Commencement speeches were invented largely in the belief that outgoing college students should never be released into the world until they have been properly sedated. ~ Garry Trudeau

A Happy Time of Year

This is one of my favorite times of the year. After nearly forty years in higher education graduation is really special to me. First, if you know about all the madness that happens behind the scenes, it’s a damn miracle anyone ever graduates. So I call it the miracle of graduation. It is both for the students, faculty, staff and administrators the culmination of the student’s journey, or at least this stage. I am incredibly proud of every student that walks across the stage every year.

Due to my surgery I missed graduation this year, but have been happy to have reports, see photos etc… of the ceremony and of students celebrating their achievement. It’s not just their achievement though, like any achievement, almost no one does it truly alone, it truly takes a family, a village a community for people to get to this point.

One of the things I remind my staff, that is true at any level, but especially true at the community college level is that we don’t just change lives, we change the trajectory of families. For community college students, so many are first generation college students. So many are overcoming a wide-array of barriers from finances, to family responsibilities and at times even homelessness and food insecurity. At our college we have programs to support first generation students, historically under represented students, veterans who often have PTSD and other issues, former foster care students and even formally incarcerated students. In community college we truly change people’s lives and by extension the path of their families and often for people who at some point, so no future.

Watching mommy or daddy get a degree will make a kid want to be educated. Being able to get a degree or certificate that leads to a good job can change the trajectory of generations. And nothing beats the feeling of confidence from achieving these things.

My nephew Mikey is graduating this year, massively proud of this kid. I congratulate and wish all students who are making the next step good luck. Now more than ever, we need a more educated populace. Have a happy day my friends. ~ Rev Kane