“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”
I will fight contentment.
I want to be happy, of course. But not content. Never content.

I will choose to engage.
Not just listen, but feel. Not just talk, but connect. Not just reach out, but touch.

I will ache with ambition.
To constantly learn. To consistently impact. To conscientiously solve.

I will seek adventure.
Far-away. Close-by. In-between.

I will take a stand.
Surrounded by a crowd. With a solitary few. All alone.

I will listen and share.
My dreams. Your dreams. Our dreams.

I will longingly love.
Her voice. Her smile. Her tears.

I will remember to play.
Competing fiercely. Supporting fully. Participating fairly.

I will cultivate creativity.
In myself and others. At work and home. For labor and fun.

I will reject regret.
I want to reflect, of course. But not regret. Never regret.

— Robert Schwartz

The Portrait Project

Each year we ask our classmates a straightforward, simple question taken from the lines of a poem by Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Mary Oliver. We share with you intimate and candid responses to this question, "Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"

Concept and photography: Tony Deifell, MBA '02

More Portrait Project