Graduation Speech : Student's Confidence And Sense Of Achievement

Community colleges in the United States develop rapidly and have become a vital component of the postsecondary education delivery system. As of 2011-2012 school year, 45% of all undergraduate students were enrolled in public two-year colleges, approximately 8.3 million students (Knapp et al., 2012. Cited by AACC Fast Facts). And it seems that with globalization and Obama’s education agenda, the trend of growing enrollment in community colleges won’t change. A high school graduate who decides to pursue postsecondary education may face with a dilemma--whether enroll in a community college or a traditional four-year college. Even within a community college, a student may be faced with a choice—enroll in a vocational program and enter workforce after graduation with a vocational certification, or choose an academic program with an intention of transferring to four-year institutions.

Good afternoon [name of members of the head table], teachers, parents, students, fellow graduates and distinguished guests. I must first and foremost thank God for this blessing and honor to stand before you today as Valedictorian of the Class of 2011. Yet, today is not only my day to shine. Every graduate present here is deserving of high praise and recognition and I would like to congratulate each of you on reaching this milestone in life. I think I speak for my fellow graduates when I say that this is a moment we have always imagined and one we will remember for the rest of our lives.

Every year, there are thousands of college students that are pushed to attend college, in the sole hope that they will be able to make a respectable living. More than half of these students will not end up completing their 4-year degree. Many students are starting to take a hard look at why they are going to pursue a college degree, to determine if a degree is really their best option. College education is changing for the better, with technical and vocational skills giving less academically inclined students an option. Another reason why students should consider other options is the cost; university boards have been some of the most corrupt and wasteful spenders in the last decade and this will only change with less demand. Finally, the strenuous process of admissions has been continuously overlooked and underestimated by thousands of future students. A traditional 4-year education, that caters to the industry of university, is no longer required to be successful in the job market, and traditional admissions can become an anachronism.

Many high school students succeed with a little leniency through their four years. The transfer from high school to college becomes overwhelming and a struggle for some. For students do not comprehend the importance of changing more than their location during the transition. A student must be psychologically, physically, and emotionally mature to pursue college and not venture into a point of no return. Dropping out of college makes the outlook of the conversion difficult to acquire. Individuals should take their time on deciding which college and/or university is the best match for them. There are various reasons that cause persons not to prosper. Issues that individuals may come upon might leave a lifelong scar. Matters such as these

According to current estimates approximately 75 percent of college students are now nontraditional students – older than 25, attending school part time, and having delayed entry or reentry into college for a variety of personal reasons. Post secondary education is needed by such students to develop their careers and to acquire knowledge and skills required by a constantly changing global society. This trend is not restricted to North America; it is a worldwide phenomenon.

The achievement gap is a term that has evolved over the past decades to describe

Today, more than any other time in history, student demographics of college and university students in the United States are experiencing rapid and profound changes. Along with these increases in nontraditional student enrollment comes an increasing percentage of working nontraditional college students with a multitude of commitments that serve to create barriers to educational success that traditional student learners do not have in a traditional college setting (Wyatt, 2011). Based on this information, many institutions hurry to seek solutions to the barriers without considering the existent of the underlying causes. It becomes the conjecture that the solutions to the barriers can be met quickly; consequently, this assumption

The Great Being saith and I quote: “Regard man as a mine rich in gems of inestimable value. Education can, alone, cause it to reveal its treasures, and enable mankind to benefit therefrom”.

(Graduates of Saint Joseph’s University class of 2020, I, Nicole Schall welcome you here today to this wonderful celebration. It is so nice to see all of your smiling faces together one last time. I would like to thank President Reed, the administration, and that crazy professor who almost who almost failed me freshman year for the opportunity to speak here today. The one who almost caused me not to be standing here today. First and foremost, graduates, congratulations on all of your achievements thus far. Parents, professors, friends and family you should be proud of each and every graduate sitting here on St. Mary’s lawn today. Give yourself a round of an applause. (round of applause sound effect) Can you believe it is already graduation? Time really does fly when you’re having fun am I right? I can only speak for myself, but I’m sure many will agree with me that freshman move-in day seems like yesterday. But truth be told you all have grown since freshman move-in day, not just in height, or from the freshman fifteen, you are all smarter, brighter, and ready to take on the world.)

I want to thank you for listening to me yesterday afternoon. After a much needed soul search I re-evaluated my purpose for why I come to work Monday-Friday and my purpose is to serve kids. That’s my sole purpose and my only purpose. You asked me to send you the criteria for entering PASS. I gave you a hard copy of this information before school started, but will be happy to submit another copy to for your records. As an Aspiring Leader I know that I will encounter conflicts from both staff and students. My number one priority is to remain professional at all times. Next, find a positive solution to solve the problem. My solution to the problem that I brought to you on yesterday is this, do not give adults power to take away from the focus

II. Main Point (state as a single declarative sentence): The progress that I have made helped me lead up to writing well-developed essays. The main reason I believe my essays are improved because of the time I take on my pre-writing.

Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests, faculty, staff, graduates of the Class of 2012, families and friends.

Welcome fellow graduates and honored guests to the sixtieth anniversary of commencement for Stoll Community College. For those graduating, this day marks the culmination of a period of courage, commitment, and accomplishment. For these reasons, I am greatly honored to be chosen as student speaker for this outstanding class of graduates and I hope that my words will give a measure of justice to the significant event that has brought all of you here tonight. Hopefully, we will laugh a little, perhaps cry, and give some much-deserved praise.

Nowadays, institutions of higher education are becoming more concerned about attrition and retention rates. While receiving a post-secondary education is becoming more popular, remaining at the same institution throughout the completion of the degree is becoming less popular. According to the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (2005), 32% of first-year students who were enrolled full-time in the fall of 1999 did not return to the same institution the following fall. However, of the 32% of students who did not return to their previous institution, 40% of them enrolled at a different institution the following fall. This means that 13% of first-year students enrolled full-time end up dropping out of higher education as a whole. Many studies have been done to determine the many factors that influence whether or not a student will remain at the institution of their choice, whether they will transfer to another institution or just withdraw from college all together. While each individual’s choice depends on a number of different factors that are specific to his/her situation, researchers have been able to conclude which factors contribute more significantly to an individual leaving a college and

Change of Universities is one of the reasons why students take longer to graduate. Mostly because the credits that are offered in one institution are not counted in the other institution. Thus it is hard to keep track of what credits or courses the student has take during the non traditional 2-year institution. (Rhine, Milligan) The article by Whine and Milligan describe the adversities transfer students face coming from community colleges. One of the suggestions made to community colleges to ameliorate the transferring process of the students is close advising and creation of a goal plan. The lack of a goal erases the sense of duty and perseverance in students. If student don’t have a plan, they attend college, attend social gathering and parties, however fail to gain the knowledge or sense of direction the college provides for individuals who take advantage of advising and career development.