2024
The overwhelming emotion upon reading this letter is inspiration, I believe that Carl Doney speaks in a way that unites people, and sets people on a path towards being a better person. I found a few things in the letter stood out to me the most. Firstly, he says the phrase ‘measure success with the right yard-stick’. I think this is an incredibly relevant point of view, and I can’t quite fathom the fact it is from 1910. This attitude, I thought, was very modern – as today the trend appears to be to forget about money, and instead pursue inner happiness, which I believe is the correct path. Therefore, it is very surprising to me that these Doney had cracked this over 100 years ago – it shows that he was a very wise, thoughtful leader. The second thing that stood out to me was how often his messages and values circled back to Christianity and Jesus Christ. I am not a religious person, but I find it fascinating how religion can be used as a median for differentiating right and wrong, and finding the path that is pure and will bring happiness. I have lived all my life not believing in a higher power, but I can appreciate how it has helped people stay committed to doing the right thing at most crossroads, and committed to finding happiness. I would have very much liked to have had Carl Doney as my president, his words have very much gotten through to me, even now 100 years later.
Reading President Carl Doney’s 1910 letter To the Student made me rediscover why I decided to attend college. So often, I go through my week distracted by challenges and stressed that I forget about the desire for learning that brought me to the halls of knowledge on Wesleyan’s campus. The last paragraph of Doney’s letter, in particular, struck a chord with me because I feel that a large portion of the energy I waste on worrying could be better suited for engaging in spiritual discovery, which he says will, in turn, reveal my role in society and my purpose for the betterment of humanity. I agree with President Doney’s words about having a purpose behind the life you lead, basing your endeavors on a worthy cause, and not seeking glory or fame as the ultimate goal. Although my confidence concerning my purpose in the world tends to fluctuate, I have always understood deep down that I can improve the world just by being myself. Many times this year, my friends have reminded me just how impactful my presence is when I tell jokes or share my poems, and during my life, I hope I can do the same for more people, even if it means I never amass any great fortune. Perhaps then, encouragement should be the sun in my universe, to fulfill my life in ways that knowledge cannot. With these revelations, I thank President Doney for writing his letter back in 1910 with foresight, speaking directly to the soul of each generation.
President Doney’s letter to the students was extremely well-written. You can see that he cares about college students and wants us all to succeed. I like that it emphasizes how difficult college can and will be, but also how college students are not ordinary students and that we all have the potential to be successful. My favorite part of President Doney’s letter was the statement he made about being selfish. Many people define success as being wealthy, but that isn’t the right reason to go to college. Doney states we should be getting an education to serve our generation, not because of our own selfish motives. We, as students, should be motivated to attend school so that we can serve others and the world can benefit from our knowledge. Reading this letter has helped motivate me to study, learn, and appreciate my time in college right now. These four years will go by fast, and I am lucky to have the opportunity to be here.
In President Doney’s letter to the student from the 1910 Murmurmontis, he emphasizes the significance of being a college student and the responsibilities that come with it. He highlights the importance of understanding one’s purpose, utilizing knowledge for the greater good, and embracing the spirit of the college community. President Doney urges students to cultivate a sense of character and integrity, emphasizing that education should not only enrich their lives but also benefit society as a whole. This message continues to resonate with students today, serving as a timeless reminder of the opportunities and responsibilities that come with higher education.
In President Doney’s letter to the students of Wesleyan I found myself thinking that he wrote that for me too. I feel like those words of inspiration from President Doney should have been passed down to every class since he wrote it. Honestly if I had the money or leadership at Wesleyan to create a stone statue with those exact words and put it on campus I would. Some of the words really spoke to me directly like; “You should clearly tell yourself why you are here. Motive always counts; and with you it will be either a high-souled melody to make life a glory or a dull discord to drive you to unworthy tasks. Your motive must lie outside a selfish interest.” those words really spoke to me because a lot of times in classes that don’t have anything to do with my major (Creative Writing) I find myself complaining about having to take that course and putting off homework. But that quote reminded me that I must remember why I am at Wesleyan and those are: 1. To create a bright future for myself and my family one day. 2. To be well-rounded. 3. To be fully educated on many topics of the world.
2018
First of all, that was the best worded letter that I have ever read! It was better than most of the books I’ve ever read. You could tell that Carl was a well-educated man. He is right with the difficultly of college, but at the same time, the joys of it. When he talks about the spirt of Wesleyan, I feel it. It’s like it gets inside of you and stays there forever.
When he said this, “You should clearly tell yourself why you’re here,” it stuck with me. Sure, there are days when I cry, when I get frustrated, and when I tell myself I can’t do it. But I tell myself your going to get through it and be the best nurse you can be. With all of the health problems that I’ve had, I know I can make it through. Those words he said are inspiring. Anyone can it make it through anything as long as they really want it, and that’s what I’m going to do!
Carl Doney wrote a letter to students that was included in the 1910 Murmurmontis. It is a very encouraging and inspirational letter, and gives students important and useful tips that will help them be successful in college. In the third paragraph Doney wrote, “You should clearly tell yourself why you are here”. He continued by saying “You are here to make a big success of life”. At the end of his letter Doney wrote, “Make your mind that here at Wesleyan you will fully realize yourself, that you will be educated to a rich, full, strong life of which the world shall get the benefit.
It is important for college students to read this letter because it reminds them of how lucky they are to be able to get a college education. Not every student in the world is able to go to college, and sometimes students that have the opportunity to attend college and get a good education take advantage of it, and don’t take college seriously. I am glad that as a college freshman, I was able to read that letter, and I will use some of the tips for the rest of my college career.
In Carl Doney’s letter to a student he talks about becoming a student and how there will be challenges. There will be challenges every year and you must be strong to over come them. He talks about going to college to becoming a better you and becoming better for the world around you. He says if you are solving your problems for money or attention then you are selfish. He says “If you truly serve your generation by the will of God and for love of men your statue will be pure and white.” He says that Welseyan has the spirit that is brave, strong and clean and he wants us to do as that so. He wants us students here at Wesleyan to be the best we can be and to be full of good spirit and be well educated so that we can share it with the world around us.
With this being my first year in college I have already had challenges. But being here at Wesleyan I know that there are people around to help me. I love Wesleyan so far and it has gotten me to come out of my box and try new things. I want to have the full experience of college by the time I graduate. Going to different events has given me opportunity or more knowledge. I want to keep on going to things like FCA to further my relationship with the bible.
In the Letter to the Student, I feel that he is focused on a few key points that will lead you to success at WV Wesleyan. I think the points are: 1. Do not cheat your way through college. 2. Get involved. 3. Don’t give up or settle for less. & 4. Have fun. He doesn’t say these points directly, but I feel that he’s indirectly stating them. He mentions things like, “motive always counts” or “you should get the spirit of your college” and that’s why I feel that he is trying to tell us what’s the most important and what counts the most.
I found this letter to be very informative with what all I should expect as a student at WV Wesleyan. I thought it gave good advice and focused on the important aspects of the college. I also liked how he focused a lot on the determination all students should have. He pretty much states, don’t cheat your way through college; it will get you no where in life, and then you’ll be known as average, and you want to be more than average. But he also mentions to have fun along the way; to get involved and not to be a nobody. That’s how I want my college experience to be. Fun and informative, but most important, successful.
In Carl Doney’s letter to the students, he explains that college students are not ordinary people. As a college student, you have chosen to further your education so that you can be somebody some day, and you want to be successful in life. Doney explains that as a student, you are an investment, and that other people sacrifice in order for you to go to college. He says that you must have a motive in order to accomplish goals. He says that you should get the spirit of your college. And lastly, he thinks you should be spiritual yourself and embrace your character.
In this letter, I think Doney wants college students to embrace the full college experience while gaining as much knowledge as possible. He doesn’t want students to take the college life for granted. He wants them to try their best, and be involved with Wesleyan or “get the spirit of your college.” I love when he said that students are here to be successful, and should have a positive motive. My favorite quote of this letter is when he said “The self-centered man has chosen a poor sun for his universe; it can neither hold his planets in their proper orbits nor light them on their way” because its true.
In Carl Doney’s letter, he first congratulates us as students for simply being college students. He says that being a college student is no ordinary thing and that students show a love and an appreciation for their academics. Doney claims that we are investments and that it will take awhile for us to get adjusted to all of the new responsibilities we have. He also mentions that finding the motivation to put towards school is a big factor in how successful one will be.
In the middle of the letter, he claims that each year it will get harder and harder, but if we cling to those challenges, we will be highly successful. The spirit of the College is the same as us having a personality. Doney mentions that if a College has an unchristian or sordid spirit, to leave it and find one that is “brave and clean and strong. I think that is the spirit of Wesleyan.” I can agree with him on the spirit of Wesleyan. I think my decision on school will lead me to so many opportunities, just as Doney mentions in the end of the letter.
I love this letter. It is absolutely timeless. Carl Doney says that we will face greater challenges than any generation before us, and I am sure this was true back when he wrote it, but it is still true today. His passage about finding a school with the spirit you want to embody really hit home for me. I chose Wesleyan because I just felt like it was right. It was well-accredited and had a spotless reputation (I asked everyone who had a connection). More than anything though, being on campus just felt right. I guess now, Doney’s explanation can explain that feeling in a wordier, more mature sense. The spirit of the school aligned with what I want for my life. I like what he said about having a motive for being here, and that that motive can’t be selfish, or you’ll never be satisfied with it. That’s something I don’t think about enough. When I think about why I came to college and the reasons that I stay, they mostly have to do with my love of learning. I don’t have an exact path for a career, and I’m not even sure about my major. My hope was, and still is, that if I can get the spirit of the school I choose to go to college at right, then I should have the resources to make my decisions about my career. And I feel like that is the case here, whatever that career may look like. How can we be expected to know upon this first venture into almost-adulthood?
I really enjoyed reading this letter. I like how Carl Doney appreciates college students and realizes how hard they work everyday to be successful. It really gave me some motivation to finish out this semester strong, this has been such a long and challenging semester. It is important to keep up your motivation and confidence because that gets you farther in life than being the opposite. Carl Doney emphasized that in his letter along with not being too self-centered, because you don’t realize the life around you.
He also discusses the challenges within life and I think that is a very good topic to hit on. Especially to new students at Wesleyan because there is so much change in such a short amount of time. It’s almost like you sink or swim. However, the faculty and staff at Wesleyan have been super helpful and make sure you are accomodated during your transition. Another important aspect Doney touched on was being spirited with your school. It really is important to have school spirit and believe in the school you attend. If you don’t believe in the programs or the success, it won’t get you far.
Overall, I thought Doney’s letter was very fitting for me being an incoming freshman. Even though it was written a few decades ago, it is still relevant today and all freshmen should be required to read it.
As a first generation college student, I love the very first line. I finally made it and I am a college student. I love “A vision somewhere fell upon his life and he has gone out to realize it”. This line speaks wonders to me. I have a vision of becoming a Family Nurse Practitioner and I am at Wesleyan to reach that goal.
This letter is very motivational. Reading this letter makes me never want to give up and to keep trying even when things get tough. It makes me want to be a better college student. Every line in this article has a very meaningful reasoning behind it, I feel like when you come for orientation in the fall that you should get this letter in your folder of things. It would be a great way to kick off the new year. I wish I read this before starting freshman year. Not only will it speak to all students but will mean more for first generation college students I think because of how inspiring and motivational it is.
From reading Carl Doney’s Letter to the Student I have learned to appreciate to be going to college. He wrote about how being a student is an investment and I think he means that it requires a lot of hard work, time, and even money to get to the college level and be at the college level. He seems to also being saying that your parents will always support and sacrifice anything as long as you will become successful and better yourself. Some people don’t get this kind of experience in their life, so I should be very appreciative that I am in college.
Carl Doney also states to not be selfish/self-centered. I think what he means by this is that sometimes you have to give up the fun you want to have and work for the successful life you will have after you are done at Wesleyan. He also shares about how you are going to be tested and challenged throughout these 4 years and that how you approach these challenges will also define you as a person. He also talks about how you should be involved cause you only go to college once.
First of all, that was the best worded letter that I have ever read! It was better than most of the books I’ve ever read. You could tell that Carl was a well-educated man. He is right with the difficultly of college, but at the same time, the joys of it. When he talks about the spirt of Wesleyan, I feel it. It’s like it gets inside of you and stays there forever.
When he said this, “You should clearly tell yourself why you’re here,” it stuck with me. Sure, there are days when I cry, when I get frustrated, and when I tell myself I can’t do it. But I tell myself your going to get through it and be the best nurse you can be. With all of the health problems that I’ve had, I know I can make it through. Those words he said are inspiring. Anyone can it make it through anything as long as they really want it, and that’s what I’m going to do!
I think what Carl Doney was trying to say in his letter to the student is that there will be hard work in our future and it is up to us to make the most out of this opportunity and not slack no our work because we are going to be the people responsible for the future. I also think that he is telling us not to give up on ourselves and to keep pushing forward no matter what.
I strongly agree with Carl Doney in that we are going to have hard work in front of us and things are going to be challenging but we must push through these hardships. We are the future of this country and world not only as students but as people and it is not only going to be the school work that is going to be hard but life in general is going to throw obstacles in our way that we must over come.
College is the best four years of your life, or so I am told. And while I find that to be true, it also comes with great responsibility. Responsibility not only to myself to make the grades, excel in my chosen sport and grow in knowledge, but responsibility to others. My parents have sacrificed a lot to send me to college. I owe a responsibility to them to do my best and be the best person I can be.
I also have a responsibility to others. Whether it be classmates, teammates or professors, I believe I have a responsibility to be an example and a selfless person. I am looking forward to the next four years, these best years of my life, and spending them at Wesleyan.
In the letter to the students, he states that knowledge is power, and this is very much true. My dad always told me when I was growing up was that the only thing people can’t take from you is your education. It makes me proud reading this letter.
I feel like I am able to accomplish my dreams by the way he describes what a college student is. He says that college students have chosen themselves by their desire and appreciation for scholarship and ideas.