<div>Minnesota Governor Tim Walz commenced the beginning of Carleton College’s 2026-2027 school year at Opening Convocation on Sept. 14.Excited students, faculty and staff lined up in front of Skinner Memorial Chapel, hoping to see the governor speak. No prior registration was required, which resulted in the doors having to shut 15 minutes before the event, as capacity was reached.College Chaplain Schuyler Vogel ’07 opened Convocation with a warm welcome to the Class of 2030, many of whom had just finished their first day of college classes. He also highlighted what makes a Carleton education exceptional and the relationships students form on campus.“At Carleton, we learn to be servants of goodness, justice, and truth. We want the world to be better for having us in it,” Vogel said. “We need people like you, especially in this time of increased fear and ignorance and prejudice.” After a land acknowledgment due to Carleton’s 100th year having access to the Arboretum, Vogel left the student body with a few reminders for approaching the new school year.“Embrace your curiosity and your humility. Be diligent and intentional. May all your thoughts and actions lead to greater justice and peace and the pursuit of a better world,” he said.President Alison Byerly followed Vogel’s remarks by declaring Convocation as a way to come together and unite as a community.“This opening convocation is a wonderful opportunity for the whole community to come together, to reconnect after the summer, to think about ways in which our entire community joins in the process of learning,” she said. “That is what we celebrate at Carleton College.”Byerly proceeded to introduce the Convocation’s special guest, the 41st governor of Minnesota, Tim Walz.“I’m happy to note that Governor Walz is maintaining a 50-year streak of Minnesota’s governors speaking at Carleton College, and so we are so delighted that he could be with us today,” she said.Walz immediately made it clear that he was no stranger to Carleton and the kind of people that the institution produces.“Carleton…is a jewel that Minnesota is incredibly proud of. It brings great distinction to our state,” he said. “What makes Carleton great is the people who sit in this building.”Walz expressed admiration for some Carleton alumni, including award-winning filmmaker Jimmy Chin and abortion rights activist Dr. Jane Hodgson.“No institution does things. It’s the people in the institution who do it,” said Walz as he praised the Carleton alumni.One of the core focuses of the governor’s speech was Carleton’s roots as a historic Minnesotan institution.“Minnesota is on the front lines of history…that means you are too,” he said. “The history is deep here. And the history is deep behind me.”Walz spoke about Minnesota’s importance in politics and the history behind the large amount of political and social change driven by Minnesotans.“Minnesota [is] made out of a whole bunch of people who have compassion for their neighbors, a whole bunch of people [where] injustice is not just something to theoretically discuss,” he said.Another key point of the governor’s speech centered around what it means to be a global citizen, and, specifically, how to be a neighbor who stands up for justice. Walz alluded to past movements that sparked change and noted that this change didn’t come from elected officials.“They’re never…fueled by people who are in official positions. They’re fueled by the passion of people who know what’s right,” he said.The governor also poked at citizens who have come up to him, admitting they avoid politics and saying they’re uninterested in engaging with the electorate.“‘I’m not too into politics.’ Well, that’s too damn bad because it’s into you,” said Walz. This statement was met with loud laughter, followed by cheers and applause from the audience.The governor reflected on his time as a teacher and argued that serving as an educator in a classroom and getting the chance to connect with students was more impactful than being a senator. Walz then urged the audience to “be the teacher, be the nurse, be a small business owner, be on the faculty, be the poet, be the musician, be the community organizer. You hear all this? That’s where the change happens,” He described Carleton as an “institution of history”: a place that shares values with Minnesota and a place that understands how to produce changemakers.“You’re in a state that is on the forefront of global rights,” he said.Another integral part of Walz’s speech focused on the impact Generation Z (those born between 1997 and 2012) will have on both the United States’ political landscape and the world as a whole. The governor acknowledged the hardships that Gen Z has faced; from growing up worrying about school shootings to paying for higher education to finding a solution for climate change. He asserted that this generation, which the majority of the audience before him identified with, is at a “pinnacle point in history.”Walz also spoke about the Greatest Generation (those born between 1901 and 1927) who survived war, a pandemic, and the Great Depression. He admitted that this generation survived a lot of adversity but fell short in driving social and political change. “After the Greatest Generation, after the post-war boom, when we had big things that we needed to tackle like racial integration…it was the next generation that stepped up into that moment,” he said.Walz drew a comparison between that generation, the Silent Generation, who are known for driving political and social activism of that era, and Generation Z, the students who were sitting before him. “I’ll tell you right now, this country and this world is going to need this generation,” he said. The governor made it clear that his hope for the future of this nation, and the world, is dependent on Generation Z. He described how this generation has lived through an unprecedented time period, from the COVID-19 pandemic to discriminatory policing to gun violence.“I’m a pretty sunshiny person but I’m also pretty pragmatic. There is no way that’s not having an impact on you,” said Walz. “I am absolutely convinced with the education you get at Carleton…you’ll be the one to figure this out.”The governor ended his speech with an optimistic outlook on the future of the United States and the world.“Here’s what makes me most hopeful: we saw the greatest advancements…come right after some of our darkest times,” Walz said. “There’s no one coming to save us. It’s you.”Although Walz acknowledged that it will be a difficult fight to stand up for justice, he emphasized the privilege of being able to fight and obtain change when communities work together.“The chance for you to do this work at this great institution and the initiatives that are being put forward by this administration…is something that can lead the country,” he said.To conclude, Walz quoted Bruce Springsteen: “it ain’t no sin to be glad you’re alive.” Walz was met with an enthusiastic standing ovation from the attendees of Opening Convocation. </div>

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Minnesota Governor Tim Walz commenced the beginning of Carleton College’s 2026-2027 school year at Opening Convocation on Sept. 14. Excited students, faculty and staff lined up in front of Skinner Memorial Chapel, hoping to see the governor speak. No prior registration was required, which resulted in the doors having to shut 15 minutes before the event, as capacity was reached.

Governor Tim Walz speaks at Opening Convocation

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Minnesota Governor Tim Walz commenced the beginning of Carleton College’s 2026-2027 school year at Opening Convocation on Sept. 14. Excited students, facul

Governor Tim Walz speaks at Opening Convocation

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