Class of 2018: ‘Great Kindness’ Marks Newest Graduates

Bright blue sky and lavish sunshine set the stage for a day of celebration as Brunswick graduated 99 members of the Class of 2018 in a stirring ceremony that marked the School’s 116th Commencement.
 
The celebration brought hundreds of family and friends to Edwards Campus to observe a milestone on a sparkling spring afternoon. 
 
The Rev. Thomas L. Nins provided the invocation, evoking a famous passage from Corinthians, as he called the gathering into a moment of “calm and rest.”
 
“Lord, we thank you for these young men standing on the threshold of new beginnings,” he said. “Grant them wisdom as they enter adulthood.
 
“May the foundation established here at Brunswick serve them well as they go forth to serve others,” Nins said. “Let ‘Courage Honor Truth’ only be overshadowed by faith, hope, and love.”
 
Headmaster Thomas W. Philip honored the Class of 2018 for its extraordinary achievement across the spectrum of arts, athletics, and scholarship, and he also took a moment to recognize Greenwich Academy Head of School Molly King, Upper School Head Tom Sullivan, and the GA seniors, who all attended the jam-packed, standing-room-only ceremony in Dann Gymnasium.
 
“Brunswick and Greenwich Academy each are learning institutions of the highest order, in both this nation and the world,” Philip said. 
 
Philip said what really sets the Class of 2018 apart is its simple kindness.
 
“These students are kind in that they intuitively seem to respect and care for those around them in a way that makes everyone better,” he said. “Frankly, they are kind in a way that offers great promise for the world I expect they will lead someday soon. 
 
“Gentlemen of the Class of 2018, we could all learn a great deal from you,” he told the graduates. “And that is that great success can be accompanied by great kindness, and we are all better for it.” 
 
Valedictorian Gordon C. Kamer introduced Ivy Speaker Hayden F. Hoover, who lamented the sad reality that he and his classmates will now have to leave the place they have come to know and love. 
 
“I never thought this day would come,” Hoover told the crowd, telling his younger classmates in the audience: “This is a reminder that you have a time limit on your time at Brunswick.
 
“The worst part about moving on next year is not being able to do so with my 98 brothers,” he said. 
 
The Commencement Speaker was Frank Bruni, New York Times columnist and best-selling author of Where You Go Is Not Who You’ll Be — An Antidote to the College Admissions Mania.
 
Bruni told the story of former Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, who, after high school, headed off to the University of Denver with every intention of becoming a concert pianist.

A class in international relations changed her mind. She “fell hard for the material,” as Bruni said — and the rest, without a doubt, is actual history.
 
“Behind those credentials is a universal story, one you don’t hear often enough,” Bruni told the crowd. “Condoleeza Rice went to college armed with goals and a predetermined to-do list. 
 
“But she also retained her capacity for surprise. She remained open to serendipity that was crucial for her, that may be crucial for many of you, because it’s crucial in life. 

“Innovation, improvisation, and imagination — those are the foundations of many of the most fascinating lives. 
 
“So much success in life comes from the ability to stay flexible, the willingness to be surprised, the wisdom to recognize and take a worthy detour,” he said. 
 
“So much joy comes from that as well.” 
 
After Bruni spoke, Philip and other faculty members presented prizes, awards, and diplomas to the Class of 2018.
 
Graduates recognized with awards of distinction were:
 
Valedictorian                                   Gordon C. Kamer
                                                                    
Kulukundis Cup                               Gordon C. Kamer
                                                                    
Community Service Award                Christian J. LeSueur
                                                                    
BPA Prize                                         Christian T. Ruf
                                                                    
Jenkins Athletic Award                      Jack H. Ocken
                                                                    
Thomas A. Altman Prize                   John D. DeLucia
                                                                    
Robert L. Cosby Award                    Hayden F. Hoover
                                                                    
A. Macdonald Caputo Award             Wesley L. Peisch
                                                                    
Faculty Citations                              John H. Montinaro
                                                      Cameron P. Dalton
                                                      Nicholas M. Boardman
                                                      Christopher D. Burdick
 
Headmaster's Trophy                        Sean M. Amill
 
 
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