POMP, CIRCUMSTANCE, AND OTHER SONGS OF A LIFETIME —by Professor David Citino, 1947–2005, Late University Poet Laureate (Originally presented as the 2000 Winter Commencement address) If you’re like me, you’ve got a big head, not to mention a funny robe, full of music— to do your best. Tennessee Ernie Ford, poems and melodies, the tunes “Sixteen Tons”: St. Peter don’t you we move to, shower and shave by, call me ‘Cause I can’t go. I owe study, write to. Not just the incidental, my soul to the company store. but the momentous music keeping time. You have been digging deep in mines Our histories are measures of song. of knowledge. We all owe our souls Listen to your heart: drums of Africa, to Ohio State, company store of learning, sea-spume of blind, far-sighted Homer, shared experience—precious ore Sappho’s honeyed love lyrics. Often, we have in common forever. music speaks for us, one note saying Now I hear Domenico Modugno’s a thousand words. Like Rodolpho fervent urging to wish, sing, fly, in Puccini’s La Boheme, Sono un poeta. Volare, Wo-oo. Cantare, Wo-o-o-o. I am a poet. Che cosa faccio? What My grandfather was a peasant farmer, do I do? Scrivo. I write. This ceremony a contadino in Calabria in the toe is loud music—pomp and circumstance of Italy. He knew it’s the human lot of the life you began freshman year to dream of flying. Lucky, lucky, or that first day of graduate school. lucky me, I’m a lucky son-of-a-gun. In my head I press Play, and the CD I work eight hours, I sleep eight hours, of Big Days kicks on. I leap and linger That leaves eight hours for fun. over moments too sweet, nearly, for words. Hey! He sailed in steerage across I’ll never escape rhymes from the nursery. the Atlantic, came to Cleveland, where Up above the world so high, like a diamond he stayed long enough to work 52 years in the sky. We knew from the start for the B&O Railroad, before lying down our universe was aglow with wonder. to rest in good Ohio soil. So many of us Italian, Latin, English songs in nasal accents here today came from elsewhere, of Cleveland. Gaudeamus igitur, Juvenes or ancestors did. From Tennessee, Italy, dum sumus. So, let us rejoice, while Africa, Asia, Appalachia—even, we are young. Youth is that gift we can’t President Kirwan, the wilds of Kentucky comprehend while we’re young. This ceremony and Maryland. Women and men with backs means you all are less young than you were. supple as birch trunks. The courage Don’t let the heavy knowledge gained it took to pick up stakes and begin again from your studies deprive you of the gifts in a new world! Think of the work of youth, to be able to rejoice at the drop those older ones did. For you. You all of a hat, to care for, be moved by others. are facing a change right now. Now I hear golden hits of five decades. This sheepskin is your passport. Big Mama Thornton, and that so-called King You’re bound for emigration to (King of what, fried butter sandwiches?) the next song of your life. Ohio State who stole away her hound dog. You ain’t is the ark on which you’ve been sailing. never killed a rabbit, you ain’t no friend You’ve been the precious cargo. of mine. As with those profs and TAs, But, as Noah once said, I can see course after course, you had to produce— clearly now the rain is gone. The ark, kill some rabbits—to earn respect. our university, was filled to overflowing And at times OSU may have seemed with the diversity of us. Diversity. like Heartbreak Hotel, down at the end Networks and talk shows devalue the word. (continued on inside back cover) THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY 419TH COMMENCEMENT SUMMER 2018 • AUGUST 5, 2018 • 2 P.M. • JEROME SCHOTTENSTEIN CENTER Presiding Officer Commencement Address Alma Mater—Carmen Ohio Michael V. Drake Alan C. Michaels Graduates and guests led by President Dean and Edwin M. Cooperman Weilong Tao Chair in Law Michael E. Moritz College of Law Oh! Come let’s sing Ohio’s praise, Prelude—1:30 to 2 p.m. The Ohio State University Faculty Brass Quintet And songs to Alma Mater raise; Conferring of Distinguished While our hearts rebounding thrill, Welcome Service Award With joy which death alone can still. Recipient presented by Javaune Adams-Gaston Michael J. Gasser, Chair Summer’s heat or winter’s cold, Senior Vice President for Student Life Board of Trustees The seasons pass, the years will roll; John C. Fisher Processional Time and change will surely show Conferring of How firm thy friendship—O-hi-o! Degrees in Course National Anthem Colleges presented by Recessional Graduates and guests led by Bruce A. McPheron Weilong Tao Executive Vice President and Provost Class of 2018 Awarding of Diplomas Invocation Amanda J. Conley Welcome to New Alumni Chaplain James E. Smith Department of Chaplaincy and Senior Vice President of Alumni Relations Clinical Pastoral Education President and CEO Wexner Medical Center The Ohio State University Alumni Association Excerpts from the commencement ceremony will be broadcast on WOSU-TV, Channel 34, on Monday, August 6, at 5:30 p.m. Livestream coverage and a replay of the ceremony in its entirety can be viewed at commencement.osu.edu/video.html. 1 COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS Alan C. Michaels A noted legal scholar, educator with increased financial aid and professor at the University of Michigan and administrator, Alan C. Michaels limited tuition growth. Through its School of Law. has served on the faculty of The Ohio deep commitment to teaching and Prior to joining Ohio State, State University Moritz College of professional training, the college is Dean Michaels spent three years Law for more than 20 years. The ranked among the top five public in private practice representing Edwin M. Cooperman Chair in Law, law schools nationally for successful the Major League Baseball Players he has served as dean since 2008. employment outcomes. Association and four years as a During this time, he has taught criminal In addition to his academic duties, prosecutor in the office of the New law and procedure, white-collar crime Dean Michaels is the co-managing York County District Attorney. and sports law. His research has been editor of the Ohio State Journal of Dean Michaels graduated magna widely published in journals such Criminal Law. He was the recipient of cum laude from Harvard University in as the Columbia Law Review, the the 1998–99 Outstanding Scholarly 1983 and earned his Juris Doctor from Harvard Law Review and the Paper Award from the Association of the Columbia University School of Law Southern California Law Review. American Law Schools; named Moritz in 1986. After graduation, he clerked Under Dean Michaels’ leadership, Law’s Outstanding Professor by the for Chief Judge Wilfred Feinberg of Moritz has become an exemplar of graduating classes of 1999 and 2000; the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals legal education in the 21st century and received Ohio State’s Alumni and later Justice Harry A. Blackmun of — balancing superior student Award for Distinguished Teaching in the U.S. Supreme Court. preparation and faculty excellence 2007. In 2003, he served as a visiting 2 RECIPIENT OF HONORS John C. “Jack” Fisher DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD An Ohio native and lifelong the construction of the Nationwide Ohio Department of Agriculture supporter of The Ohio State University, & Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center – and a board member for BioOhio. Jack Fisher has more than three the first LEED-certified building on Mr. Fisher has received numerous decades of experience in agribusiness, the Columbus campus. He also accolades for his dedication to Ohio government and higher education. served as co-chair of the CFAES State and the broader agricultural After earning his bachelor’s and But for Ohio State Campaign community. He is a recipient of the master’s degrees in animal sciences Committee, which raised more CFAES Meritorious Service at Ohio State, Mr. Fisher went on to than $154 million to support vital to Students and Distinguished hold several leadership positions scholarships and research. Service awards, The Ohio State at the university. He is a former Beyond his contributions to Ohio University Alumni Association’s member of the Board of Trustees State, Mr. Fisher was executive vice Dan L. Heinlen Award and the and the alumni association’s Board of president of the Ohio Farm Bureau National Agricultural Alumni and Directors. Currently, he is a member Federation, from which he retired Development Association’s Volunteer of the Buckeye Advocates Program, in 2016 after more than 20 years Service Award. Additionally, he holds President’s Club and Animal Science of service. To honor Mr. Fisher’s an Honorary State Future Farmers Hall of Fame. contributions, the bureau presented of America (FFA) Degree and an Mr. Fisher’s support for the him with its Distinguished Service to Honorary American FFA Degree, College of Food, Agricultural and Agriculture Award and established and is an inductee into the Ohio Environmental Sciences (CFAES) has the Fisher Fund for Lifelong Learning Agricultural Hall of Fame. helped realize some of the college’s – an educational fund that prepares Mr. Fisher and his wife, Judy, most transformative advances. students for careers in agriculture. reside in Columbus. They have three He was a principal advocate for He was also deputy director of the children and eight grandchildren.