Twentieth Century

1987

Elizabeth H. Dole Speaks at Commencement

Elizabeth H. Dole, United States Secretary of Transportation, speaks at Wheaton’s 152nd Commencement. Dole later went on to author two books, serve as a United States senator for North Carolina, and preside over the American Red Cross. In her speech, Dole recounts the monumental shift toward women’s equality since her education at Harvard Law School. She advises the class of 1987 to not take freedom and democracy for granted, stating, “every citizen has a stake in government that lives up to its noblest promises”.