BrewsterConnections - Brewster Academy

He then reflected on all the well meaning advice he received at his Brewster
graduation. What stayed with him, however, was something his father said: “Life
is like a hallway. And if a door opens, go through it.”
“I didn’t really get what he meant when he first said it to me. It didn’t make a lot
of sense until I got a call from Bonnie and Terry Turner, the parents of a friend of
mine here at Brewster, my freshman year at USC. They had seen me in a musical
that I did here with Mr. Campbell, and they wanted to know if I wanted to
audition for That ‘70s Show.
“I had no intention of becoming an actor. I’d never been to an audition in my life.
In fact I was pretty nervous that I was going to really stink and embarrass myself.
I didn’t know how to act with other professional kids there. I didn’t know how to
memorize lines. Hell, I didn’t even know how to find the building. But I’m pretty
glad that when that door presented itself, I went through it.
“Life is about extra credit. It’s about finding a door and going through it. Yes, it
will take more work, it will take hard work but here’s the good news, there are
doors everywhere and college is the perfect place and time to explore different
hallways, different doors, and find out what you’re passionate about. So freshman
year of college when someone asks you if you want to try out for an a cappella
group but you can’t sing and you get terrible stage fright, or join an ultimate
Frisbee league but you’re a total klutz, or intern at a Fortune 500 company for
peanuts or go on a date, or try pottery or go skydiving, say yes, go through that
door … you never know what’s going to be on the other side.
Trust me, when I was sitting here at my Brewster graduation, I never thought that
going through one of those doors would lead me to standing up here at your
Brewster graduation. Thank you.”
Following Grace’s remarks, the HOWL chorus performed “On My Way,” as sung
by Phil Collins in the movie “Brother Bear.”
Next, and perhaps most exciting for the graduates, was the awarding of diplomas.
Yearbook dedicatee and Associate Director of Athletics Kate Turner read the
names of the diploma recipients as they were presented.
Before closing the ceremony, Cooper reminded the graduates to
remain steadfast to the kind of legacy they want to leave
behind in their journeys. In referring to their recently
published Winnipesaukean yearbook, he said “All one has to
do is to look at the theme of your yearbook to know how
important the notion of legacy is to the class.”
guarantee happiness. Your
challenge will be ‘Do I want to
leave the kind of legacy of a
Harmon Killebrew And what
will it take to accomplish
that’
“I know I speak for
everyone when I wish you
all the best in your next
chapter and hope that
there is lots more to be
written in your book of life
and that the notion of how
you want to be remembered
only further guides and directs
how you continue to grow
across adulthood. Don’t ever
lose that sense of obligation.”
Cooper then congratulated
the Class of 2011 in the eight
languages of their home countries.
Following the
benediction by
The Rev. Harry
G. Widman,
graduates
recessed out
of the Smith
Center into the
congratulatory
arms of their
teachers,
families, and
friends.
Laura Duffy, Lynne Palmer, and Jaime Laurent
Mike Cooper presents the Arthur
M. Hurlin Award to Taylor Booth
Commencement speaker Topher Grace ’97 and underclassmen
He referred to the recent death of professional baseball
player Harmon Killebrew, saying that although his prowess as
a power hitter was one part of his legacy it was his character
and the class that he brought to the game that was perhaps
his most important legacy.
“So, Class of 2011, your goal of wanting to leave a legacy helps
to put you on the path to lasting happiness, but it doesn’t
Mike Cooper and the 46 “Lifers” (four-year students) were
ready to celebrate at a May dinner in their honor.
6 BrewsterConnections – Fall 2011