You Made It!: Inspirational Speeches for Union College’s Senior Class

Congratulations, seniors! This year has been difficult. The events of 2020 and 2021 were probably not what you had envisioned for your last year at college, but you pushed through. For this final article, I wanted to say great job and leave some advice for moving forward in life. I decided that I would compile a list of some of the best graduation speeches that have affected my life and I hope will positively affect yours as well.

As valedictorian of his 2019 high school class at The King’s Academy, Kyle Martin delivered a brutally honest speech about receiving this title. He talked about feeling great for 15 seconds as he received the award and then feeling nothing, feeling empty. Shocked and upset, he realized that this achievement was not worth what he gave up for it. Martin reminded his classmates of the importance of relationships. He talked about pursuing goals that have meaning. His speech is titled “Have No Regrets in the 16th Second.”

Admiral William H. McRaven delivered a graduation speech at the University of Texas in 2014. A very honest and concise speaker, Admiral McRaven told about his experience training as a Navy SEAL. Through short stories of personal experiences like room and uniform inspection, the gruelling physical regiment and mental challenges, he taught lessons about the elements you need for success in life. He encouraged everyone in the audience to make their bed every morning, stating, “The little things in life matter. If you can’t do the little things right, you will never do the big things right.” 

In 2018, Chadwick Boseman delivered a commencement speech at Howard University. He encouraged students to use their education to improve the world around them. He also told a story of his first job as an actor. Upon receiving the script, he realized that his character was bordering on stereotypical. He was playing “a young man with a violent streak pulled into the allure of gang involvement.” Boseman stated that the “role seemed to be wrapped up in assumptions about us as black folk,” so he asked some questions to the producers. These questions cost him the job. He says that he doesn’t regret it. He encouraged students to stand up for what matters to them. “Howard’s legacy is not wrapped up in the money that you will make but the challenges that you choose to confront,” Boseman said.

There’s something about graduation speeches delivered by college dropouts that I just love. One of my favorite authors, Kurt Vonnegut, was a very popular graduation speaker in the 1970s. He dropped out of graduate school when his dissertation was rejected. Twenty years later, though, the school accepted his book “Slaughter-house Five” as his dissertation and finally gave him his masters. Over Christmas break I discovered the book “If This Isn’t Nice What Is?” that contains all of his speeches. It was a very enjoyable read and had me laughing out loud several times. He has some excellent advice for life.

I hope that you found some wisdom in these speeches that is useful to you. Good luck to you on finals and as you move forward in life!

Sierra Lastine is a sophomore

English Literature major from

Grand Junction, Colo.