Graduation Speech

Hello parents, teachers, and fellow classmates. Welcome to the most important and life changing day of our lives. As I prepared for this speech I couldn't help but think of how I got to where I am today. The first thing that popped into my head was how much my parents put a lot of thought, and care, and lest we forget, money into my education. They always stressed that school came first.

Marquette's mission to promote a life of faith, and the development of leadership, is one reason I choose to be apart of the Marquette community. This university has taught me things that I not only will use for my career but for the balance in my life. I don't have a doubt in my mind that I will be successful in all of my future endeavors and I owe a great deal of that confidence to the faculty of this amazing university.

To my classmates, I want to extend a wish that all of you strive for a better future. We've heard it time and time again that getting ahead in this world is all that matters. But do we want to succeed in a world where thousands are homeless and where children have to be fingerprinted in case they disappear? If you are like me, your answer is no. So what can we do about it? How can we shape the world to become much better? We are a unique class that can change the world for the better. As I look at you, the words successful and Fortune 500 come to mind, but I recommend you find a balance of career, family, love, and faith. Barbara Bush once said, "At the end of your life you will never regret not having passed one more test, not winning one more verdict, or not closing one more deal. You will regret time not spent with a husband, a child, a friend, a parent."

I also encourage all of us to be true to ourselves. Erma Bombeck, an American humorist and writer, once stated, "There are people who put their dreams in a little box and say, "Yes, I've got dreams,