David Wallace Foster’s Kenyon College Commencement Speech is extremely successful for a multitude of reasons. It is not so much inspirational or revolutionary or epic, just simply honest. His speech is blunt about what people will face in their life after education. That adult life is boring, repetitive, trivial, tiring. Yet despite being adult life being unsatisfactory, Wallace always says it will only be those things because of your perspective.…
Oprah Winfrey is one of the greatest public speakers of all times. She is a born leader and a powerful public speaker. She is on the top of the list not only because of her communication style, or her speaking skills, but because of the honesty with which she speaks. She knows what she’s saying, because she says everything from her heart. She is a straightforward person who uses clear words to grab her audience’s attention…
Dr. Karsonya Wise Whitehead is a mother, activist, and professor. In her speech for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day Memorial Convocation “From Black Power to Black Lives Matter,” she asked her audience, “What can you do and what are you doing?” This question resonated with me for I have asked myself the same question. When faced with the news of brutality and more lost souls, I cannot help but wonder what can be done about such injustice? This pain and disregard for human life, especially for those of color, has continued to be a systematic issue for centuries.…
Ultimately, my purpose and responsibility after attending Howard is to ensure that future students continue to receive the same opportunities that were granted to me. One of my first commitments that will ultimately carry out my legacy is a scholarship that I intend to create as a Howard alumni. I do not aim to limit my legacy to the years following my graduation. My legacy at Howard University begins the moment I step foot on campus.…
Before I entered college, I never asked myself why I wanted to go on to higher education. I just assumed it was normal to go on to postsecondary education, just like my older brothers and my parents did. Not even once did my high school councilors talk to my class about alternative education, it was always college, college, college, from day one. So in turn, I never pondered the questions; where am I going?, why am I doing this?,or, what is the purpose of all this? As Alina Tugend, New York Times journalist, writes in her article “Vocation or Exploration: Pondering the Purpose of College,” she asks the question, what is the purpose of college education.…
On his way out of the Founders’ Day awards ceremony, Dr. Shin-Tson Wu, pegasus professor of the College of Optics and Photonics at UCF, was congratulated by numerous colleagues for his recognition and awards he received at the ceremony. With a big smile and a lot of humility, he graciously accepted the congratulations. “I want to thank God and my family for their support, my students for their creative work and UCF for such a great opportunity,” Wu said. Wu was one of the many faculty, staff and students honored Wednesday at the Founders’ Day Honors Convocation held in the Pegasus Grand Ballroom at the UCF Student Union.…
Good morning Mr. Ian Morris, Mrs. Grazia de Bettaglio, staff members, teachers, parents, fellow students, and inductees. It is a pleasure for me to reunite with all of you in a new campus, on such a significant ceremony. I am really happy and pleased to see the new members, who are about to join the National Honor Society. Students that due to their outstanding service, character, leadership and scholarship have been granted the opportunity to join such prestigious group.…
John F. Kennedy was president from 1961 to 1963, in the height of the Cold War. During his presidency, the Cuban Missile Crisis occurred, which was the closet that the United States and Soviet Union ever came to war. Less than a year after this event, in 1963 President Kennedy gave an impassioned commencement speech at American University. His speech was not filled with inflammatory rhetoric, like calling the Soviet Union an “evil empire” as Ronald Reagan famously would. His speech instead, called for peace, disarmament, and cooperation between the two countries.…
Hardworking, relatable, educated, confident, and successful is what we all strive to be. One woman who obtains all of these traits is none other than Oprah Gail Winfrey. Oprah is the prime example of one who "rises from the ashes. " She overcame great hardships throughout her life and she did not let anything get in her way.…
A defining moment, for those fortunate enough, is one’s college career. It is a time of self-discovery, new experiences, independence, but above all, the time to work toward a higher education. Adrienne Rich, in her convocation speech “Claiming an Education,” highlights the vital importance of higher education. Moreover, Rich seeks to empower the young women in the audience to seize control of their education. In her speech, Rich explains that it is not only important for women to attain a college degree, but to take command of their education (and their lives in general) by resisting society’s traditional view of women.…
At the start of my Moeller High School career, I began my journey to become a man, a man of service, and more importantly a man in the Marianist tradition. When I began my journey, I could not have imagined the change in the person I once was to the person I am today. My change is credited to receiving an education that prompts the Marianist tradition. This tradition, not only fostered my grow in learning and in faith, it provided me with a sense of community and family spirit that supported and encouraged me to achieve my very best. This encouragement allowed me to grow as a leader.…
Hello Daniel, I would like to seize this opportunity to acquire information about you as we start this class. Wow, you have certainly had a difficult time attempting to complete your criminal justice degree. Never fear, I have every confidence that you will achieve your degree and will do so with no issues to speak of. The word genius fails to describe me; however, I will assist you in any way possible. Hunting and fishing is something that I have tried numerous times but has not actually become a favorite outdoor hobby of mine.…
The American dream is often thought of by the powerful phrase from the United States Declaration of Independence, which states in part “the preservation of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” What the signers of the Declaration of Independence acknowledged is that the preservation of these rights comes from endeavoring through hard work and dedication. Unfortunately, their idea of work has become alienated by modern economy and those who strive to earn more than their fair share without the necessary work to support their aspirations. The book Every Good Endeavor by Timothy Kelley with Katherine Leary Alsdorf captures these exact concepts.…
An event in my life that will influence my academic goals at CCU was the passing of my mother on 09/16/2015. She passed so suddenly that we weren’t prepared, neither mentally nor financially. We didn’t know how we were going to pay for her services but God allowed generous people to be moved to donate to our memorial fund. We reached our goal and then some and it was just so inspiring, I felt God was with me and my siblings every step of the way. When she passed God gave me His peace and allowed me to grieve supernaturally quickly.…
The meaning of life is a question that many people have wondered about since human existence. The life we live should have meaning, but if it does what is that meaning. The meaning of life is most likely not a definition, but a form of life. The meaning of life can be seen as living life a certain way that fulfills the function of life. The overall goal of almost all humans is to be happy and experience love.…