Salutatorian Recalls Service, Commitment to Xavier

Salutatorian Daniel McLaren ’15 knows the value of service—when his Breezy Point neighborhood was decimated in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, many fellow Sons of Xavier arrived to help. The winner of the Latin Medal and the Rev. Edward J. Spinello, S.J. Award for outstanding commitment to student activities, McLaren commended the service to others so central to the Xavier experience in his welcome address at Commencement. McLaren will continue his education at the University of South Carolina this fall.

The following is the text of McLaren’s address:

Good evening, and welcome! Welcome Mr. Raslowsky, Mr. LiVigni, Mr. Meditz, members of the Board, administration, teachers, coaches, family, friends, and esteemed guests—and welcome, most importantly, Class of 2015! Thank you for being here to celebrate this special night with us. I’d now like to share with you what the Class of 2015 is all about.

We, the Class of 2015, have accomplished some great things throughout our time here at Xavier, just like every other graduating class. However, one thing that strikes me as particularly impressive is that our outstanding accomplishments have been various and diverse. From developing new service opportunities, to enhancing the club culture, to winning championships on the field, our accomplishments outside of the classroom have been in a plethora of different areas.

The Class of 2015 pioneered new service opportunities and served in ways never before seen in the halls of Xavier. Hurricane Sandy was a tragedy that affected many members of the Xavier community on a personal level, including myself. I remember returning to my house the first time after the storm and being overcome with a sense of hopelessness because of the destruction to the community that I call home. However, in a matter of days, Xavier students, many of them sitting here today, were in the Breezy and Rockaway communities helping those who couldn’t help themselves. Because of our commitment to service, a second CFX Mexico trip was installed, on which we teamed with Rockhurst High School to help the less fortunate in Tijuana. We helped create CFX Ecuador and Arizona, the first immersion trips to ever take place at Xavier. CFX was not the only area where our desire to serve was seen, as there has been great success in the Christmas Toy Drives, and Senior Service Program, and Thanksgiving Food Drives, which have reached record highs. We as a class have answered the call to serve.

The Class of 2015 has helped to create a much more welcoming and inclusive environment in the halls of Xavier. Over the past four years, new clubs have been popping up that draw people in from all different walks of life. Thanks to the foundation of new clubs and the development of existing ones, Xavier now truly has something for everyone.

The Class of 2015’s extracurricular successes expanded to encompass the athletic fields as well. Athletes from the Class of 2015 have contributed to many championships. Even where championships were not won, Xavier students always played with class, skill, and represented the school well.

Over the past four years, the Class of 2015 has been part of some unforgettable events. I would again like to welcome you to our commencement ceremony and invite you to help us all celebrate our successes throughout our time on 16th Street. Thank you.

Photo Credit: Harisch Studios