To the Class of 2024,
To walk across the Commencement stage is to end one chapter and begin the next. As the academic year comes to a close and you take a monumental step into a new period of life, you find yourselves facing a fresh start. In the spirit of tennis legend Roger Federer’s Commencement address, you could say that it’s “love all,” or zero-zero — a new beginning. This Commencement & Reunions special issue theme, “Love All,” offers a blank slate — an empty scoreboard — both for you and for students returning in the fall. But “Love All” is more than just a tennis pun. It’s a call for connectedness amid division. Whether readers are graduating, continuing at Dartmouth, visiting for Commencement or reading from afar, we hope this special issue reminds you to love all that makes Dartmouth, Dartmouth — whatever that means for you. In this special issue, we examine the resilience and grit the Class of 2024 has brought to its time in the woods. We ask you which keepsakes you will carry to your next chapter — and which you’ll leave behind — meditate on tennis as a metaphor for love and share Federer’s advice for your next “match” after college.
During your time at Dartmouth, you have faced and overcome unique challenges. You started your first year in the middle of a pandemic, navigating the transition from remote back to in-person learning and mourned the deaths of five of your classmates. You graduate during a time of historic upheaval and protest, both on Dartmouth’s campus and at institutions around the country. Through it all, you have persevered. We know that these last four years have not been easy, but we hope they have been rewarding.
As you set off, don’t forget the form and technique that got you here. Remember the friendships forged, obstacles overcome and the intellectual growth that shaped you into the individuals you are today. Let us carry forward the spirit of love all, extending kindness, compassion and understanding to all those we encounter on and off the court.
May your futures be as bright as the promise of a new match, a fresh 0-0. May you approach the rest of your life with the same spirit of love, openness and possibility that defines the game of tennis.
Congratulations, Class of 2024 — we hope it’s been a smash!
Aditi, Adrienne and Casey
