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As St. Olaf College seniors prepared to leave the Hill, two familiar campus voices delivered the annual Last Lecture on Thursday, May 22, with reflections that blended humor, advice, and a call for connection in unprecedented times. 

This year’s speakers were Assistant Professor of Sociology and Anthropology and Director of Public Health Studies Andrea Conger, and Director of Facilities Kevin Larson. Both were nominated by the senior class and brought unique perspectives shaped by their disciplines and life experiences. 

Conger opened the program by framing the last four years in one word: 

“Unprecedented. If I had to choose one word that has dominated the last four years, that would be it,” Conger said. “Unprecedented times, crisis, political actions, viruses, climate, events, job and housing markets, inflation, the college experience — It’s all been, well, unprecedented.”

The speech, titled “Put As Much Wonder Woman In It As You Can,” wove in humorous anecdotes from Conger’s various research projects and deeper questions about what it means to live through disruption — and the miraculous opportunities such times can create.

“Unprecedented times engender superheroes,” she said. “Our superpowers lie in our dependence on each other, our extraordinary ability to communicate, collaborate, nurture, and educate. As an ultra social species, we not only want to be together, we need to be together. In this, we are unprecedented.”

“As an ultra social species, we not only want to be together, we need to be together.”

— Andrea Conger

Drawing on her background in anthropology, Conger emphasized the human capacity for endurance, cooperation, and asking better questions. She challenged students to see diversity not as an obstacle, but as an asset, and to imagine leadership as a collective endeavor, rather than an individual undertaking.

“I’ve developed a particular interest in matriarchal power structures,” Conger shared, noting how some communities define power not by dominance, but by the ability to mentor and sustain others. “[Matriarchies] ask us to imagine power that looks different. They ask us to imagine the power of doing it together, the power of standing up for the weakest among us.”

Conger closed with a reading from the children’s book My First Book of Girl Power — her own nod to the “superheroes” among the Class of 2025, who have endured an era that continues to demand adaptability and mutual reliance.

“As you leave the Hill, remember that this unprecedented world has made you unprecedented,” she said. “Everyday superpowers like strength, kindness, teamwork, and demanding the truth are transformative. Stick together, and put as much Wonder Woman in it as you can.”

“As you leave the Hill, remember that this unprecedented world has made you unprecedented.”

— Andrea Conger

Following Conger’s address, Larson took the stage to a round of warm applause. Known to many students as the voice behind snow day emails, Larson brought a grounded, and often hilarious, perspective to life at St. Olaf. 

“As a director of facilities, I usually spend my time behind the scenes, making sure the buildings are warm, paths are clear, lights stay on, and yes, sending those infamous snow day messages,” Larson said. “Apparently it’s become a small part of your daily rhythm, this mysterious voice that brought to you on those snowy mornings one simple message: ‘Walk very carefully, because it’s slippery.’ Now, I have 11 suggestions as you travel the sidewalks of your life.”

Larson’s remarks centered around practical life lessons drawn from his years in facilities work, the Boy Scouts, and the Minnesota Army National Guard. Among them: 

“Your sidewalks will be slippery, so walk carefully. But, when you see a chance in a lifetime, run after and catch it.”

“Treat people as they should be treated. Respect is what allows us to appreciate the best of other people.”

“Learn to cook at least one meal that doesn’t involve the microwave or just adding hot water.”

“If you don’t know what you’re gonna do with your life yet, congratulations. That means you’re an adult. Success is not about fancy titles or salaries, but whatever you do in your life, I hope you find joy and excitement.”

He encouraged graduates to embrace integrity, care for others, and get back up when life knocks them down — just as they had done during icy campus winters. 

“There will be slippery spots, there will be many things that cause you to slip and fall,” Larson said. “So watch out, and if you fall, get right back up. Understand what made you fall, and don’t do it again.”

“If you fall, get right back up. Understand what made you fall, and don’t do it again.”

— Kevin Larson

In closing, Larson announced a campus-wide email dedicated to the graduating class, recognizing their impact and wishing them well on the roads ahead. 

“Your sidewalks may be slippery, but you know how to survive — because you’re an Ole,” he said.

As seniors prepare to walk across the commencement stage, the final lessons from Conger and Larson offered one last encouragement: lean into discomfort, rely on each other, and carry your everyday superpowers into life beyond the Hill.