Good morning to you, Bowdoin students, and to all of our distinguished guests. I’m honored to welcome you to my home state of Maine. My family originates from the land of two rivers, Iraq, with its Tigris and Euphrates waterways. But I’ve lived here for most of my life, just twenty-seven miles down in Portland. I spent my youth summers in Wiscasset, living on a farm and learning to respect the lands once inhabited by the indigenous Wabanaki tribes. I wood-whittled and birded, flipped over rocks but never left a trace, and huddled over campfires singing Waltzing with Bears. I carry the reciprocity of shoveling a neighbor’s driveway after a New England Nor’easter and the confidence of stepping into the unknown with nothing but a “call ‘em as I see ‘em” attitude. My two rivers became the Kennebec and the Penobscot.
Bowdoin and Maine are inextricably linked. This great state has served us well; it cradles the land we sit on, the sights we savor, and the traditions we hold. Mainers work with passion, and we look up to our fisherfolk, artisans, and teachers. They keep us grounded while our diplomats, athletes, and growing technology sector take us far. Mainers fight tooth and nail for their country, and we’re grateful for the sacrifices of our veterans, like Joshua Chamberlain ‘1852 and Jonathan Farmer ‘03. Mainers are adaptable, trudging through ice and sleet and snow with an orchard of smiles. Above all, Mainers have open arms. We forge bonds through the cherished Bowdoin Hello and the Brunswick community in which we work, volunteer, and vote.
All your experiences offer the gift of storytelling. Think of how you caught the Northern Lights not once but twice on this very quad. Relive the time you woke up before dawn to surf the crashing waves of Higgins Beach. Remember your reflections from hiking the Appalachian Mountains during orientation week and continue seeking delightful discomfort, like it’s the sea glass you collected across our rocky coast.
Although our state has been endowed with the nickname of “Vacationland,” you stayed a while. My friends, you’re Mainers now. Be proud of that title, and know that the passage of time will never, ever blur that link or take it away from you. This state is your lighthouse, and may it guide your path in everything you do. Class of 2025, keep Maine in your hearts, remember the two rivers, and congratulations on this very special day.
