Magical May Moments

Spring is a time of renewal and rebirth.  It is my favorite time of year because possibilities seem to bloom like flowers.  My quarter century in higher education has likely been an influence.  The majority of college graduates still finish their studies in May, and it is a milestone event.  The birth of a child and marriage exceed it in significance, but in those cases the focus is on a baby or a couple.  Commencement is a communal and cultural event, with dozens, hundreds, or even thousands graduating together with many times that joining in the celebration.  Everywhere you look, there is someone radiating with joy.

It is no surprise how excited everyone is for the occasion.  A degree is a key to future success.  It unlocks doors that may otherwise be closed.  The graduate can open them and take their first steps into a tomorrow where they can prove to the world—and themselves—how they can contribute.

What amazes me is that the journey that leads to a degree begins and ends with something intangible:  trust.

Postsecondary education is not compulsory.  It is up to a student to invest money, time, and effort in pursuing a college degree.  They must trust in the potential it has to enhance their skills, abilities, and marketability.  It is true that some take the path because of the expectations of family or friends, but few persevere based on those social pressures alone.  Most discover intrinsic motivations that drive them to finish.  All in the pursuit of something—a college degree—that has value only because we, as a society, value it.

This is not to say that this value doesn’t have a solid basis in reality.  A deep understanding of a discipline, a skill set that helps others or creates new products, or enhanced abilities to communicate and collaborate are all quite useful.  But these are all potentials—not something you can own like a horse, a truck, or a house.  Unlike those items, an education is something that cannot be taken away, but it requires trust.

Interestingly, trust is often taken for granted.  So much so that we forget that something as ubiquitous as money is founded in trust.  “Money is the most universal and most efficient system of mutual trust ever devised,” according to Israeli historian Yuval Noah Harari.  His book, Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, includes a fascinating exploration of this claim.  It is only when we take a step back and consider how critical trust is to the world in which we live that we realize the essential nature of our collective beliefs.  We are successful as a species because we work together.  This includes creating systems of shared trust to which we all contribute. 

Soon I will preside (something presidents get to do) over the SENMC May Commencement.  Near the end of the ceremony, I will state that by the power “vested in me” by the Southeast New Mexico College Board of Trustees, that I will bestow upon the graduates their respective credentials.  This “vestment” is a sacred power, one that only exists because of the trust placed in the college. 

It is easy to forget that we need each other for so many reasons.  If you have a magical moment this May, savor the experience—and remember that it is more than an individual accomplishment.  It is a reminder of the power that comes with being part of something larger, something we can only make real—together.   

Kevin Beardmore, Ed.D., is the President of Southeast New Mexico College.  He may be reached at kbeardmore@senmc.edu or 575.234.9211