Francesco Pezone '08 Graduation Speech

Thank you to everybody:

 

It is a privilege to stand together with a group of people so intensely committed to Columbia Law School,

 

And I can assure everybody here, that Columbia Law School will always be able to rely and to count upon this class of 2008, for the future to be. 

 

I’m honoured to announce, in fact, that this class of 2008 literally “crashed” any past record in the history of Columbia Law School class gift,

 

And we are proud to challenge any future class to beat us!

 

More than 77% of the J.D. class of 2008 and more than 94% of the LL.M.-J.S.D. class of 2008, pledged to the law school, for a global participation rate of more than 83%. 

 

These numbers show both our commitment and devotion to this school, and more than this, they show, I believe, our unity of ideals as well as the friendship sentiment among us.

 

Friendship, which is the best gift that has been ever given to humankind.

 

Friendship, which is an association that contains everything that men should consider to be objects of desire.

 

Friendship, which – remember - should always be pursued together with virtue, because upon virtue, honesty, integrity, willingness to be just, depend harmony in all things, and stability, and firmness.

 

This is why I want just to conclude with a suggestion:

In the future, never be discouraged from doing what you think is right, for we have a better world to build and we can do it in so many ways. 

 

Thank you.

 

Dean Schizer, I’m delighted to introduce my friend and co-chair Simrin Parmar, who will present you the scroll of honor of 2008 Columbia Law School class gift.