Common Threads—The Evolving Student Experience at MIT (Trailer)

[MUSIC PLAYING]

MCGANN: One of my favorite days of the year at MIT is commencement. Standing in Killian Court looking out over a sea of faces, who've just had one of the most amazing and transformational educational experiences that they could have.

JONES: You look out in the audience and you see people from all over the world, literally. And more important than that, you see so many different cultures so many different mindsets. I think the great thing is that you see it there, together.

HASTINGS: Let me tell you about interesting experience I had. I actually lead the undergraduates into Killian Court. As we do that, we always stop and allow the class that is from 50 years ago to go ahead of us. So, that sets up a very interesting contrast, because I can literally look in front of me and see the class as reflected from 50 years ago. And I can look behind me and actually see the class as it is, you know, today.

MCGANN: So, if a student from MIT of 1900, and a student from MIT of 1950, and a student of MIT of today were to sit down, I think they'd find that they have a lot in common.

JONES: One part of their discussion would be around what the on campus individual looks like. In the dialogue, they would see some significant differences. But I think if you ask them to close their eyes and sort of talk about what's on the inside, I think it will be exactly the same.

JACKSON: MIT is still MIT. There is an ethos of the place. I'm an anthropologist. There's a culture. It's a very, very visible culture.

MCGANN: The diversity of MIT is evident just by looking out at the sea of faces in Killian Court. But a lot of the diversity you can't see. The diversity of ideas, the diversity of interests, the diversity of thought.

STATON: There is just always this vibrancy, this vigor, this openness to creativity, that I just haven't found anyplace else.

SPEAKER 1: In all those generation's of students, the Institute has turned out people who do important things. And that hasn't changed.

[MUSIC PLAYING]