F&M Stories

For Richard Plepler '81, the road from aspiring graduate to chairman and CEO of Home Box Office Inc. was at times tough and frustrating, but by persevering and staying true to himself, he has succeeded in life.

Quoting the poet Ralph Waldo Emerson, the principal speaker for Franklin & Marshall College's 2015 Commencement ceremony told participants, "I believe with Emerson, that if a man planted himself on his convictions and hopes, 'the huge world would come 'round to him.' I always felt that, and all these years later, I still do."

Under an overcast sky that the sun eventually broke open midway through the May 9 ceremony, Plepler spoke to the black-robed Class of 2015 seated outside on Hartman Green, the center of the F&M campus. He referred to the words of one of baseball's hitting legends, Boston Red Sox slugger Ted Williams, about being a great player.

"'Never let anyone monkey with your swing,'" the erudite HBO chief said. "That's not the same thing as being inordinately stubborn, or refusing to listen, adjust or modify your behavior. It's simply to say, keep your style yours. Don't alter it for anyone. Whatever your intrinsic swing, work at it, perfect it, but keep it yours."

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Also in his remarks, Plepler called on the graduates to reach for higher causes. As the "most informed, most plugged in, most tolerant generation in history," he said, the world is in desperate need of their energy and youth.

"Ladies and gentlemen, you are entering a very complicated, indeed alarming period of tension and turmoil around the world," Plepler said, citing seemingly insurmountable domestic and international problems. "But there is nothing better in life than joining a mission or causes when you are needed -- and boy are you needed."

Commencement Slideshow

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About 3,000 family and friends charged the day's excitement. Franklin & Marshall President Daniel R. Porterfield marked a milestone at a breakfast event just prior to the ceremony. In 2011, the year that he arrived at the College, members of the Class of 2015 was just sending in their enrollment deposits. It is the first class to have studied at F&M exclusively under his leadership.

"Change is life," Porterfield told the graduates in an address that touched on the critical importance of a liberal arts education in shaping and growing the mind and spirit. "And so, I ask you, the graduates of the Class of 2015, to value your liberal arts education, to advocate for it, to defend it, to help it change, and to secure this way of learning for those who will follow you."

Amid the celebration were a few moments to reflect on Eric Phillips, a member of the Class of 2015 who died unexpectedly in his sophomore year. In his remembrance, one of his favorite Louis Armstrong songs was played.

"Whether you knew him for two years or two minutes, he always made you feel like a friend," said Maeve Shanahan '15, who was Phillips' suite mate.

This year's Williamson Medal, the College's most prestigious award for student achievement, went to Rachel Codkind '15, who in her remarks discussed the value of being visible.

"I entered Franklin & Marshall as a very shy and reserved student, intent to remain anonymous in a crowd," Codkind said. "But F&M was not as content to allow me to remain invisible."

As well as awarding the Williamson Medal, the College conferred honorary degrees on distinguished scholars Robert Kwesi Koomson '97, a math teacher and founder of a pioneering educational institution in Ghana, West Africa, and Sherry Turkle, the Abby Rockefeller Mauzé Professor of the Social Studies of Science and Technology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and author of numerous books on human interaction with technology.

Other graduation honors were bestowed upon Associate Professor of Psychology Michael L. Anderson, who received the Bradley R. Dewey Award for Outstanding Scholarship, and Arthur and Katherine Shadek Professor of Humanities and Dance Lynn Matluck Brooks, who was presented with the Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Foundation Award for Distinguished Teaching.

The College also honored three retiring faculty members with Socrates citations: Robert Gray, the Honorable and Mrs. John C. Kunkel Professor of Government, Professor of German Cecile Zorach, and Professor of Russian Lina Bernstein.

Christine Alexander, F&M's registrar and associate director of institutional research, received the Richard Kneedler Distinguished Service Award, given to the member of the professional staff who demonstrates extraordinary commitment to the mission of the College.

Following the rite of a centuries-old tradition, Alumni Association President Ricardo Rivers '93 symbolically passed the torch to the next generation of college alumni. Accepting on behalf of her peers was Senior Class President Katherine Blair '15.

Throughout the day guests enjoyed the College's Commencement Wind Ensemble, directed by Brian Norcross, conductor of instrumental ensembles. The ceremony opened with Katrina Wachter '15 singing the National Anthem and closed with the Alma Mater by Paul Berry '15 in his rich baritone.

Related stories

Commencement 2015: Highlights Video

Commencement Remarks: Richard L. Plepler

Commencement Remarks: Franklin & Marshall President Daniel R. Porterfield

Meet 2015 Williamson Medalist Rachel Codkind

Citations:

Richard Plepler '81: Doctor of Letters

Robert Kwesi Koomson '97: Doctor of Humane Letters

Sherry Turkle, Ph.D.: Doctor of Science

Lynn Matluck Brooks: Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Foundation Award for Distinguished Teaching

Michael L. Anderson: Bradley R. Dewey Award for Outstanding Scholarship

Robert Gray: Socrates Citation

Cecile Zorach: Socrates Citation

Lina Bernstein: Socrates Citation

Christine Alexander: Richard Kneedler Distinguished Service Award