Friday, June 12, 2020

Commencement Address


It is graduation season, High School, College and Graduate schools all have students finishing their formal education.  A common feature of graduations, is a commencement speaker.  I am unlikely to ever be invited as a commencement speaker, if I was here is some of what I would have to say: 

You came here via a variety of paths.  For some of you, your families started planning for this day, before you were conceived,  some of you are following the footsteps of older sibling, parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents.  Some of you are the first in your family to stand where you stand today.  For some, this was given to you, others have earned and paid for every book, every class, every page of printer paper.  Some of you will finish debt free, others will be paying for this for years to come.  And that is okay.  None of my grandparents finished high school, my mother did, my father earned his GED after his youngest finished high school.  

I was the first in my family to earn a college degree, working full time and going to school half time I earned it and paid for it.  I went on to earn a doctorate in my field, for that I took on enough in student loans to buy a new Mercedes, I sacrificed and paid off my loans in less than 8 years.  

How you got here, and how this was paid for no longer matters, you have earned the degree, it is yours and no one can ever take that away from you.  You are among the most highly educated people on earth.  

Your education is not ending today, it is just beginning.  If your high school, college or graduate program has succeeded, you have learned how to learn, how to form questions, seek information, develop understanding and connections, express and back up an informed opinion.  You have learned how to communicate in a complex world.  You have learned from the past, so that you understand the present and shape the future.  You have learned about science, real science based on verifiable facts.  You have learned to understand interactions between people and beings.  You have developed an understanding of numbers, mathematics, and economics.  

Never stop learning.  Let a healthy curiosity about the world take you to places and understanding you have never dreamed of.  Like a tomato, as long as you are growing you are healthy, the moment you are ripe, you start to rot.  Never let your quest for knowledge end, read, listen, travel, explore, experiment, experience the world and beyond.  Do it because you can.  Break free of your past and create the future, and please take us along for the ride. 
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What one piece of advice do you have for this years graduates? 

14 comments:

  1. My advice. PLEASE VOTE!!!!!!!

    I enjoyed you speech very much. But you don't look the LEAST bit nervous in the air box!!!!!!!

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    1. Must vote, I took this in Chicago the box was fine, the crowd to get there was insane.

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  2. Anonymous6/12/2020

    I could not do better, although I might add in 'while you may see black and white now' (not a racial reference, and not sure why I felt the need to even say so) 'as you mature you will begin to see lots of grey. Do not have a closed mind and try to see grey early in your life. You as educated young people may be appalled at the leadership of our country, but looks at the reasons behind why he was elected and you as the new educated generation may be able to address some of the issues and reasons'. Sorry for going political but I think I am right.

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    1. There are reasons why, we end up with the government we have, we need to change those.

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  3. stand up for the values you hold dear. have a hobby you enjoy. take time each day to just breathe. call out the hate wherever it might be. smile. respect yourself.

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    Replies
    1. Just back from a walk, take time for yourself.

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  4. Wow, you should be asked to address the graduates. Those are some very wise and encouraging words. I especially like "you have learned how to learn". What could be more important?

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    1. College changed me in fundamental ways for the better.

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  5. Very insightful, sensitive and sound message. Be patient, they are still yet young and it may take a bit of living before your advice emerges as reality, but you have laid the mental groundwork for getting
    the best and most out of life, a worthy life. I would just add.. "love
    on another...even for your own sake..."

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  6. Replies
    1. Good advice, patience is truly a virtue.

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