University of Illinois Salute to Academic Achievement Speech 2009
The year is 1932. A young black man steps onto the campus of the University of Illinois to pursue a graduate degree, something already unheard of at that time in American history. But what was more rare was the fact that he was even admitted to the University of Illinois, as African-Americans and other minorities were still struggling to make inroads into mainstream university education of any kind. This young man attended class faithfully every day, and had rush to get to the library before the sun went down to get his books for the evening as he was not allowed on on the campus after that time. There were no formal dormitories for him, and he had to live with a local family. Each day, he withstood the perils that came overwhelmingly with his educational pursuit, some subtle, some overt. However, he remained undaunted, because this young man understood the importance of demanding a new standard of excellence, resetting his personal bar to a higher level. Fast forward to the year 1992. A skinny, apprehensive young girl is dropped off by her parents at the Illinois Street Residence hall at the University of Illinois to major in engineering. She wants to follow in the footsteps of her father, who could never have dreamed of having a dorm room on campus and studying late into the evening in the university’s library. She recognizes the incredible strides that minorities have made in education and in life for she has been privy to living history and has studied and respected the lessons of the past. Come with me again to the year 2002: The young girl from 1992 no longer exists. A confident young woman crosses the stage at Loyola University School of medicine to receive the Doctorate of Medicine, having already earned two degrees from her beloved Alma Mater. Her Alma Mater, the University of Illinois, has taught her much. She learned from her dedicated professors the beauty of the written word, the elegance of the biochemical derivation, the fascination of the human body. She learned the importance of perseverance and the beauty of self-discovery earned only with the time it takes to learn those lessons from oneself. She entered the University timid and self-deprecating. She changed her major not once, not twice, but THREE times before she found her purpose. But through all the changes, all the obstinate questionings, all the uncertainty, the University of Illinois stayed with her all the way, allowing her to explore, to develop, to make mistakes, and to evolve. Now finishing graduate school, the memory of her father is intact, because she too has demanded a new standard of excellence. This is my history. But I am not alone. You, too may have a similar story. You may have a parent or grandparent who sought higher education. Perhaps he or she was able to succeed; maybe they were thwarted and now look to you to fulfill the American dream in their stead. Think about your ancestors: some of whom were brought here against their will, others who came in search of a new life. All of them desired something greater, for their children and children’s children to have a better life, and worked tirelessly to reach that end. You are standing on the backs of those who dreamed those dreams for you. Therefore, we are all, the sum of us, witnesses to history, and the makers of history, whenever we demand excellence, both of ourselves and those around us. Think about the seemingly incomprehensible changes that you have seen in your lifetime that may not have happened if those people did not seek excellence, did not dream. In our collective lifetimes, we have seen communism fall in Europe, the internet become an integral part of our lives (which by the way had its roots at the University of Illinois), telescopes enter the far reaches of the known universe, and now we are living under the administration of the first African-American President. You might think “I am only one person, I can’t contribute. I can’t be a part of history.” What I am here to tell you is you are already a part of history. By sitting here today, having achieved all you have thus far, to sit in these seats, you are living history. The world is changing before our eyes. Some of your counterparts, maybe even someone you know, have either caused violence or have been the victim of violence, allowing petty disputes to become fatal, allowing imaginary boundaries to breed tribe-like neighborhood rivalries. By a show of hands, have any of you here been touched by violence? But you didn’t allow these tragedies to deter you from your goals. And you must continue to recognize that the only way to not just survive but to thrive is through education. It might seem simplistic, but it has been proven time and time again to be true. And your journey has just begun. You are taking the first steps to demanding and achieving a new standard of excellence. And you can, you must, see it through. Look around you at your fellow students in this very room. Of all of you sitting here, unfortunately, we can expect that not all of you will graduate from college. We as minorities may get admitted, but the likelihood of graduating with a degree is still too low. According to the US Dept of Eduction: In 1990, only 1/2 of black students and 46% of Hispanics are still enrolled in college after 2 years. We’re doing a little better now; in 2005, 59% of African-American males and 72% of African American females who matriculated into university study graduated with a degree in 6 years. Among Hispanics, the numbers are 66% of males and 76% of females. So there have been improvements. But here’s another interesting thought: Minorities graduate in fewer numbers at less selective colleges than their more competitive counterparts. Why? The theories in the educational community believe that those students are not challenged, not supported. There seems to be an acceptable drop-out rate. Acceptable? No minority student dropping out of college is acceptable. Why is this happening? Because no one demands a new standard of excellence from them. Surround yourself with mediocrity and you will find yourself mediocre. Wherever you choose to pursue your educations, don’t go to the easiest school you get into. Go to the best. You are the history makers, those who will change the face, the very essence of our future society, and you have a great responsibility. But what lies in that responsibility is great opportunity. The future is wide open. Make choices; make mistakes, learn from them, learn from yourselves. But always keep going, keep pushing. Realize the importance of every hour of study, every note written, every passage highlighted as part of the vast tapestry of developing knowledge. Knowledge that will one day enable you to cross the stage at graduation day, knowing that you demanded a new standard of excellence.
