Marc Lamont Hill's Speech To California State University

On Sunday, May 23, 1999, Anna Quindlen made the Commencement Speech at Mount Holyoke College. During this speech, Quindlen spoke out to graduates, offering encouragement and advice as they prepared to join the workforce. Her intension was to inform them of perfection, people’s standards, and being you. Quindlen uses examples from her life to fulfill her purpose.

President Barack Obama spoke his remarks at Howard University commencement ceremony for the class of 2016. This special moment in the speech is honoring people of color, especially African Americans and made history at this University, having the president to present his speech (Donnella). Obama explained how America was different when he graduated college and society is now accepting new cultures and backgrounds within today’s workforce and education. Obama wants the audience to take opportunities and learning new skills to expand their education.

For almost two centuries, the system of public education has honored the best and the brightest high school graduates with the honorable titles of valedictorian and salutatorian.Though these titles have been a valued part of graduation for what seem like the entire history of American public schooling, they are under heavy scrutiny as impassioned and angry parents, as well as their hardworking students, attack the idea of only recognizing one or two of the class’s most talented seniors. In “Best in Class”, reporter Margaret Talbot challenges the traditional system of choosing a single valedictorian by by exposing the emotional opposition to the system’s change or preservation; her use of emotional dialogue as well as far less emotional, far more objective writing style allows Talbot to emphasize specific ideas and opinions with syntax to avoid confrontation, while simultaneously establishing that it is time for the traditional system of valedictory to change.

As I wait for my name to be called up for the HSF Alumni Hall of Fame award. I look back twenty-eight years through the past and reclaim every emotional, inspiring and sacrifice I have put down in order to reach my full potential. Reimagining the great moment of when I graduate debt free from George Mason University with a Masters in Business Administration and the first in the family to achieve a diploma from college. As a kid, education has been an important asset in my life. Especially coming from a country that lacks an effective education system.

When my name was called, I rose and purposefully strode to the podium to address my audience. In that the moment I had the eyes of hundreds of individuals, including the teachers and administrators who recalled last year’s defining moment, watching and wondering what would happen next. In the pursuing span of minutes, I held at my disposal countless minds that could be changed and opinions that could be influenced based on my clear and concise communication. The speech was triumphant and to a certain extent, redemptive. To attain the long sought after and much coveted goal of a proper speech, delivered well, was much sweeter than the ensuing campaign victory. After the speeches and assembly concluded and the audience had dispersed, I sat alone in that same spot realizing that I was no longer the untested apprentice. The ideas of persistence, grit, hard-work, and preparation had actual concrete meaning to me as opposed to just being words on a page. No physical metamorphosis had taken place, but as I walked out of that building and into the shining Spring sun, the child who went into that building a year prior was not the man who exited today. My thinking changed, for I now understood and embraced the age old axiom, “If you want something bad enough, you have to work for

Every Saturday morning while the majority of the student body is still fast asleep, I am pouring coffee and preparing for work. I am a Student Ambassador, a job which entails guiding prospective students around campus, encouraging them to become a part of the Mount Union family. Not long ago I was in their footsteps; a prospective student searching for the school that would become my home away from home. My dad, an alumni of Mount Union, enthusiastically retold the memories of his experiences at the university. Memories, which he claimed, “shaped him into the man he is today.” Little did I know that I too would follow in my father's footsteps and grow to find a forever home within the Mount Union community.

But special congratulations to you graduates. Before we get to the Life Advice You’ll Soon Forget portion of the program, I want to engage in a time-honored tradition of American commencement addresses: Stealing from other commencement addresses, in this case one by the children’s television host Fred Rogers. Think, if you will, of some of the people who helped get you to today, people who’ve loved you and without whose care and generosity you might not have found yourself here, graduating from Butler, or watching someone you love graduate, or seeing your students graduate. Think for one minute of those who have loved you up into this day. I’ll keep the time.

As the imminent conclusion of the 13 year journey at Vancouver College approaches, there is certainly a realization of how Vancouver College has shaped our fundamentals and enriched the principles and perspectives which shape the person I am proud to be today. In truth, this imminent conclusion of my time at such a fine institution, as well as the commencement into a new chapter of our lives, conjures a fusion of emotions of nostalgia and appreciation. I would also like to thank my parents, MSQUAD (MPxMCxML), SSOAN, Mr. Kim, Mr. Pineda, Mr. Shin, Mr. Slivinski, Br. Conti, and Mrs Vernier, who have been so supportive throughout my years at Vancouver College. As we enter a new chapter in life, I genuinely wish all the best to my fellow classmates

I felt as if I was ,in a sense, finally measuring up to my peers. Once I sat back down, I started to enjoy the ceremony more. I observed as the number ten group received their award for having over 1,000 hours of community service, the group eleven, then group twelve and so on. Patiently, I awaited for Mr. Bravo to hold up the twenty one in order to receive my last award. When he finally did, I stood up and began to walk toward the stage’s stairs, but I noticed that I was the only one there. The times I went up before, I could hear the sound of chairs folding up and students chattering as they walk to get in line. But not this time. All you could here were the clicks of my heels. I began to feel even more nervous now. I had absolutely no clue what the award was for. Why was I the only one here. “Is it a special award? Did I read the number wrong? Was I in line for the wrong number?” My mind began to overflow with these questions. This time my principle began with “Our next award is being presented to a special student whom the counseling staff has chosen as this years Champion of Character for her extraordinary high school growth.” She then continued with “Congratulations to Ms. Leslie Ruiz.” I proceeded to walk on stage and receive my award. I was very nervous as I stood on stage alone, but I also felt very honored and ecstatic to receive such a special award. From a distance I could see my parents and my boyfriend as they

Today’s achievements may fade or even be forgotten. The applause may become a distant memory and certificates may gather dust on a shelf. But, we will always be remembered for caring enough, for our compassion, and for helping those who do not have a voice. Once again, congratulations to the graduating class of

Graduation day is one of the most important and exciting events in the life of any student. Universities invite politicians, notable honorable citizens, artists or even celebrities to be the keynote speaker. The speaker has the freedom to express himself/herself on his or her own unique way. The Tulane University class of 2009 or “Katrina Class” were honored to have Ellen DeGeneres not only congratulate them, but give them a commencement speech also. They got the name “Katrina Class” for being the survivors of the devastating Hurricane Katrina back in 2005. DeGeneres, known for her captivating personality, addressed a commencement speech that was inspirational, humorous, personal, and appropriate for the situation at the Louisiana Superdome on May 9, 2009. DeGeneres uses humor in most of her speech, but also shares the hardships she went through before her huge success. She does this to inspire and motivate the

Steve begins his speech by humbling himself to the audience by saying “I am honored to with you today…” He then goes on to create a sense of humor by following with, “I never graduated from college. Truth be told, this is the closest I’ve ever gotten to a college graduation.” Within a few sentences he is able to establish a connection with the audience and release some apprehension of what is to come. I am, already, able to determine that this is not going to be a normal commencement speech. Instead of painting a picture of a great future for the graduates and that everything will go their way, he tackles the actual issues they will face in life, with or without a college education.

Graduates I want you to know that today your parents, family members and teachers are very proud of you. They know that your future is filled with success and that today you have only reached the tip of your potential and prosperity. Take a good look behind you. They’re all smiling and taking pictures so that they can forever record this special day. They’re all just as excited and joyous as you, but for different reasons. The teachers are happy and relieved because they don’t have to spend another year with you wild children who always complain about homework or projects. But on the other hand the parents are elated due to the fact that you got through 10 years of school. But parents hold your horses you still

A commencement speech is a speech given to graduating students to congratulate them on earning their degree and used to give them a few words of advice before they go. However, commencement speeches do not always have the same message. The speeches will vary between speakers and I will analyze two commencement speeches and show how different they can be from one another. These speeches are: Jim Carrey’s speech hosted at Maharishi University of Management and Bill Gates speech hosted at the University of Harvard. The differences analyzed between the speeches will be the general topic, how the topic is delivered, how the text appeals to values and emotions, how the topics are made credible, and the evidence behind the claims.

Your graduation theme is “Building Excellence, Leading the Way”. In this regard, institutional responses to pursuit of quality and accessible education had been diverse and I commend the school for doing its share.