenting material, material you may have used time and again, in a manner a student who is blind would grasp and understand.
To my fellow graduates, some of who I have undoubtedly wacked with my cane, we did it, we completed another chapter in our book of life, but there is another door that is before us. I know going through that door will give us not only challenges, but also the opportunity to overcome those challenges and make a difference in the lives of others. Going forward, let’s take the challenges and seize the opportunities offered. Some of us will enter the work force, some will continue their education; one of us graduating today may be instrumental in bringing about world peace; finding a cure for cancer, or blindness. The possibilities are endless.
I do not know what’s on the other side of the door, but I believe, thanks to the educational, moral, and spiritual foundation nurtured at Randolph-Macon College, it is nothing we cannot handle. Education cannot guarantee success, but it gives us another tool for achieving success. In reality, this commencement is not the ending of our education, it is only the beginning.
In closing, I just want to thank all of you who have supported us throughout our college experience. Helen Keller once said, “It is a terrible thing to see and have no vision.” My parents, and my Godparents, Bob and Charlotte Crocker, turned that around slightly and taught me that “You do not have to see to have and achieve your vision”.
Throughout my 4 years at Randolph-Macon, I have been treated as a student who is blind and not as a blind student. This small difference in wording has a significant difference in meaning; it places the emphasis where it should be, on education and not a person’s limitations. Randolph-Macon has helped all of us take one more step towards our vision.
Thank you for the honor of addressing you, and may God bless you.