In 1772, the valedictorian tradition began when the student most skilled in Latin scholarship and oratory delivered the first farewell address at convocation. Sadly, I am an ignoramus at Latin. But the values embedded in it and the classical humanities have stuck with me, especially logical precision, civic consciousness, and respect for our millennia-long intellectual heritage. These values found exemplification in government and school scholarships, some global essay awards, Dean’s lists, and book prizes, as well as presentations at a conference and publications in academic journals. I am thankful that, perhaps, a wider audience may find these timeless values inspiring.