The magazine Columbia College Today printed in 2008 a letter President Barack Obama sent to xx, who read it at the Columbia College Class of '83 Reunion.
I want to thank you for the opportunity to welcome everyone to the Columbia College Class of '83 Reunion. I'm sorry that I am unable to join you all today, but it sounds like you have a great program planned to celebrate the 25th anniversary of our graduation and the accomplishments of our class over the last quarter-century.
It's hard to believe that so many years have passed since we left this institution to take on the world as new college graduates. I learned a lot at Columbia, found my focus, studied and came out with a determination to do something about the injustices I had seen and read about.
While it may seem like we graduated yesterday, I don't have to tell you how much has changed. Since our time at Columbia, the world has transformed into a place where graduating from an American college without using the Internet is impossible. Medical advancements have turned many terminal illnesses into treatable disorders. New York City has recovered from an unspeakable tragedy. The challenges, but also the promise, of an increasingly interconnected world has been laid in front of us in myriad ways.
Twenty-five years ago, we left Columbia with the wind at our backs. But in spite of our successes, many in our nation have not shared in the prosperity of the last quarter-century, and some are worse off than before. We must continually be reminded of the work that remains to protect our union and repair our world.
Once again, I want to thank you all for the opportunity to share these thoughts with you today. I wish you all continued success and happiness in the years to come.
Sincerely,
Barack Obama