Rain can’t dampen spirits of DePauw Class of 2019 as it begins ‘carnival ride’ of life
Commencement speaker Drew Powell hinted he may be the jinx as the DePauw University Class of 2019 was forced to weather the storm Sunday, shrugging off Mother Nature’s intrusion on its traditional outdoor commencement ceremony.
“I’ve been a part of two graduations at DePauw and both of them have been rained out -- or, rather, rained in,” Powell, the actor and 1998 DePauw graduate exclaimed. “I can only conclude it’s my fault.
“But let’s stay positive shall we? Who wants to have that beautiful scene in the Holton Memorial Quadrangle when we can be here in the spot where I played intramural basketball. We all get to sweat in the gym one more time.”
The university announced about 2-1/2 hours before the program was to start that the proceedings were being moved indoors to Neal Fieldhouse in the Lilly Center. The weather forecast for Sunday, which had been iffy all week, showed a 100 percent chance of showers and possibly strong storms. And as it happened, it rained throughout the ceremony.
Inside the fieldhouse, Powell told graduates at Sunday morning’s 180th Commencement, “We need you, to go into the world and say ‘We will be the change, we will lead the way back to civility, we will be resilient.’ You can and you will. How do I know? Trust me -- I played a nearly naked zombie monster on a ‘Batman’ TV show. I know stuff.”
Powell is best known for four seasons as antagonist Cyrus “Butch Gilzean” Gold, a character who transformed into Solomon Grundy, on Fox’s hit series “Gotham.” An English (literature) major and Media Fellow at DePauw, he also played Reede Smith, one of the final suspects for the serial killer Red John on “The Mentalist,” and has been seen in a range of other shows and movies, including “Message From The King,” “1408,” “Ray Donovan,” “American Horror Story,” “NCIS,” “Bones,” “Malcolm in the Middle,” “Ponderosa,” “The Office,” “House” and ER.
A native of Lebanon, Ind., Powell recalled driving to California after his graduation from DePauw with a goal of making a living as an actor.
“Turns out, life is like building an IKEA desk,” he told the 505 members of the Class of 2019 seated before him. “Lotta parts with confusing instructions that make you want to scream and cry at times but if you do it right, when you finish and step back to look at it, it’s really quite stylish and useful and fits nicely in a small apartment.”
He added, “The world you’re about to enter is, yes, terrifying – but also exciting. It’s like a carnival ride that has never been inspected for design flaws. As you will soon find out, life after college is a series of transitions, of highs and lows, of absolute certainties and absolute confusion!”
Powell received the University Arts Medal during the program, and honorary doctoral degrees were awarded to three individuals -- Iraqi American artist and educator Wafaa Bilal; historian, author and professor Ann G. Carmichael; and noted jazz trumpeter Eddie Henderson.
Powell advised the new graduates, “As I stand here today and look back on the path I took, the twists and turns and mountains and valleys are incredible and I could have never predicted any of it when I was sitting where you are now. I can tell you that it does help to talk to folks who have gone before you.
“One of the things that is most impressive to me about DePauw is how it’s alumni look out for each other,” he continued. “I’ve heard many stories of recent grads getting a helping hand from a fellow alum. I encourage you to look for folks who have been down the path before you to help when they can and then be sure return the favor when the next generation comes to ask you advice. A little kindness goes a long way.”
The audience also heard from Liam Byrnes ‘19, this year’s recipient of the Walker Cup, which goes to the senior who has done the most for DePauw during his or her four years on campus.