Leah Seldin '17 Delivers Cum Laude Address

As part of the Cum Laude Address on Monday, April 18, MBS graduate Leah Seldin ’17 spoke about the transition to college and adulthood and told Upper School students to expect and embrace the uncertainty, the messiness, and the possibilities during this unique stage of life.

At MBS, Leah was Co-Valedictorian, a member of the Cum Laude Society, editor of Mariah, and the Creative Writing Award recipient. She graduated from Wesleyan University in 2021 with a B.A. in Psychology and Education Studies. This May, she will receive a master’s degree in Psychology from Wesleyan University and recently completed her thesis on “The Psychological Well-Being in Emerging Adults during the COVID-19 Era.” 

Rather than highlighting her accomplishments, Leah told the students, “I think there is more value in telling you the not-so-impressive parts, the messy parts, and the things that didn’t work out.”

She outlined five characteristics of emerging adulthood – a time period marked by feeling in-between, self-focus, instability, identity exploration, and possibilities. During each stage, she offered personal examples — from roommate troubles and the difficult search for authentic friendships to switching majors and having doubts about your path. 

“It’s going to be scary. It’s a period of instability. You will get heartbroken, you will change paths many times, and you may not feel ready to be an adult by the time you graduate college,” she said. “But it’s also a beautiful time of growth, optimism, and endless possibilities. The you sitting here is not the final version of you. It’s not version 2.0 or 3.0. You’ve got a lot more ways to go, so embrace it.”

She also told the students to take advantage of the caring faculty members and resources at Morristown Beard School.

“When I think about MBS, I think about a surplus of opportunities,” she said. “You are very privileged to be here where you have flexibility in your classes, where teachers care deeply about you, and want to help you not only graduate but succeed in life and do what you want to do. MBS is offering you an incredible opportunity right now; use it.”