Yale President Encourages Graduates to Embrace Their Memories and Future Possibilities
‘Poised between memory and possibility’: McInnis urges grads to celebrate ‘glorious’ memories – and the forgettable ones

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In her Baccalaureate address to the Class of 2026 at Yale University, President Maurie McInnis highlighted the importance of both memorable and forgettable experiences during college. She urged graduates to recognize how their memories will evolve and influence their future, drawing on examples from notable alumni to illustrate her points.
- 01President Maurie McInnis emphasized the significance of both glorious and forgettable memories during her address, stating they will shape graduates' futures.
- 02She referenced notable alumni, including Fred Smith, founder of Federal Express, and Sinclair Lewis, the first American Nobel Prize winner in Literature, to illustrate how early experiences can lead to unexpected success.
- 03McInnis highlighted the role of collective memory, influenced by relationships and interactions, in shaping individual recollections among graduates.
- 04She encouraged graduates to reflect on their teachers' impact, noting that the true monuments to educators are the possibilities graduates will fulfill in their lives.
- 05The address concluded with a call for graduates to maintain gratitude for their shared experiences and to use their memories to positively impact humanity.
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During the Baccalaureate address for Yale College's Class of 2026, President Maurie McInnis encouraged graduates to cherish both their memorable and forgettable experiences. She articulated that while the class has achieved notable milestones, such as researching advanced topics and winning football games against Harvard, the way they remember these events will evolve over time. McInnis illustrated her points with stories of Yale alumni like Fred Smith, who transformed a mediocre essay into the foundation of Federal Express, and Sinclair Lewis, who turned his poetry into a Nobel Prize-winning career. She emphasized the importance of collective memory, shaped by interactions and relationships, and how the lessons learned from teachers will guide graduates in their future endeavors. The address concluded with a heartfelt reminder for graduates to appreciate their shared journey and to use their memories to contribute positively to the world. McInnis urged them to embrace the unpredictability of how their experiences will influence their lives and the lives of others.
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The address encourages graduates to reflect on their experiences, which may influence their future decisions and contributions to society.
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