Rona Carr, President, Alumnae/i Association

Good morning and welcome. I am Rona Carr, class of '74, and President of the Sarah Lawrence Alumni Association.

It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to our community. We are a network of relationships that are vibrant, engaging, and helpful in many ways.

The times we live in are unusually demanding, and it will be very important, and in fact critical, that you use the arsenal of tools that you have acquired during your time at the College to take care of yourselves personally and professionally, do good work, and support the College in cash and kind.

Some of you will be leaders, some of you the power behind the throne, and others will make sure the visions and ideas become reality to the last detail. All of you will be important. Whatever your role becomes, and trust me, it will change many times during your lifetime, my advice this year is to remember that:

• Leadership is an invitation to serve. Not to self-importance.
• When you jump to conclusions, you land in ignorance.
• Henry Ford once said that, "The secret of success is to understand the point of view of others."
• Tell the truth and keep your life simple that way.
• Trust, but verify.
• Those who give while they live, always know where it goes.
• Kisses are sometimes like tears. They just can't be held back...

Travel safely while you're out and about, and do be in touch.