Not too long from now, some of us will be gathered at The Hump, ready to ceremoniously say goodbye to MSU. Unfortunately for me, I will not be able to attend commencement and will miss the farewell address aimed to encourage, inspire and motivate.
So I have developed my own commencement speech for the occasion. Although it will only be heard by faithful readers, this address challenges me. Anyone who cares to listen to it should accept two important facts of life that I have come to accept in my four years at MSU.
First, nothing is free. Of course our education wasn’t, but more than that, neither was our opportunity to have one. There are people all over the world who desire to have what we have. We’ve definitely become a more integrated people, and there are many opportunities here, but it seems like now we do not have the common desire and call for equality that we once had.
Perhaps it’s because we didn’t think “equality for all” would look like what it does. Some years ago, people longed for change, to see diversity and fair treatment. Now that it is becoming a reality, however, we aren’t so sure how to deal with it.
A recent study found that in just a few years one out of every three bosses in America will be of a minority group. Perhaps we’re not completely comfortable with that figure yet, but we should try to keep an open mind. Hopefully we’ve realized that other people desire to have an education, opportunities and success, and in no way does it diminish our ability to have these same things because there is a great surplus of wealth for everyone to take-if we don’t let prejudice or fear of change get in the way.
Secondly, the best way to adapt to change is to be a part of it. In the last four years we’ve elected a president and governor and voted on many new laws. Being informed and taking on an active roll helps us to understand change instead of just waking up one day to a brave new world.
Not all change is bad, and when it comes to improving the quality of life for people, change is a great thing. The more people we have that are capable of making a difference, the more advanced we will become.
For a long time, only a select few people could be doctors, CEOs or even educators. I truly believe we miss out when we don’t give people the chance to excel, and if it’s change that we need to see, then I’m all for it. If an engineer, educator or government official can do their job well, his or her race or gender doesn’t matter to me.
For those of us graduating in a couple of weeks, congratulations and good luck with everything that lies ahead of you. Remember that we were able to graduate from a great school made up of a diverse group of people because those before us desired to see change and worked to achieve it. Now, it’s our turn.