2012 Student Gradudation Speech

2012 Graduation Speech

ALOHA! On behalf of the class of 2012, I humbly extend
a warm aloha and greetings to our two guests of honor
– Bruce Coppa and Chas Edelstein. I would also like
to extend the greeting to our university department
heads, faculty, family and friends who have traveled
near and afar for this commencement exercise.

In October 2010, I was fortunate to work as an
extra on the set of Journey to the Center of the Earth 2.
This movie featured Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and
other famous actors. A cast mate I had previously
worked with once asked, “Jeff how old are you?” I
answered my friend’s question with another question.
“How old do you think I am?” My friend was about to
answer when I gave him the stink eye. He wisely
remained silent.

This made me wonder. What can people tell by
looking at me? If you were to see me walking down the
street, can you tell how old I am? Can you guess what
my ethnic background is? Can you tell that I am a
college graduate from the University of Phoenix? But
most importantly graduating class, when you are out in
the world, would anyone know you’re a Phoenix? For
answers to some of these questions, just wait until the
end of my speech or until I become rich and famous.

According to Dictionary.com, a phoenix is a
mythical Arabian bird. Just like any bird, it grows old
and dies. What makes a phoenix different from other
birds is that when a phoenix dies, it bursts into flames
and is reborn from its ashes.

The phoenix continuously undergoes a process:
change, growth and rebirth. Some of us are like this.
After high school, some of us started our own families.
Some of us may have started working jobs that we love
to hate just to pay the never ending river of bills. Many
of us started college, but due to life’s many
distractions, we either burned out or dropped out.

However, we are all here today. We have spent many
hours at the Learning Resource Center or online
working to format our papers into APA, or putting
together last minute Power Point presentations. I know
some of us worked hard to keep our teammates
focused on the group project and to keep them from
posting pictures of what their dinner looked like on
Facebook or playing games like Words with Friends.

I am graduating from the University of Phoenix, so I
am a Phoenix! What will make YOU a phoenix? Will it
be the piece of paper you receive when you walk across
Remember, a phoenix is a bird reborn from its
ashes.

What makes a phoenix a phoenix is not the way
the bird appears on the outside, but the qualities that
made the bird a symbol of renewal. What are those
mystery qualities? I call them the 3 P’s. The inspiring
POWER to PERSEVERE that will lead us to PREVAIL and
succeed. Without the power to persevere, none of us
would be sitting here right now waiting for Dr. Debbie
Hornsby to hand us our degree. When we are out in the
workforce trying to pay off all the student loans we had
to take out, use that power to help you prevail over any
bumps that may come. You now have what you need to
be successful through your University of Phoenix
degree.

It does not matter what university you come
from, but be proud and confident that you have
learned all you need to be the BEST in your job and in
your community. Be proud you are a Phoenix!

So class of 2012, today we are all going to walk
across this stage when our names are called. After this,
many of you will celebrate with your family. Most
people I know will slap me on the back and hand me
cards (I hope they have some money inside).

However, when the celebration is over, it will be
our time to be reborn. In my new life and hopefully
yours, we will apply the knowledge and skills we have
obtained. I will not waste my efforts or those of my
professors. When I am handed a job to do, I will take
the power inside of me and show my superiors and
clients I am a Phoenix. I have the POWER to PERSEVERE
to PREVAIL and make everyone proud. I will always
know my work was my best. I hope you feel the same.

I will do all of this because I am a Phoenix. So to answer
some of those questions I asked earlier, I am a 36-year-
old PHOENIX. What are you?

I would like to take this opportunity to thank
everyone who took the time to support our efforts.
Without your help, it would not be possible for us
graduating class to move into our rebirth. Faculty – you
spent many nights sharing your mana’o with us and
guiding us to become better individuals and workers.
Counselors – Many of you had to deal with our endless
call and worked effortlessly to keep us on track.
Families – You have never stopped supporting our
decision and have been there with us on our good and
bad days. Classmates (especially my learning team)–
We came together as strangers, but I leave this school
with people I can also call my famILY. I LOVE YOU ALL!

I end in my native Samoan language, Malo lava le
finafinau I mea lelei, Ia fa’amanuia atu pea le Atua ia te
oe ma fuafuaga uma oi luma! Congratulations on your
achievement and God Bless!