海角社区

Former U.N. human rights ambassador touts constructive fear, American unity at LSSU commencement

May 06, 2018

BRIDGING PAST AND FUTURE —聽海角社区 2018 graduates file past Golden Graduates who received their LSSU degrees more than fifty years ago, during the university’s annual commencement ceremony on May 5 in Sault Ste. Marie. The ceremony included an address by Keith M. Harper, noted Native American attorney and former ambassador to the United Nations Human Rights Council, a posthumous honorary doctorate to LSSU professor of history emeritus James Moody, and words from biochemistry graduate Jennifer Wickens. (LSSU/John Shibley)

Nearly 500 undergraduates received diplomas during 海角社区鈥檚 56^th commencement exercise, held May 5 in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.

The ceremony featured Keith M. Harper, noted Native American attorney and former ambassador to the United Nations Human Rights Council, as keynote speaker. A posthumous honorary doctorate was given to LSSU professor of history emeritus James Moody, and student respondent Jennifer Wickens provided words of wisdom and encouragement to her fellow graduates.

The ceremony included announcement of this year鈥檚 recipient of the LSSU Distinguished Teaching Award, Dr. Paul Kelso.

Commencement speaker Keith M. Harper was appointed by President Obama as the U.S. Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the聽United Nations Human Rights Council聽in 2007, the first Native American appointed as U.S. ambassador to such a post. He spoke to graduates of the importance of mastering fear to achieve accomplishment.

鈥淎s I was preparing for this address I felt the presence of an old friend, fear,鈥� Harper said. 鈥淚f you want to be successful you will have to get to know fear, especially fear of failure.鈥�

Harper is best known in legal circles for his work in Cobell v. Salazar, a class-action聽lawsuit 鈥� the largest against the United States in history –聽brought by individual Native Americans against federal agencies that mismanaged billions of dollars of income and assets held in trust, dating back to the 1800s.聽Harper served as class counsel on behalf of upwards of 500,000 individual American Indians and successfully settled the case in 2009 for $3.4聽billion.

鈥淎fter law school I wanted to represent Indian tribes, and went to work for Native American Rights Fund,鈥� Harper said. 鈥淎 couple of years into practice, an incredibly brave Blackfoot woman, Eloise Cobell, approached me to take this case. Fear of disappointing thousands for justice made us strong. Because of her bottomless courage, I faced my fear well.鈥�

Harper also touted what he described as American exceptionalism as something graduates and their families should continue to embrace.

鈥淚 am not a person who sees perfection in our history or foreign policy,鈥� Harper said. 鈥淏ut we can claim the inheritance of a people who strived towards a more perfect union. American values include sensibility that all people should be treated fairly, free to talk their minds, and a nation of laws not men.鈥�

Harper said that in his travels around the world he has seen many places where these simple understandings do not exist. 鈥淭hese values have allowed the American experiment to transcend challenges and come out stronger,鈥� he added.

Harper closed his remarks with an appeal for American unity.

鈥淒ivisions sap our strength and undermines our faith in democracy,鈥� he said. 鈥淏e an engine of unity . . . give those you politically disagree with the benefit of the doubt that they do not harbor ill motives. Build bridges across communities and perceive differences.鈥�

海角社区 bestowed an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters during the ceremony to History Professor Emeritus James W.T. Moody, who passed away in Dec. 2017. Moody taught history and the humanities to thousands of LSSU students over the years since his hiring in 1971. He continued to teach well beyond his official retirement in May 2010, continuing to serve as an instructor through the fall 2017 semester.

Accepting the honor was family friend James Money, a former student and son of Moody’s colleague, Prof.聽Robert Money.

Known for his black suits, bow ties, and straw hats, his larger-than-life persona cut a well-known and beloved figure on campus and around town.

鈥淭hose of you who knew James may have thought of him as a country squire plucked from a leather reading chair out of Oxford, but he wasn鈥檛,鈥� said Money. He was born during the Depression on a rural family farm . . .the first in his family to attend college, going on to become a Fulbright Scholar.鈥�

鈥淚 would like to thank every student that James ever taught, or had a conversation with, or influenced in any way,鈥� Money said in closing. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what James lived for; you don鈥檛 do something for 26 years unless you love it.鈥�

Student respondent Jennifer Wickens has wanted to be a doctor since she was 16. She begins medical school this fall to pursue a career as a family or emergency physician. She officially graduated last December with a bachelor of science degree in biochemistry, summa cum laude.

She shared with her fellow grads some observations during her years Lake State.

鈥淒reams are worth pursuing,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e all earned our place to be here today because our dreams are worth fighting for. Helping others is energy well spent. I have seen through your actions the importance of caring for others.聽 You have constantly showed me that life is lived well when we live for something greater than ourselves.鈥�

Wickens also learned that what one does now does not define who you are and what you will be.

鈥淎t Lake State, I have seen people slip and fall, but then get back up with grace and confidence,鈥� Wickens said. 鈥淎s our commencement speaker said today, trying and failing doesn鈥檛 make you failure. Winning doesn鈥檛 make you a winner.聽 Tomorrow you will still be you.鈥�

LSSU faculty and students will continue to build on Wickens鈥� work in cloning and protein research. Many undergraduate research projects in the natural and applied sciences carry on for years and launch yet others in sometimes unexpected directions.

See an archived video of the .

Read about Paul Kelso receiving the Distinguished Teaching Award for 2018 and Dr. Mitchell’s 2018 charge to the graduates.