President’s speeches, letters, and articles
Subject: A Message of Hope as You Leave Reed
May 16, 2025
Dear Reed College graduates,
As you cross the threshold from your years at Reed into a wider world, you will do so with more than a diploma—you will take with you the benefits of a rigorous education, a cultivated mind, and a community that has taught you how to ask difficult questions, wrestle with complex truths, and live with integrity.
You graduate at a time when the economy feels precarious, with markets shifting, industries reshaping, and the future of work being continuously redefined. Higher education—once recognized as a public good and a cornerstone of democracy—is being defunded and attacked. Research, critical thinking, inclusivity, and the pursuit of truth are being called into question.
This can all feel overwhelming. Keep in mind, though, that you do not need all the answers right now. My hope is that in your time at Reed you have developed and expanded your ability to ask the important questions and that you will benefit from the qualities that have served generations of Reedies who came before you: curiosity, integrity, a willingness to ask tough questions, and a commitment to intellectual and moral courage. In moments when it seems like institutions are failing, voices like yours become even more vital—to critique what is broken, to imagine and build what comes next.
Do not underestimate your capacity to create meaning in this moment. Your plans may have changed suddenly because of circumstances outside your control. I hope you know that there is always another way forward, often taking you to unexpected and delightful places. Whether you are heading into graduate studies, joining the workforce, engaging in activism, or simply pausing to breathe and reflect—know that this journey is not a race. The measure of your success will not be speed, but direction, and the authenticity with which you move forward.
You have read deeply, argued passionately, and stayed up far too late finishing papers and theses that no algorithm could ever create for you. That spirit—that stubborn, brilliant spark—is not easily extinguished.
As you leave Reed, know this: the world may be in flux, but it needs you precisely because of that. We are all watching the future take shape. I know you will shape it wisely.
With admiration and hope,
Audrey
Audrey Bilger
President
Reed College