Thus, in this issue, I turn, as it were, my column over to him. This letter is for you as my son Tom's classmates who will be inheriting my alma mater at the summer's end. Probably one of the things that attracted you to Stanford was its reputation as a university ranked at the very top of those in our nation, if not in the world. As one who has basked in this prestige and used it shamelessly, I am pleased to say that the reputation is correct. But it is only the glinting surface water on a very deep lake.
Surfaces can change quickly when the wind shifts, the rain starts or the season turns cold.
The essence of a great university lies in its ability to teach its students how to think critically. As you know, this takes many forms. In my case it meant understanding human compassion through studying literature and stretching my interests and abilities into the realm of biology and the natural sciences. The particulars of your own adventure will unfold during your time at Stanford. If, four years from now, you can make independent judgments on the matters that affect your life, and do so in a way that includes doubt as part of the process, the university will have served you well.