Hi everyone! It’s nice to see so many familiar faces! It is special when we can all gather together. I always appreciate the power and vibrancy that is generated whenever Heller students gather together.
I’m here representing my Social Impact MBA cohort but my words are for all of you graduating today. Congratulations! I hope each of you can take a moment to really appreciate how momentous this milestone is.
You also have people in your lives who have supported you in this journey. This moment is a chance to thank them, too. No one is an island. I know I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish what I did without the love and support of my husband and children.
I also feel like I wouldn’t have made it through this program without the support of my amazing cohort. I said it before but it is worth repeating that in times of stress we always came together, offering support and finding ways to lift each other up. We chose community and connecting and in doing so achieved more than we could have on our own.
As we close out this chapter of our lives, I hope that in some way, shape, or form we can hang onto that community. The world is increasingly volatile and in that chaos we can become unmoored. The communities we create and nurture can be sources of support, safety, and strength. Wherever we land on this planet I hope we can find ways to continue to connect.
I will end this speech with one last wish to all of you. My cohort may recall in December, I wished for my peers to have abundance, perspective and audacity. Since I get another kick at this can, I want to add another wish to all of you. I wish for you to have joy. Unrelenting, unmitigated, wild-with-abandon joy. In the face of darkness and fear, joy is an act of resistance and reminds us what is worth fighting for. So today and this weekend, celebrate and be joyful.
Thank you.