Graduation Speech : My Mba Program

A higher education has been an important priority in my life. While I realized a high school education was important, my parents expected more. They said if I wanted to succeed in life, a college education was something that I could not live without. What they don’t tell you is how exhausting and confusing the process is to get even into.

Imagine that every high school senior in the United States was tested and then upon graduation assigned to a career based off of their score. Wouldn’t that be horrible? The world would be filled with people who hate their jobs. This is just a quick example of how a single test doesn’t define our future or who we are. Standardized tests like the SAT and ACT are extremely useful for college admissions officers but the tests are way too emphasized in the college process; this is why the exam makers should improve the exams so that the emphasis put on these exams matches the results it gives back.

1. I would like to enroll in the Senior Honors Program, because I think it will be an excellent way to complete my experience as a sociology undergraduate student at UC Berkeley. Since transferring to UC Berkeley in the Fall of 2015, many of the courses I have taken have focused on research and its importance to the field of sociology. The continued exposure to the diverse topics of sociological research, as well as the varied methods researchers use to collect their data, has shown me that many of questions I ask about the social world on a daily basis are potential sociological research projects. I find this fact to be inspiring as opposed to overwhelming, and I believe that the questions that I continually ask warrant further academic exploration. I want to participate in this program, because it will place me in an environment where I will be able to find academic answers to the questions that cross my mind regularly, and ultimately mold me into a more insightful and capable student.

In the commencement speech entitled “This is Water,” the speaker came to highlight to the graduates at the commencement ceremony, what the “real world “was like because he thought they are not alert enough to know. He made reference to this through the anecdote at the beginning where the two young fish didn’t know what water was and of course water is life to fishes. Therefore, the speaker found it necessary to tell what life was really about through a commencement speech because of his opinion that they may have limited knowledge concerning it. In paragraph 6 of his speech, he states “The plain fact is that you graduating seniors do not yet have any clue what ‘day in, day out’ really means. There happen to be whole large part of adult

Growing up, all I ever heard was the word college. From the old days of kinder garden and especially up until senior year of high school my entire life revolved around what college I wanted to go to. I believe that most people see a college education as a luxury, a grand accomplishment. There’s many different type of colleges to go to; community college, state universities, and so on. For me, the biggest thing is not where I go to college. For me, the biggest thing is simply to finish my college education and be able to walk across a stage and receive my diploma. A college education is valuable to me because it will help me in life. I will benefit from a college education career-wise, financially, and personally.

A decade or two ago, a college education was considered more so a privilege rather than a choice. Today, our society takes education for granted by opting out of it because of the expenses, the stress and many other reasons that comes with going to school. Is a college education still worth having? Arguments will continually arise that it is no longer needed to be successful in today’s world. However, research and statistics continually prove that having one will remain far more beneficial than not earning one. Your time in college is the prime time for you to explore your options, make lifelong connections, and discover your strengths and weaknesses while working to earn something that will give you the feeling of pride. Life after college is significantly better for college graduates because they attract high paying employers which in turn will help earn a higher income, not to mention the added perks that will provide security and satisfaction in life. Above all those reasons, getting an education is an example and a legacy you can pass on to your children.

It has become apparent now more than ever that having a college education is an unavoidable requisite in order to better ourselves. Every year thousands of students graduate high school and start to enroll in college. Another key factor in the decision towards obtaining a college degree is the example the young student saw at home; however, not all of the young students entering college come from a family with college graduate parents, which can play as a huge motivation in their path toward their college degree. Many people see this as the start of a new journey into the path of success since most Americans grow up with the idea that a college education will help us better our lives as well as to bring us success. According to Scott-Clayton from Columbia University, “Individuals with bachelor’s degrees earn about 60 percent more than those with just a high school diploma.” Today, we must not only acquire a high school education, but also graduate with a Bachelor’s degree. A college degree itself won’t guarantee you success, but it would give you the necessary tools and knowledge to achieve economic and personal success. In the future, the knowledge you achieved from your college education will become beneficial in plenty of ways.

I think this question begs to realize why “success” and retention are issues in the first place, and that that realization is different for faculty than it is for the administration. I’ve been present at numerous faculty meetings outlining why these two things are at odds, and how we can unite them. I’ve read multiple studies on why students drop out, and heard anecdotes about what colleges and faculty do to keep community college students in school. “Success” is much more subjective than retention, which is a numbers game. Retention also provides a measurement for something as abstract as success. Ultimately, I often feel at a loss as to how to define success or bridge the college’s goals with the student’s goals, and my lack of experience shows up most conspicuously here. Over my four years at this college, I have learned to deal with this issue in two ways, and both directly deal with the students: one is to approach the issue through providing outside support, and the other is by providing inside support. This means something particular to me and there are numerous strategies I employ for each.

When I accepted my admission to Vassar, it was to pursue my second degree in dramatic arts. I came under the pretext that this was a “prestigious” program and that I would gain an immense amount of knowledge and experience as a drama student. Almost immediately I began to realize the many flaws within the dynamics of this department. Coming into the program you are required to take the intro course regardless of your theatrical experience. This requirement stands in your way of taking any other course in the department so it is a class that is a hot commodity. Somehow, in a class that originally had 39 students, only 3 of us were phenotypically Black. There can of course be other students who identify in this way, but their body does not read blackness the way mine and the body of my other 2 classmate do.

12:00 a.m., I am wide awake. I keep forcing my eyes to rest yet they pry open. My body is overloaded with joy and excitement. 7 p.m. seemed nearly impossible to arrive. The time has come and I have crossed the finish line. " I present to you the graduating class of 2017". The tears began to fall and my mind instantly began to replay the restless nights and early mornings. I have now received my high school diploma and a new has begun.

I would like to commence this speech by saying that we have all been truly blessed in being given the opportunity to celebrate our graduation with each other in such a manner. Being able to spend our final moments as a class in such an important place is wonderful, and before I delve further into this speech, I want to thank the man who allowed us to graduate from the church, Father Jenik. He’s a great preacher, a charitable bishop, and most importantly, he is a great man.

Obtain an overall GPA of 6.5 by November 2018 to guarantee me a place into Psychology Honours in 2019 at UniSA.

My Freshmen year did not begin like most college students’ because I am an “Opportunity kid”, or as some of us in the program often joke, SVC’s finest. My peers and I undertook a grueling academic boot camp that laid my foundation here at Saint Vincent. This foundation allowed me to successfully transition to college life, and I hope to help other students just as individuals in the Opportunity Program have helped to mentor and inspire me.

I am sure you have seen the increasing decline in students that are college-ready, that do not require remedial classes. Businesses are also struggling with hiring employees that are unprepared in some of the basic educational skills needed to perform their duties efficiently.

In the midst of my sophomore year, I had been given some beneficial advice on my schooling habits, from my mom. Unfortunately, I didn’t take it into account until I found out how utterly ruinous my education and career path was, due to unsatisfactory grades and my subpar attendance record. I had fallen behind an entire year’s worth of schooling. After dropping out of high school for the second time, I decided to seriously think about my mother’s suggestion.