DURANGO, Colo. – Like the peaks of the San Juan Mountains surrounding Fort Lewis College, earning a degree demands persistence, preparation, and a willingness to adapt to changing conditions. That was the message keynote speaker David Blake, Ph.D., as he addressed more than 140 graduates during the Fall 2024 Commencement ceremony on Friday.
Blake, a professor of biology at FLC since 2009, drew a vivid parallel between the natural environment that defines the college and the determination required to reach academic success.
“Making it to the top, like graduating college, requires steady progress, persistence, and an understanding of what is needed to prepare and adapt to changing conditions,” Blake said. “You’ve been tenacious students, academic warriors, and lifelong learners.”
As is tradition at FLC, the ceremony began with the Ringing of the Bell and a reading of the Land Acknowledgement, delivered by Hozhoni Ambassador First Attendant Selena Gonzales.
Board of Trustees Chair Mary Rubadeau highlighted the FLC community’s collaborative efforts in developing the new strategic plan for the last year.
“We have bold new goals and a clear new vision statement, which is Diverse Leaders Shaping the Future,” she said. “You, our 2024 FLC graduates, embody that vision.”
In his address, Blake reflected on FLC’s unique role as a crossroads where education and adventure intersect. He emphasized how the college’s location in the Four Corners region provides students with a solid academic foundation and a broadened perspective shaped by the land’s diverse ecosystems and cultures.
“Here at Fort Lewis, your education has opened your eyes not only to ecological niches but also to different cultures and ideas,” Blake said. “This perspective is essential for tackling the complex issues facing society today, including racial inequality, climate change, and immigration.”
Blake encouraged graduates to carry forward the lessons they learned at FLC–academically and as members of a diverse and interconnected community.
Celebrating community and growth
Blake encouraged graduates to carry forward the lessons they learned at FLC, academically and as members of a diverse and interconnected community.
Student speaker Brittany Bitsilly, president of the Associated Students of Fort Lewis College, reflected on the community and camaraderie that defined the graduates’ time at FLC. She shared a heartfelt poem celebrating the bonds formed through shared challenges and growth.
Bitsilly, from the Navajo Nation’s Towering House Clan and the Tangle Clan, said:
“The days turned into months turned into years. The peers turned late-night study buddies turned loud best friends with countless cheers.” Encouraging her classmates to embrace the opportunities ahead, she quoted Audrey Hepburn: “Plant those seeds, make a garden! ‘To plant a seed is to believe in tomorrow.’”