2013 COMMENCEMENT SPEECH GALORE AT SELECTED AMERICAN UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES BY PROMINENT POLITICAL AND BUSINESS LEADERS.
By: Lamin Sabally, Minneapolis, Minnesota
It has been another round of jubilant ritual times in May and June during which several universities and colleges in the US joyfully churn out several thousand of graduates in traditional colorful and merry-making graduation ceremonies having finished their degrees such as Associate’s, Bachelor’s Master’s and Doctorate degrees in varying disciplines.
Graduations are considered to be moments of celebrating milestone academic achievements. Others call it celebration of the impossible by acquiring a university degree to jump-start one’s journey to living a decent life with the good paying job. However, these universities are spewing out graduates at a time the US economy is in a limping and crippling shape with promising signs of noticeable sluggish recovery.
With the courtesy of American Public Television Network, C-SPAN (Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network), this piece scoops up a few stupendously -delivered commencement speeches by prominent political heavyweights and business moguls including President Barack Obama in selected schools around the US.
President Barack Obama @ the US Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland
The president forcefully decried the disgusting rise of sexual harassment in the military and passionately called for an end to it among men and women of the best military in the world in order to restore its besmirched image. He called for trust and recognized this batch of graduates as the most diverse class to graduate from the Naval Academy. Mr. Obama renewed his determination to make the US army the best trained, best equipped and best sophisticated in the World. This year’s graduates from the prestigious military college included military students from countries including Panama, Taiwan, Poland, Georgia, South Africa and the Philippines.
Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas
The former vice presidential aspirant dwelt on faith as a guiding principle and noted that searching faith is an arduous task. Its discovery, he noted, is effectively done through debate, deep thoughts and religious liberty. Congressman Ryan posited that among these three, religion is the best method for faith discovery, and that his religious faith supports free enterprise because of their contributions to social advancement. Ryan however observed that greed and self-interest on the part of politicians have caused major implements to the flourishing and expansion of free enterprise.
Nancy Pelosi (D- California), University of Baltimore Law School.
The former House Speaker, who is now the Democrat Minority Leader, is a Baltimore native, where her father and brother both served as city mayor. A proud receipt of law degree conferred on her by the university, the House Democrat leader said public service is essential and encourage graduates to venture into it in order to deal with the ballooning challenges of American democracy. Some of these mounting challenges, she observed, include educational inequality, voting rights, women rights, civil rights and justice for all. She indicated that some of the entrenched foundations of our democracy include the middle-class, which she said must be strengthened. Mrs. Pelosi said efforts need to be created to restore confidence in the economy with the creation of new jobs for the rejuvenation of the American dream by addressing the colossal income disparity. She revealed some of the disparities are evidenced by CEO Salary which is 350 times that of the average American worker. Speaking on immigration, the former speaker said new comers reinvigorate the American Dream and therefore opined that a comprehensive immigration bill must pass to solidify that re-invigoration immigrants bring to the United States.
Rep. Peter King (R-New York), St John’s University.
The New York Republican House member dilated extensively on free speech and elucidated on the importance of receptiveness to opposing opinions as integral to the US democracy. A member of the House Homeland Security and Intelligence Committee, Rep King recognized the prevalence of desire for excessive wealth, status and power by many institutions and individuals, but praised St. John University’s exemplary commitment to avoiding these, but rather being heavily committed to other’s plights and needs. He saluted the concerted bravery of New Yorkers during the tragic visit of the adversity caused by super storm sandy which left trails of unquantifiable devastations during the November Presidential elections campaign times in New York and New Orleans.
Rep. Bill Flores (R-Texas), Waco College, Texas
His speech was a flawless orientation on the core values of leadership such as trust, honesty and integrity. He advised against excessive pride when leading others, which he said engenders arrogance. The former oil executive recommended that success must not away be measured by monetary gains, and in his explicit conviction, success encompasses many things such as how one raises their children.
Senator Mark Warner (D-Virginia), George Mason University
Part of the senator’s presentation echoed the call by former speaker Nancy Pelosi on the importance of diversity brought about by immigration inflow to the US, and equally requested that the pending comprehensive immigration bill be enacted with rapidity, adding, “diversity makes us stronger”. The senator then gave a 3-point advice to the graduates; that they must strive to achieve their goals but counseled that this must not be limited to just set goals, that they must not just be responsible to themselves, but also to the community, country and the world, and that they must fully participate in the nation’s debates but not promote those that are polarizing and divisive. “No one has monopoly over virtue, patriotism and the truth” he cautioned and told the graduates that in the process of debating, no one should question other’s patriotism in case they have differing views.
Senator Elizabeth Warner (D- Mass), Framingham State University
The first time senator said good education is a foundation for economic prosperity, indicating that a college degree “puts a lot in the corner”. Warner who is former law professor guided graduates to always consider the unexpected when planning; saying improbable plans can bring about unexpected successes and satisfaction. She added, “Whether you have plans or not, always put a little space in your heart for the improbable”. In case this fails, this will give the latitude for alternatives.
Robert Mueller, FBI Director @ College of William and Mary in Virginia
At this graduation ceremony, the US spy chief was given a superbly-executed introduction by former Defense Secretary, Robert Gates, who is the chancellor of this college. The FBI director saw graduation as a fulfillment of hopes and dreams and advised graduates to be honest and have integrity in their future career undertakings. He opined that one can be persuasive, aggressive and smart, but in the absence of these two, a person’s fine attributes are bespattered. The US spy czar then offered two excellent prescriptions in the form of honesty and trust to the graduates as they set out to work either in private or public service in pursuit of their career path.
Federal Economic Bureau Chairman, Ben Bernanke, Bard College
Speaking to graduates at this small Liberal Arts College, the FED Chairman extensively unearthed genesis of economic growth and development dating as far back as the emergence of agricultural mechanization that metamorphosed into industrialization then to Information Technological revolution which is a dependable driver of economic advancement. An economist by profession, the chief US economist laid a strong link between IT revolution and the ongoing global economic transformation, saying the linkage is a purveyor of innovation through idea generation, collection and implementation.
Eric Holder, Attorney General, University of California, Berkeley Law School
The chief Obama administration legal advisor paid tribute to UCLA for its solid progressive gains in advocacy in all forms and shapes in bringing about equality and Justice. He cautioned that in times of national security threat and adversity, nothing should be taken for granted.
Arianna Huffington, Huffington post president and Editor-in Chief at the Smith College
In taking a hilariously funny swipe at the beauty of US diversity, the media mogul poked a humorous joke of her thick Greek accent and recalled that when she met Henry Kissinger, a German native and former Secretary of State under Ford and Nixon, she was told that in America, accent does not matter as long as one speaks with clarity. This remark elicited rapturous laughter from the audience.
Other commencement speakers included Twitter CEO, Dick Costolo at the University of Michigan, Google Executive Chairman, Eric Schmidt, University of California, Berkeley, President and CEO of Northrop Grumman, Wesley Bush at Carey Business School at John Hopkins University, Apple Co-Founder, Steve Wozniak, University of California, Berkeley, Former President, Bill Clinton, Howard University, NYSE CEO and former Goldman Sachs Partner, Duncan Niederauer, who is son of an immigrant and told his audience that his story perfectly exemplifies the real “American Dream”
Author earned a Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership Studies from Bethel University in Minnesota, and is a former Gambian journalist and senior electoral officer.