Rachel Switzer, of Saranac, New York, an educational leadership and policy master’s degree graduate, offered the following comments as the graduating class speaker:
“Welcome friends, family, colleagues and Titan Nation to Commencement 2019. It has been a long time coming, for all of us, and no matter where your future is taking you, know that you have already made tremendous strides to sit in the seats you’re in today. Life will take us in a multitude of directions, but as we celebrate today, let’s not forget the hard work and dedication it has taken to get us here.
“As we collectively leave this campus one last time as a class, remember the time you’ve spent learning and growing as an individual. The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh has prepared us to go into the world and challenge the status quo of our society. Staff and faculty have challenged our thoughts, intuitions, and decisions, in order to provide positive change for our futures. Continue to use these challenges as you grow and change the world.
“We did not come to UW Oshkosh to ride the wave for two, three, four or more years, but to enact change to develop as individuals, as groups of people, and as a Titan community. As Angela Davis once said, ‘I’m no longer accepting the things I cannot change, I’m changing the things I cannot accept.’ How fortunate we were to have such a powerful activist on our campus this past February to begin the conversation of changing the things we cannot accept. As we leave here today, I challenge each and every one of you to begin to stop accepting the things you can’t change, but to change the things we all cannot accept. We are the next generation of leaders. We have the power to break down barriers, to accept all individuals for who they are and the identities they hold, and to rise above the societal implications of oppression.
“Roughly 6.7 percent of individuals in the world have obtained a college education. We should be proud to hold our diplomas today, and use the knowledge we’ve gained while studying here, to positively impact the lives of all individuals with whom we come in contact with. When we rise as a collective, we begin to see that each individual has the right to have a seat at the table. If you cannot accept an action taken towards another individual or a law or policy that is in place, use your voice to change it. We are fortunate enough to be amongst the 6.7 percent of individuals who will finalize our college education, and if we do not use it continue to grow our society, we will waste it.
“If you are not able to embrace change, yet, at least consider giving it a hug. Find new ways to challenge your preconceived notions and your unconscious biases, in order to learn to come to a middle ground with those around you. I hope you’ll quickly find you’re able to accept and make change along with other people. Chip away at the things you also cannot accept, and begin to embrace change, even it if is with baby steps in the beginning.
“We are a Titan community, and we have the opportunity to enact change when we leave the doors of this institution. Challenge the status quo. Be willing to vocalize concerns. But be willing to be challenged. Understand we all have growth to make, and be willing to come to the table to do so. I’ll leave you with one final quote from Maya Angelou, ‘Still I’ll rise.’ When everything is against you, rise. Rise for yourself. Rise for those around you. And rise for the change we need in this world.
“Congratulations class of 2019. I look forward to seeing you continue to change the world.”