Shimer Celebrates 2009 Commencement

On Saturday, May 9th Shimer College celebrated the graduation of the Class of 2009. Dr. Herman Sinaiko delivered the keynote address after speeches of welcome from President Thomas Lindsay and Board of Trustees Chairman Chris Nelson. Dr. Sinaiko is a Humanities professor at the University of Chicago and has received both the Quantrell Award and Amoco Prize for excellence in undergraduate teaching. Dr. Sinaiko also continues to author books. His latest book, Reclaiming the Canon, emphasizes the enduring value of a Great Books education, and the keynote address delivered to Shimer College bore a similar focus. Dr. Sinaiko traced the roots of the modern Great Books curriculum, beginning with Aristotle’s first synthesis of the Theoretical Sciences, the Universal Rhetorical and Dialectical Arts, and the Practical Disciplines of Ethics and Politics. Shimer College still retains the essence of this original curriculum, Sinaiko argued, and such a “non-specialized, non-vocational education has actually better prepared [students] than [their] less fortunate friends graduating from other more conventional schools.” Read Dr. Sinaiko's keynote address.  

Student speakers Stephen Hoppe and Heather Lakemacher echoed this sentiment, expressing gratitude for the singular academic and social experiences Shimer College provides. Stephen spoke first, choosing to share what came to mind rather than any prepared words as he stood at the podium. “Every draft I wrote didn’t seem adequate” he explained. After reminiscing on his journey that began with a dissatisfying experience at a traditional college, Stephen concluded, “I have such a sense of intense gratitude for Shimer; even now I don’t think I can put it into words. I’ve gained so much.” Weekend student Heather Lakemacher admitted having a more reserved personality when she began, but found that Shimer College inspires students to open up in a profound way: “When you spend so much time together in class talking about the important questions of life…you can’t help developing the kind of friendships that will hopefully last for the rest of your lives.” Heather also expressed confidence in the curriculum that she had completed. “The world needs people who can comfortably cross disciplines and compose a coherent, broad perspective," said Heather. "That’s the kind of thinking Shimer uniquely suits us for.”

David Shiner, Dean of the College, briefly spoke of the magic of Shimer College and its faculty (in response to an entry on the Shimer blog by student Simon Creek), and how students take this magic with them. Afterward, David and President Lindsay gave degrees to seventeen graduates. Click here to see a list of graduates, with their degree, honors, and thesis title.