Last month I had a chance to hear Senator Obama speak at Wesleyan. At the last minute he was asked to fill in for T. Kennedy as guest speaker at graduation. I had never heard him speak before so I made sure to get child care coverage and get up early to get into the limited seating. Somehow I justified my adventure by bringing my book bag along with me.
I was supposed to be reading the First Idea and the Schein book while I sat there for three hours before his speech, but somehow watching the secret service set up and the snipers appear atop Olin library, was enough of a distraction that I didn't quite get through the chapters. It was surreal to be sitting out on a sunny morning procrastinating as I did so many times as an undergraduate. Some things never change.
Here is a clip that I recorded that I thought people would like to hear. I couldn't edit the clip so just forward it to about the mid point for a bit more of the interesting comments he makes about his own experiences as a student and then a community organizer.
His speech to the graduating class of 08 made me think back to all the grand thoughts I had back in '91 as a graduating senior about to start my two year committment to Teach for America. I felt so old yet somehow tried to hold on to the thought of starting anew, especially with this EdD program.
So here is to feeling like a college senior again (without the hang over!)
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2 comments:
thank you for doing teach america; thank you for staying in education. i think you are the inspiration for obama, versus the other way around. by that, i mean it is your authentic altruism that drives the country in the direction it can go.
I often feel inspired by hearing the words of others, but feel even greater inspiration watching students bloom and become who they want to be. I thank you for continuing to be inspired and to inspire others. We agreed as a cohort to "change the world" and we cannot stop now.
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