First, I would like to thank the Academy

Maybe I do not want to actually thank the academy, but I would like to thank W&M for many many things.   Before the music starts playing to get me off the stage, I will be brief but hopefully I will not miss anyone (or anything).

• Thank you William and Mary for an opportunity- You opened your doors to a first-generation college, African-American student from Norfolk, VA  because you saw some potential and for that I am grateful.
• Thank you William and Mary for my best friends- I was lucky enough to find great people at William and Mary and I can truly say I have great friends that will be around until the day we die.
• Thank you WIlliam and Mary for an academic challenge- I wanted to come to a place that would challenge me and you definitely accomplished that task.  I am a better person for having to stretch my mind and have it go places I never knew possible.
• Thank you William and Mary for a social challenge- Coming to an institution with students from various backgrounds, different experiences can be different.  I learned just as much outside of the classroom as I did inside the classroom and for that I am also grateful.
• Thank you William and Mary for a job- Being a Kinesiology major I had no intentions of going into higher education.  Thanks to the suggestion of Chon Glover (Interim Asst. VP of Student Affairs) I ended up in my current role and I now think higher education is where I will stay.

I think I hear the music playing so I will wrap it up.

William and Mary really is a life changing institution.  I came here with high expectations for myself and for the College and those expectations were exceeded.  Thank you William and Mary for what you have been and what I know you will grow to be.  You have been around for a long time, and I know you will be around for many more to come.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

– Randy Tripp