The word service means the act of giving in order to help or benefit others.   In my opinion, this word lacks a key component:  the fact that when we serve we do not merely give, but we also receive.  I experienced this first hand when I traveled to Central America as a sophomore.  I went with the intention of giving medicine and assessing the health of the community.  Through my interactions with the patients, I realized that I was receiving far more than any material item I could ever give....the Belizeans in the clinics taught me that by simply listening, we can forge a connection and an understanding that is ultimately more impactful than any medical care my group could provide. 

Upon my return, I went through the same struggles that everyone in this room has faced at some time.  Having seen the immense need for service and care in Belize, I was frustrated that I could not constantly be there working with the people. I felt ashamed to be back on campus, living comfortably and worrying about midterms.  I began to think that my service trip further perpetuated power differences instead of working towards social equality.

My peers at William & Mary challenged me to search for the solutions to these feelings.   Like many of you, the topics in the classroom and my experiences in the community began to intersect.

At this crossroads, we make connections between our hours spent serving and the social issues at stake.  We question everything and begin to educate ourselves both in and outside of the classroom.  This new perspective from our time spent in service fosters a commitment to society based on our experiences and our knowledge. Soon we find ourselves unable to accept the status quo.  At this moment, we become engaged.

Community engagement therefore has a much deeper meaning than just serving others.  It involves making an emotional commitment to society.  It means that we must constantly educate ourselves, so that as advocates for social issues we speak as the collective voice of the community. 

Everyone sitting in this room has given life and value to community engagement.  We know that engagement surpasses the boundaries of merely serving others... 

To us, engagement is knowing that when you lay cinder block, you are providing the foundation for a family's security and education. 

Engagement is the long-term knowledge given to a community member with an illness, along with the short-term cure.  

Engagement is sitting with a family and listening to their joys and their struggles as they accept the meal you helped prepare.

This past year, William & Mary students have made bold new strides to be engaged members of the community. 

In 2007, a few students recognized that they could foster a sense of community while serving nourishing meals to local low income families.  In two days, they will deliver their ten-thousandth meal.

Over 150 students this year gave up their spring break to address social issues, ranging from environmental sustainability to affordable housing.  One participant, as a result of her experience, changed her major so she could learn more about educational inequality.

This Spring, students and faculty banded together to build a house on Jamestown field, bring awareness to the Williamsburg's dire need for affordable housing.

These are merely a few of many examples of community engagement in action here at William & Mary.....

We are here tonight to celebrate the fact that everyone in this room is consciously choosing a commitment to community, both here in Williamsburg and abroad.  This is a beautiful, amazing commitment.  Take a moment and look around you.  We are the group of people who, when we recognize social injustice in years to come, will stop and ask the right questions.  We will immerse ourselves in the issues at hand, and we will move forward with the vivacity and enthusiasm necessary to create change in our communities.

Twenty years from now we will still be engaged and active members of society, influencing future students who take our place in this room to do the same.

Now that is worth celebrating.