a speech on education is the best legacy

Creating Your Educational Legacy: What Matters Most to You?

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Although we may not talk about it much, it’s most educators’ aspiration to leave behind a legacy of some kind. Our job from day to day is often a grind and the focus gets drilled down to success criteria and skill-building along the way, but ultimately, the relationships we develop and the larger picture outcomes are a part of that experience too.

This past weekend, the #ECET2 team challenged participants of the chat to think about their educational legacy, both intended and perhaps unintended as well. And as I lingered on my own responses in that chat, it was time to dig a little deeper.

Why I think it’s important to have big-picture goals

As a high school English teacher and instructional coach, my days are often dictated by the responsibilities of the classroom. What will I be teaching? Who will I be teaching it? What do I hope students learn from it? And how can I continually adjust to ensure that as many of them as possible are doing their best?

Starting with a plan is essential, but abandoning the plan equally so if the plan isn’t working. I know when the plan isn’t working because of the behaviors and responses as well as other formative check-ins from my students. After all, the students are why I do it all.

Despite the necessity of having these short-term goals, there is a larger goal in place as well. And for me, this larger goal is all about assessment and the way students view themselves as learners.

For as long as I can remember, the system judges and labels students largely on their abilty to comply and play the game of school and less so on the valuable skill acquisition we are tasked with inspiring kids to learn. Once this realization became evident to me (which wasn’t right away), I couldn’t sit idly by and continue to do the same old, just because it was expected. The same way I wouldn’t expect students to do things that didn’t matter to them or make sense to them just because it was required.

So I invested my time in exploring alternative ways to make the learning environment better for my students. These new goals that extended way beyond my classroom have shaped the last few years of my teaching and changed the entire trajectory of my career.

Once you know your passion , you must explore it.

My passion reinvigorated my teaching and got me connected to other educators. It thrust me outside my comfort zone and forced me to invest in, and take risks around, making changes that weren’t wide-spread in my current system. These choices have been pervasive in everything I’ve done since then and the consistency in which I promote these beliefs models for my students (and my son) and my colleagues what it can look like when you really put your heart and soul into what you do.

The relationships I have made around these beliefs have strengthened my core as an educator and my ability to affect change with my students. I know that I inspire them because they tell me I do. This kind of passion is infectuous and when the students feel inspired and empowered, they do great things too.

It is my greatest hope to have a some lasting impact in the way we assess and communicate learning. I started talking about these ideas after reading a bunch of books that challenged my beliefs. Then I got involved in Twitter, began to network and then started blogging. Sharing my ideas on the blog offered an opportunity to blog here for a larger audience and then I was offered the honor of sharing my ideas in books (that people actually read!).

It is through my advocacy to change grading systems and empower students that I hope to leave a lasting legacy that will potentially do more than just impact the students or teachers in my community. The more people read the books, the more I push myself to get out there and have broader conversations with other educators from around the world.

In addition to being a part of the change, my hope is that my students remember me as the teacher who preached what she practiced and inspired them to do the same. Being responsibly fearless is so much of the battle.

What will your educational legacy be? How are you cultivating it now? Please share

The opinions expressed in Work in Progress are strictly those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinions or endorsement of Editorial Projects in Education, or any of its publications.

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Malala Yousafzai: 'Our books and our pens are the most powerful weapons'

This is a transcription of the speech that Malala Yousafzai gave to the United Nations on 12 July 2013, the date of her 16th birthday and " Malala Day " at the UN.

In the name of God, the most beneficent, the most merciful.

Honorable UN Secretary General Mr Ban Ki-moon, respected president of the General Assembly Vuk Jeremic, honorable UN envoy for global education Mr Gordon Brown, respected elders and my dear brothers and sisters: Assalamu alaikum.

Today is it an honor for me to be speaking again after a long time. Being here with such honorable people is a great moment in my life and it is an honor for me that today I am wearing a shawl of the late Benazir Bhutto. I don't know where to begin my speech. I don't know what people would be expecting me to say, but first of all thank you to God for whom we all are equal and thank you to every person who has prayed for my fast recovery and new life. I cannot believe how much love people have shown me. I have received thousands of good wish cards and gifts from all over the world. Thank you to all of them. Thank you to the children whose innocent words encouraged me. Thank you to my elders whose prayers strengthened me. I would like to thank my nurses, doctors and the staff of the hospitals in Pakistan and the UK and the UAE government who have helped me to get better and recover my strength.

I fully support UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in his Global Education First Initiative and the work of UN Special Envoy for Global Education Gordon Brown and the respectful president of the UN General Assembly Vuk Jeremic. I thank them for the leadership they continue to give. They continue to inspire all of us to action. Dear brothers and sisters, do remember one thing: Malala Day is not my day. Today is the day of every woman, every boy and every girl who have raised their voice for their rights.

There are hundreds of human rights activists and social workers who are not only speaking for their rights, but who are struggling to achieve their goal of peace, education and equality. Thousands of people have been killed by the terrorists and millions have been injured. I am just one of them. So here I stand. So here I stand, one girl, among many. I speak not for myself, but so those without a voice can be heard. Those who have fought for their rights. Their right to live in peace. Their right to be treated with dignity. Their right to equality of opportunity. Their right to be educated.

Dear friends, on 9 October 2012, the Taliban shot me on the left side of my forehead. They shot my friends, too. They thought that the bullets would silence us, but they failed. And out of that silence came thousands of voices. The terrorists thought they would change my aims and stop my ambitions. But nothing changed in my life except this: weakness, fear and hopelessness died. Strength, power and courage was born.

I am the same Malala. My ambitions are the same. My hopes are the same. And my dreams are the same. Dear sisters and brothers, I am not against anyone. Neither am I here to speak in terms of personal revenge against the Taliban or any other terrorist group. I am here to speak for the right of education for every child. I want education for the sons and daughters of the Taliban and all the terrorists and extremists. I do not even hate the Talib who shot me. Even if there was a gun in my hand and he was standing in front of me, I would not shoot him. This is the compassion I have learned from Mohammed, the prophet of mercy, Jesus Christ and Lord Buddha. This the legacy of change I have inherited from Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela and Mohammed Ali Jinnah.

This is the philosophy of nonviolence that I have learned from Gandhi, Bacha Khan and Mother Teresa. And this is the forgiveness that I have learned from my father and from my mother. This is what my soul is telling me: be peaceful and love everyone.

Dear sisters and brothers, we realize the importance of light when we see darkness. We realize the importance of our voice when we are silenced. In the same way, when we were in Swat, the north of Pakistan, we realized the importance of pens and books when we saw the guns. The wise saying, "The pen is mightier than the sword." It is true. The extremists are afraid of books and pens. The power of education frightens them. They are afraid of women. The power of the voice of women frightens them. This is why they killed 14 innocent students in the recent attack in Quetta. And that is why they kill female teachers. That is why they are blasting schools every day because they were and they are afraid of change and equality that we will bring to our society. And I remember that there was a boy in our school who was asked by a journalist why are the Taliban against education? He answered very simply by pointing to his book, he said, "a Talib doesn't know what is written inside this book."

They think that God is a tiny, little conservative being who would point guns at people's heads just for going to school. These terrorists are misusing the name of Islam for their own personal benefit. Pakistan is a peace loving, democratic country. Pashtuns want education for their daughters and sons. Islam is a religion of peace, humanity and brotherhood. It is the duty and responsibility to get education for each child, that is what it says. Peace is a necessity for education. In many parts of the world, especially Pakistan and Afghanistan, terrorism, war and conflicts stop children from going to schools. We are really tired of these wars. Women and children are suffering in many ways in many parts of the world.

In India, innocent and poor children are victims of child labor. Many schools have been destroyed in Nigeria. People in Afghanistan have been affected by extremism. Young girls have to do domestic child labor and are forced to get married at an early age. Poverty, ignorance, injustice, racism and the deprivation of basic rights are the main problems, faced by both men and women.

Today I am focusing on women's rights and girls' education because they are suffering the most. There was a time when women activists asked men to stand up for their rights. But this time we will do it by ourselves. I am not telling men to step away from speaking for women's rights, but I am focusing on women to be independent and fight for themselves. So dear sisters and brothers, now it's time to speak up. So today, we call upon the world leaders to change their strategic policies in favor of peace and prosperity. We call upon the world leaders that all of these deals must protect women and children's rights. A deal that goes against the rights of women is unacceptable.

We call upon all governments to ensure free, compulsory education all over the world for every child. We call upon all the governments to fight against terrorism and violence. To protect children from brutality and harm. We call upon the developed nations to support the expansion of education opportunities for girls in the developing world. We call upon all communities to be tolerant, to reject prejudice based on caste, creed, sect, color, religion or agenda to ensure freedom and equality for women so they can flourish. We cannot all succeed when half of us are held back. We call upon our sisters around the world to be brave, to embrace the strength within themselves and realize their full potential.

Dear brothers and sisters, we want schools and education for every child's bright future. We will continue our journey to our destination of peace and education. No one can stop us. We will speak up for our rights and we will bring change to our voice. We believe in the power and the strength of our words. Our words can change the whole world because we ware all together, united for the cause of education. And if we want to achieve our goal, then let us empower ourselves with the weapon of knowledge and let us shield ourselves with unity and togetherness.

Dear brothers and sisters, we must not forget that millions of people are suffering from poverty and injustice and ignorance. We must not forget that millions of children are out of their schools. We must not forget that our sisters and brothers are waiting for a bright, peaceful future.

So let us wage, so let us wage a glorious struggle against illiteracy, poverty and terrorism, let us pick up our books and our pens, they are the most powerful weapons. One child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world. Education is the only solution. Education first. Thank you.

• Civil liberties - international
• United Nations

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• Speech Writing /

2-Minute Speech on Importance of Education in English for Students

• Updated on  
• Apr 4, 2024

Speech on Importance of Education: Knowledge is power, and education is the ocean of knowledge. Education is a tool that can bring social change to society. A person who does not read books has no advantage over those who cannot. In every culture, education is given great importance because it has the power to enhance personal, economic, and global developments. 

Here is what Mahatma Gandhi said about education, ’ By education, I mean an all-round drawing out of the best in the child and man; body, mind, and spirit. True education must correspond to the surrounding circumstances or it is not a healthy growth.’ Can you believe this century-old quote can still be of great significance? This is what we will do for you today. We will provide you with a speech on the importance of education, where we will provide samples and other details on how it can change our lives. 

Quick Read: Speech on Earth Day

‘A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.’ – Albert Einstein

Master the art of essay writing with our blog on How to Write an Essay in English .

2-Minute Speech on Importance of Education

‘Good morning my friends and teacher (s). Today, I stand before you to present my ‘Speech on importance of education’. We all want to progress and grow in our lives. Education is the only weapon that can bring peaceful and sustainable development. Every personal, professional social, and environmental issue can be solved with an educated mind. 

Every society requires educated people for overall development. A society that has more education and civilized people will flourish and sustain better than those who lack education. That is why our government and educational institutions are promoting education.

In earlier times, education was given little importance, as most people were either engaged in agricultural or different manual labor jobs. With the advancement of science and technology, different sectors, like secondary, tertiary, quaternary, and quinary emerged. 

Education is the key that unlocks doors of opportunity, enabling individuals to reach their full potential and contribute meaningfully to society. At a personal level, education allows us to understand the world around us. It empowers us to dream big, set goals, and work towards achieving them. 

Through education, we can understand our rights and duties towards our families, society and nation. We can explore innovative ideas, as were are constantly involved in learning and growing. 

Important people like big industrialists, politicians, movie actors, and even sportspersons are all educated, as they know the importance of education in life. Their contribution is essential for innovation, productivity, and economic competitiveness. 

Investing in education is like investing in a future workforce. It ensures that our society remains dynamic and resilient in the face of rapid technological and global changes.

When we talk about social justice and equality, education plays a major role. Education provides equal opportunities for people from different backgrounds. Making education accessible to everyone will help in building a fair and just society, one where talent and potential are recognized.’

Also Read: 2 Minutes Adult Education Speech for School Students

10 Quotes on Importance of Education

Here are 10 quotes on the importance of education. Feel free to add these quotes to your speech or any writing topics.

• ‘Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.’ – Mahatma Gandhi
• ‘The great aim of education is not knowledge but action.’ – Herbert Spencer
• ‘Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.’ – Nelson Mandela
• ‘The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education.’ – Martin Luther King Jr.
• ‘Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.’ – Malcolm X
• ‘An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.’ – Benjamin Franklin
• ‘The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you.’ – B.B. King
• ‘Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.’ – W.B. Yeats
• ‘Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.’ – John Dewey
• ‘The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.’ – Dr. Seuss

Also Read: Speech on Education in English for School Students

Ans: Education is an important tool for social change. Every society requires educated people, who can help in navigating the developmental changes and lead the country to new heights. Education means knowledge and power. Every society requires educated people for overall development. A society that has more education and civilized people will flourish and sustain better than those who lack education. That is why our government and educational institutions are promoting education.

Ans: Education plays an important role in a person’s overall development and life. It can make you a responsible citizen, can offer you a better life, and make you aware of your duty towards society and country. From a personal level to social development, education has the power to change the world and counter every problem hindering developmental activities.

Ans: Literacy and education can be used interchangeably, but there is a big difference in their meaning. A person’s ability to read and write is known as literacy. Education refers to the formal and informal learning experience that a person acquires through personal experience. 

Related Reads:

This was all about the speech on importance of education. We hope we were able to provide you with all the necessary information you were looking for. For more information on such interesting speech topics for your school, visit our speech writing page and follow Leverage Edu .

Shiva Tyagi

With an experience of over a year, I've developed a passion for writing blogs on wide range of topics. I am mostly inspired from topics related to social and environmental fields, where you come up with a positive outcome.

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50 Great Teachers

The legacy of booker t. washington revisited.

Candice Norwood

Let's face it, Booker T. Washington has a serious image problem. He was perhaps the most influential black man in America during the late 1800s, but is often remembered today as being subservient, a sellout even.

Yes, he pursued racial equality with discretion. His famous "Atlanta Compromise" speech of 1895 cautioned blacks against extremism and encouraged them to prove their worth by becoming productive members of society.

But what about his role as a Presidential adviser, or as the first leader of one of the country's best historically black colleges? There's more to Washington's legacy. Today we're looking at his influence in education as part of our 50 Great Teachers series.

Back to the Basics

Washington was born a slave in Franklin County, Virginia in 1856. Early in life he showed an interest in learning to read and write. But it wasn't until after the Civil War, when he and his mother were freed, that Washington had the chance to get a basic education.

"He got a hold of a Blue Back Speller that helped him learn how to pronounce and spell words," says historian Raymond W. Smock. The famous schoolbook, written by Noah Webster, was "almost like a Bible lesson, a civic lesson and a reading lesson rolled into one," says Smock, author of Booker T. Washington: Black Leadership in the Age of Jim Crow .

At the age of 16, Washington went on to study at Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute, now Hampton University, in Virginia. There he became a star student, catching the attention of Hampton's founder, General Samuel C. Armstrong.

The founders of the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute, a new black college being built just east of Montgomery, Alabama, asked Armstrong to recommend a white man who could head the school. Armstrong suggested Washington instead. The institute would become a fundamental part of Washington's legacy.

Educating Blacks in the South

Tuskegee began in 1881 with 30 students in a rundown church and a shanty. Its early buildings were in such bad shape that on rainy days a student had to hold an umbrella over Washington while he lectured.

Tuskegee began in 1881 with 30 students in a rundown church and a shanty. Its early buildings were in such bad shape that on rainy days a student had to hold an umbrella over Washington while he lectured. LA Johnson/NPR hide caption

During the school's first year, Washington pretty much did everything — he taught most subjects, managed the school and formed strong relationships with locals in black and white communities. He managed to secure enough loans and donations to purchase a 100-acre plantation and build new facilities.

Washington built the institute – quite literally – on the idea that industrial skills would lead blacks to success. As part of a work-study program to pay for room and board, students helped to construct and maintain the school's new buildings.

This philosophy also transferred to the classroom. In addition to academic basics — history, English and math — each student took up a vocational trade to learn. Women studied housekeeping and sewing, while men worked in areas such as farming, carpentry and brickmaking. Washington regularly held "Sunday Evening Talks," which he used to reinforce his views on education.

"When you speak to the average person about labor, industrial work, especially, he gets the idea at once that you are opposed to his head's being educated — that you simply want to put him to work," he said during one 1895 evening.

"Anybody who knows anything about industrial education, knows that it teaches a person just the opposite — how not to work. It teaches him to make water work for him, to make air, steam and all the forces of nature work for him. That is what is meant by industrial education."

In addition to academic basics – history, English and math – each student learned a trade. Women studied housekeeping and sewing, while men worked in areas such as farming, carpentry and brickmaking. LA Johnson/NPR hide caption

The Tuskegee Institute attracted attention across the country. Washington never wanted to turn students away, so the school grew quickly and reached approximately 1,000 students by the early 1900s. This was more than all of the white public college students in Alabama combined, said professor Robert Norrell, author of Up From History: The Life of Booker T. Washington .

The Tuskegee Institute is now Tuskegee University, which enrolls more than 3,000 students and offers more than 50 academic degrees.

"[Washington] educated a lot of people," Norrell says. "He created an institution that became a powerful symbol of black competence, of black success, of black achievement."

This was an important message to send at the time, Norrell said. And Washington's willingness to work within the confines of America's oppressive system contributed to this success.

Washington And DuBois — In Context

Despite his renown, Washington's perceived allegiance to the status quo strained his relationships with other black leaders, most notably the author and intellectual, W.E.B. DuBois . Both saw education as a gateway to racial equality following the Civil War.

The two first connected in 1894 when Washington offered young DuBois a teaching position at Tuskegee; however, DuBois had already accepted another job. They later collaborated on a 1907 book The Negro in the South , a collection of their lectures given at Philadelphia's School of Divinity.

Despite this overlap, Washington and DuBois had some key differences, said Dr. Brian Johnson, the seventh president of Tuskegee University. DuBois was the first African-American to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard. He was a writer and a scholar based in the East Coast.

Washington on the other hand, was an educator and businessman, building a black school in the Deep South. Let's not forgot that this was the Jim Crow era — a time of widespread mob lynchings and the Plessy v. Ferguson "separate but equal" ruling from the Supreme Court. Their locations and social standing shaped their opposing views on education and "racial uplift."

Washington saw the benefit of a gradual process. DuBois wanted more direct, immediate action. Washington pushed for vocational training. DuBois favored collegiate education.

"Education must not simply teach work — it must teach Life," DuBois famously said.

Washington's approach was practical for the masses, the children of former slaves. DuBois focused on advancing the "talented tenth," an exceptional group of African-Americans who would uplift the black community.

The roots of the Washington–DuBois conflict spark debate to this day. What's the best way to expand higher education access for minorities and other disadvantaged groups? What is the value of the liberal arts versus practical trade skills? Should social justice movements pursue reform through radical or incremental approaches?

And in most of these discussions over the years, Washington has come off the loser.

So is it fair to dismiss him and to glorify DuBois? Brian Johnson argues that we should look at a larger picture rather than putting them into distinct categories.

"This Washington versus DuBois idea has become a political construct," Johnson says. "Let's get a more nuanced, richly textured view of history, so that we can understand where they both joined together."

Celebrating 100 Years of the Ed School

• Posted January 30, 2020
• By Emily Boudreau

A crisp January afternoon in Cambridge was punctuated by an excited gathering of students, faculty, and community members on Appian Way to kick off HGSE’s Centennial year. After greeting friends and colleagues, unbundling from coats, and flipping through a special centennial edition of Ed ., Askwith Hall buzzed with anticipation. 

The lights dimmed and the packed auditorium was treated to a heartwarming video that included a montage of old photos of the campus, current professors in early days of their careers, special visitors like Arne Duncan, Sandra Boynton, and even Lady Gaga and Oprah Winfrey, as well as students hard at work in class and in the field. 

Amid the ensuing excitement, Dean Bridget Terry Long took to the stage to extend a warm welcome to the attendees, reflect on the school’s past, explore current challenges and opportunities in education, and celebrate HGSE’s legacy and commitment to learning to change the world.

“While there is so much for us to be proud of at HGSE, our work is most certainly not done. We know the stakes are incredibly high and the focus on improving education could not be more important,” Long said. “I believe this is also a time of hope and possibility, and I believe that together, we are poised to bring about important change in education. Right here at HGSE, there have been advances in learning science and design and the discovery of promising interventions and approaches that match the strengths and needs of all learners.”

Dean Bridget Long greets Harvard President Lawrence Bacow at HGSE's Centennial kickoff

Closing out her speech with optimism and a reminder of the HGSE community’s dedication to making “the meaningful change so desperately needed by the world,” Long introduced Harvard President Lawrence Bacow . He, too, is a member of the HGSE community, having served as an advocate for higher education and the  President in Residence with the Higher Education Program from 2011 to 2014. 

Bacow echoed Dean Long’s praise for the work and mission of HGSE and reminisced fondly about his time spent in his old office on the fourth floor of Gutman Library. “This is a special place to so many people in this room because it has touched so many lives,” he said. He also spoke about the way in which HGSE allowed him to reflect on his own practice as an educator and university president. 

“You are blessed with the only two things that matter in a great university, and here at the GSE you have them in abundance: great students and great faculty. This place gives them the opportunity to come together in so many rich ways — to learn from each other … but also do scholarship which will enable and enhance the learning process at every level of society, in every nation and across the country,” Bacow said.

Following Bacow’s remarks, Long introduced a panel discussion featuring four deans from around Harvard:  Douglas Elmendorf of the Kennedy School,  Claudine Gay of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences,  Nitin Nohria of the Harvard Business School, and Michelle Williams of T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Though the deans all came from different schools, Long observed that partnerships across sectors were crucial to ensuring the success and impact of education.

“Education matters in its own right,” Long remarked. “But we don’t often think about how public health, government, business, and the humanities intersect with, and in many ways, rely on, education to make progress. These sectors are critical to the success of our world, and education, in turn, is critical to them. And it is often in partnership — drawing connections between education and other fields — that we identify new insights and ways of address the most important challenges we face.”

Though their backgrounds and areas of professional expertise differ, all panelists reaffirmed the value of education in guiding the work done in different fields. Nohria spoke about the way students at HBS are educated to be both competent leaders and ethical decision-makers, as well as the role of innovation in education. Gay addressed the way in which educational attainment influences civic participation and the role research plays in influencing education initiatives. Elmendorf highlighted the ways in which policymakers and public leaders are natural partners for educators. Williams also noted the partnerships between health and academic outcomes and the importance of tackling real-world problems collaboratively.

The deans agreed that education provides the critical foundation to shape the next generation and foster responsible leadership. "I keep thinking of the mission of our school as to educate leaders to make a difference in the world. I think you have to ask: What is it that makes someone a leader?" Nohria said. "They must have the competence to make wise, thoughtful decisions that other people will trust. But they must also have the character to comport themselves in ways that those decisions are seen to be for the betterment of others, rather than themselves."

The four also agreed that the field of education is a nexus at which their discrete fields come together. "Education is so clearly one of the red threads that links every school at Harvard and draws students and faculty from across all the campuses together," Gay said.

Later in the afternoon, the crowd disseminated across campus to attend breakout sessions with HGSE faculty on topics including global partnerships, policy, innovation and entrepreneurship, leadership, data, and teaching practice. The sessions foregrounded the experience, expertise, and impact of HGSE's research and practice leaders — in substantive conversations that celebrated accomplishments but looked unflinchingly at the work that still needs to be done at all levels of the education sector.

At the closing reception at Gutman Conference Center, Long highlighted the Centennial events still to come, including The Future of Education convenings, the inspirational 100 Stories of Impact , the Voices of Appian Way social media campaign, and the awarding of the Medal for Education Impact, to be selected for the first time through nominations of HGSE community members. She also announced that HGSE will host Homecoming on October 2, a community-wide centennial celebration for students, faculty, staff, and alumni. 

Students in attendance expressed excitement at the chance to celebrate HGSE’s 100th year — and were looking forward to events to come. “My favorite part about today was just being able to hear a little bit about why this space is so special, how this space has become so special over time, and to hear about the initiatives in the future. It makes me feel like I’m part of this journey,” master's student Willord Simmons said.

The latest research, perspectives, and highlights from the Harvard Graduate School of Education

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Speech on Education and its Importance for Students

Speech on importance of education for students.

Good Morning to one and all present here! Today I am here to deliver a speech about education. It is usually a belief that education is the foundation for all-round development. Life is based on development and that developing and growing is life. If we describe this view into the perspective of education, we can sum up that education is the all-round development of the individual’s personality. Thus, education is nothing but all-round development of the individual’s personality. Education is a process of man-making. Hence, education is necessary for all.

Importance of Education

As per the report of the Kothari Commission, “the destiny of India is being shaped in its classrooms.” Education ingrain civic and social responsibility among everyone. India is a land of diversities. Therefore, in order to bring unity, education is a means for emotional integration. We cannot do without any kind of education. Education is an essential aspect of human development. Education is a means of achieving a world of peace, justice, freedom, and equality for all. Thus, education is extremely necessary for all. No good life is possible without education.

It indorses the intelligence of human beings, develops his skill, and enables him to be industrious. It ensures his progress. Education also channelizes the undeveloped capacities, attitude, interest, urges and needs of the individual into desirable channels. The individual can adjust and modify his environment with the help of education as per his need.

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Problems and Prospects

In a democratic country, education is necessary for all its citizens. Unless all the citizens get education, democratic machinery cannot work well. So we may emphasize that the problem of equality of educational opportunities in Indian. This situation is a very formidable one.

Our education system is at cross-roads. The Indian constitution enacted that there should be a universalization of primary education. In the order of the constitution, it was indicated that compulsory education must be for all children up to the age of 14. The universalization of elementary education has been implemented as a national goal. ‘Education for all’ is now an international goal.

The main problems are finances. Rural-urban disparity due to illiteracy. Women’s education, economic conditions of backward communities and non-availability of equipment are some other major problems.

Strategies and efforts at the national and international level

Universal elementary education has run the formulation of the project “education for all”. The provision of article 45 of the Indian constitution is a noble determination for the universalization of elementary education. Big efforts have been made to reach the goal of providing elementary education to every child of the country through, universal enrolment, universal provision, and universal retention.

Our constitution is making arrangements for free and compulsory education with the right of minorities to establish educational institutions. As well as there are education for weaker sections, secular education, women’s education, instruction in the mother-tongue at the primary stage, etc. These constitutional provisions are nothing but our effort to achieve the target of the project “Education for all”.

Thus, in the end, we find that education is a significant factor for achieving success, building characters, and for living a wholesome and happy life. True education always humanizes the person. In this reference, “Education for all” has become an international goal for both developed and developing countries.

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Quality writing lessons: everyday writing tips for college and high school students., completing an essay about education is the best legacy.

Education is the best legacy is a saying that is often used to encourage parents to invest in the course. It is argued that education refines an individual, socializes them and broadens their scope of knowledge. Further, it offers children a chance to access employment in their future. Writing an essay about the topic should not only cover such points, but it should also be written in a clear and flawless manner. Some of the tips to consider in such writing are:

• Come up with a schedule

To beat the deadline of submitting your paper, it is vital that you come up with a schedule. Write down the activities that you will do on a daily basis.

• Get a specific point of view

Since the topic is already selected for you, it is important that you get a unique point of view and present it. Still, it is at this point that you may want to brainstorm and draft a few major points to support your thesis statement.

• Come up with a list of sources

Go through different scholarly data bases and find peer-reviewed sources to use in your paper. Journals, books and websites from credible institutions can be useful at this point.

• Do a thorough research

While the topic may seem simple, it is important to understand what other authors think about it. In fact, you will get a unique point of view by doing your research.

• Come up with an outline

A structure gives you a good foundation of writing your paper. This should be inclusive of an introduction, main body and conclusion.

• Write down the main body

Here, you should write down all the points you listed prior and explain them well. Specially, you should start by writing the main idea in every paragraph and offering examples in the other sentences.

• Write down the introduction

Write down an introduction that attracts the attention of your audience. You can start by giving statistics on the number of students who enroll in school every year. Henceforth, you can explain why such students are privilege and in the process mention that parents who invest in the course leave a good legacy to their children. Finally, write down the thesis statement.

• Write down the conclusion
• Edit your paper

The final step of completing a paper is to edit it. Here, you must eliminate all the errors and check whether the ideas flow well. As well, find out whether you have considered the specified number of words when writing.

Ultimately, your essay should showcase your writing skills and your understanding of the topic of education is the best legacy.

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• Importance of Education Speech

Speech on Importance of Education in English for Students

In one's life, education is an important concern. It is the key to a successful future and to the numerous opportunities we come across in our lives. For an individual, education has many advantages. It not only enlightens the mind but also enhances the thought process of a person. This makes it possible for students to qualify for jobs or pursue higher education. Moreover, education develops the personality, thoughts, and social skills of humans. It not only prepares an individual for various experiences and circumstances in their life but also makes them hold a unique significance in society.

It increases the knowledge of a person and provides them with confidence that is going to help them through their life. Education is important for people of all age groups. People of any age group can get education anytime and anywhere, education has no limitations if you want to have it you can get it anytime and from anywhere. When you talk about education it not only makes you a self-dependent person but it is going to cultivate such values in you that will help you to be a respected person in society.

Long Speech on Importance of Education in English

Today I am going to speak about the Importance of Education. Education plays a key role in the development of an individual. When we think of education, the first thing that strikes our minds is gaining knowledge. Education not only provides an individual with Education is a tool that provides knowledge, skill sets, techniques, and information to people, allowing them to understand their rights and duties to their family, society, and nation. It enhances vision and perspective to see the world. Not only this but it is also the most significant element in the nation's evolution. One will not explore innovative ideas without education. It implies that one can not develop the world as there is no creativity without ideas and there is no development of a nation without creativity.

There are certain ways in which you can teach the students and small children about the importance that education holds. Following are some important ways that you need to follow while teaching the students about the importance of education.

Since we all know that children tend to observe whatever is happening around them, you need to focus on being their role model, if you want them to learn something important like education.

Education can empower individuals in various ways. It helps in eradicating poverty, as it makes an individual capable of getting a job and fulfilling all the basic needs and requirements of the family.  A well-educated person is not easily fooled and is less likely to be involved in social evils. It makes them less susceptible to cheating and getting involved in crime. An increase in educated people ultimately boosts the trade and commerce of a country. It provides the citizens with a deeper understanding of law and order and they are more likely to become law-abiding citizens, as they understand the importance of law and order. Education helps in fighting several societal evils; it demolishes certain sexist customs of child marriage, the Dowry system, Sati Pratha, and also encourages women to become independent.

Education empowers women to stand up for themselves and voice their opinions. A good education adds to the communication skills of a person and helps them express themselves more effectively. We are regarded as a valuable source of knowledge for our society as educated individuals. Education helps us to teach necessary morals, good manners, and wise ethics to others. As well as being good at the physical, mental and social level,besides, it promotes the feeling of living a better life. A good education is constructive, which creates our future. This allows an individual to enhance his mental, physical and spiritual level. By offering knowledge of many areas, it makes us confident individuals. It's enough to say that education matters. Studies show that those educated are more likely to live longer, live healthier lives, and help strangers more.

While children are young, investing in different types of education ensures that they have a strong foundation. Good education is intended not only to get hard work and good results but to accomplish new things for the welfare of the whole human race. Not only does education allow us to study history, science, mathematics, geography, and other subjects, but it also teaches us how to deal with life's bad situations. Therefore, education is essential for a better future. Education not only means getting bookish knowledge but it involves you having knowledge that will help you to evolve as a better human and the one who can protect society from all the evils. 

Short Speech on Importance of Education in English

Today, I am here to share my views on the importance of education. Education among uneducated and poor people is still an issue in this modern, technologically advanced world that urgently needs to be addressed. People's education is a solution to all social, personal, and business issues. To live in society, proper and higher education makes us more civilized. 

Besides, it is very well known that education often generates self-confidence. To have self-confidence, which leads to many positive effects and success in life, is a great blessing for us. It enables us, for instance, to handle specific tasks, to tackle the challenges of life, and to maintain positive positions. Education also directs the individual's undeveloped capabilities, attitudes, interests, impulses, and needs into desirable channels. With the aid of education, the individual can change and modify his environment according to his needs. There are two aspects to man—biological and social. Education not only maintains and transmits the social aspect of mankind but also provides you with knowledge about the biological aspects.

In addition to preserving and transmitting social elements from generation to generation, education also contributes to the enrichment of culture. Our Constitution provides for free and compulsory education, the right of minorities to set up and administer educational institutions, education for weaker sectors, secular education, education for women, primary education in the mother tongue, preservation of national heritage, education in the Union Territories, etc. These constitutional provisions are nothing but our attempt to attain the objective 'Education for All'. Having the right education will help you to be a good human and also enable you to understand how to survive in our society and tackle all the difficulties in our way easily. Whenever we talk about education we know that we are talking about the growth of an individual as a whole. Education is the basic necessity that everyone should have. It helps you to grow mentally and will enable you to be a better human being.

10 Lines on Why Education is Important in Our Life Speech

The ultimate way to gain victory over personal and social problems is education.By altering our mind and personality and improving our confidence level, it transforms us completely from outside as well as inside. 

There are no constraints, people of any age group can get an education at any moment. This allows us to shape our moral conscience.

Anyone can receive education at any age, you just need to have the will to get educated and all the paths are open for you. Education is the most important weapon to improve a person's life. Not only does it provide you with information about the norms of the society but also increases the chances of employment.

Being well educated never only means earning certificates and good salaries from recognized and reputable organizational companies or organizations, but in life, it also means being a good and social person. 

Education is the fundamental right of all capable of bringing any desired change and upliftment in the human mind and society.

Teachers play a very important part in providing a good level of education. The basic education that we receive is from our school. All the basic manners about the ways how to behave or protect the environment and all the other basic education that help you to be a well behaved and sophisticated individual. 

Better education instills better communication among individuals. Furthermore, education helps an individual make better use of technology. This is a technical world, today everywhere you come across a number of technologies every second person is a user of technology whether it is a phone, laptop or any other technology. You only can use these technologies when you are having a better education and knowledge about these technologies.

Whatever we learn from our parents and teachers stays throughout life with us and we pass it on to our next generation.

Our goal of getting an education should be to help other people in society who are needed to get over their vulnerabilities and superstitions. We have often observed that lower sections of society are still so much into superstitions but if they are educated in the right way then only they can overcome such superstitions and can lead a better life.

By maintaining the balance between body, mind, and soul, keeps our mind calm and peaceful.

One can open his/her lock to success through the key of education.

FAQs on Importance of Education Speech

1. How does education help an individual to get employment?

Education provides an individual with information on vivid topics. It not only instils knowledge into an individual but also makes them more confident. It is an obvious fact that if you have information on all the topics that your employer is going to ask you then only you can answer them and it instills a lot of confidence in you. It is observed that an employer always looks for a confident individual who can carry forward the work in difficult situations also. So education is the basic need for employment.

2. Mention the ways in which education will help society?

Education is the most important when we want to bring some changes to our society. We know that the lower uneducated section of the society still follows a lot of superstitions, if only we can educate them with the proper information they can come over these norms and superstitions.

Education helps society by spreading knowledge,  the more knowledge the society will gain, the better will be their standard of living.

3. How can you instill education in the children?

To instil education in children, you need to follow a few important tips.

You need to become a role model for the children. They tend to learn from what they observe in society.

You need to give them diverse opportunities to learn different topics then only they will be able to gain more knowledge.

They should focus more on learning rather than studying. Only studying will not be beneficial anyhow except gaining you some marks.

4. What is the importance of education in an individual's life?

Education provides a person with the knowledge and along with it, it boosts your confidence. It helps you to improve in your career and not only that it also improves your personal life. There are no limitations when we talk about education. You can get an education anywhere at any time, you just need to be willing to acquire the education. Numerous sources will be provided to you that will increase your knowledge. There is a popular saying that says that a person never stops getting educated and it is a fact.

5. How can education change the world?

Education improves the economic growth of the country. It not only increases economic growth but also increases innovation, productivity, as well as human capital. Education besides this fosters positive changes in the society by removing superstitions and many useless norms that were followed for a long time back without the knowledge behind these norms. Education also encourages political participation, environmental sustainability, along with social equality among the individuals of the society.

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Have Students Create Their End-of-Year Legacy Now

Ask your students to imagine themselves at an assembly in June. All of their classmates, teachers, staff, even parents are there. Every student is called up to the podium at the center of the stage, and the principal reads a statement of what they accomplished in the past year.

Here's a question for your students: What would you want the principal to say?

Inviting students to write their end-of-year legacy at the start of the school year is one of the most powerful and efficient social-emotional and character development (SECD) interventions you can do for students, grades 5-12. First, you get to teach them about the concept of "legacy," and "reputation." You get to introduce them to the idea of being a person of character and deciding what kind of character they would like to have. Second, you start a conversation about character and accomplishment in the classroom, as kids can share their legacy statements and then you can raise the question, how can you support each other in accomplishing these important goals?

Next, you can review the legacy statements at the end of each grading period, which can lead to a discussion, using these questions:

• How are you doing in working toward your legacy?
• What can help you make (more, better) progress in the next marking period?

You can repeat this process throughout the school year. You can even integrate progress toward, and even selection of, the legacy into students' writing assignments. You can discuss the legacy of historical figures, as well as scientists, artists, poets, writers, people in current events, and ancestors.

Children who get into severe behavioral problems will be easier to support than they otherwise would be. You can help steer them back toward their legacies. It will also be helpful to discuss their legacies when kids are sent to detention or suspension. Conversations with them can be directed with the question, "How can we help to get you back on track?"

Of course, at the end of the year, you may have to find a way to celebrate the accomplishment of many legacies, and help students think about how to continue developing their positive legacies in the following year. But at that point, the success you (and the students) will have experienced will make this extra work quite worthwhile. Establishing and working toward legacies is an SECD strategy that, aligned with researched-based best practices, can be a valuable part of your back-to-school plans.

16 Best Graduation Speeches That Leave a Lasting Impression

By Kristi Kellogg and Noor Brara

Some of the most impactful and inspiring sentiments are shared during graduation speeches delivered by the leaders we look up to. Graduation speeches from celebrities , entrepreneurs, authors and other influential thinkers are motivational, inspiring, thought-provoking and just might make you reach for the nearest tissue. After four years of hard work, stress, and exhausting self-discovery, lucky graduates are privy to a life-changing speech to top it all off.

Here, we rounded up up 16 of the best graduation speeches of all time, including words of wisdom from Natalie Portman, Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey, and more.

1. Steve Jobs: Stanford, 2005

"You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it."

2. Michelle Obama: Tuskegee University, 2015

"I've found that this journey has been incredibly freeing. Because no matter what happened, I had the piece of mind knowing that all of the chatter, the name-calling, the doubting...all of it was just noise. It did not define me, it didn't change who I was, and most importantly, it couldn't hold me back."

3. Natalie Portman: Harvard, 2015

"I just directed my first film. I was completely unprepared, but my own ignorance to my own limitations looked like confidence and got me into the director's chair. Once there, I had to figure it all out, and my belief that I could handle these things, contrary to all evidence of my ability to do so was half the battle. The other half was very hard work. The experience was the deepest and most meaningful one of my career."

4. Amy Poehler: Harvard University, 2011

By Mia Uzzell

By Kaitlyn McNab

"What I have discovered is this: You can't do it alone … Listen. Say 'yes.' Live in the moment. Make sure you play with people who have your back. Make big choices early and often."

5. Meryl Streep: Barnard College, 2010

"This is your time and it feels normal to you but really there is no normal. There's only change, and resistance to it and then more change."

6. David Foster Wallace: Kenyon College, 2005

"Twenty years after my own graduation, I have come gradually to understand that the liberal arts cliché about teaching you how to think is actually shorthand for a much deeper, more serious idea: learning how to think really means learning how to exercise some control over how and what you think. It means being conscious and aware enough to choose what you pay attention to and to choose how you construct meaning from experience. Because if you cannot exercise this kind of choice in adult life, you will be totally hosed. Think of the old cliché about quote the mind being an excellent servant but a terrible master."

7. Barack Obama: Howard University, 2016

"You have to go through life with more than just passion for change; you need a strategy. I’ll repeat that. I want you to have passion, but you have to have a strategy. Not just awareness, but action. Not just hashtags, but votes."

8. Kerry Washington: George Washington University, 2013

"You and you alone are the only person who can live the life that can write the story that you were meant to tell."

9. Conan O'Brien: Dartmouth College, 2011

"There are few things more liberating in this life than having your worst fear realized. Today I tell you that whether you fear it or not, disappointment will come. The beauty is that through disappointment you can gain clarity, and with clarity comes conviction and true originality … Work hard, be kind, and amazing things will happen."

10. J.K. Rowling: Harvard, 2008

"I stopped pretending to be anything than what I was. My greatest fear had been realized. I had an old typewriter and a big idea. Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life."

11. Oprah Winfrey: Harvard University, 2013

"Learn from every mistake because every experience, encounter, and particularly your mistakes are there to teach you and force you into being more who you are. And then figure out what is the next right move. And the key to life is to develop an internal moral, emotional G.P.S. that can tell you which way to go."

12. Joss Whedon: Wesleyan University, 2013

"You have, which is a rare thing, that ability and the responsibility to listen to the dissent in yourself, to at least give it the floor, because it is the key—not only to consciousness–but to real growth. To accept duality is to earn identity. And identity is something that you are constantly earning. It is not just who you are. It is a process that you must be active in. It's not just parroting your parents or the thoughts of your learned teachers. It is now more than ever about understanding yourself so you can become yourself."

13. George Saunders: Syracuse University, 2013

"Do all the other things, the ambitious things … Travel, get rich, get famous, innovate, lead, fall in love, make and lose fortunes, swim naked in wild jungle rivers (after first having it tested for monkey poop)—but as you do, to the extent that you can, err in the direction of kindness."

14. Nora Ephron: Wellesley College, 1996

"Be the heroine of your life, not the victim."

15. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: Wellesley College, 2015

"As you graduate, as you deal with your excitement and your doubts today, I urge you to try and create the world you want to live in. Minister to the world in a way that can change it. Minister radically in a real, active, practical, get your hands dirty way."

16. Admiral William H. McRaven: University of Texas at Austin, 2014

"If you make your bed every morning you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride, and it will encourage you to do another task and another and another. By the end of the day, that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed. Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that little things in life matter. If you can't do the little things right, you will never do the big things right."

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11 Quotes About Leaving a Legacy

What will you be known for when you leave this earth? The most influential people , the ones who leave behind incredible legacies, will live on in the hearts of the people they touch. Physically, they will no longer be a part of society—but their principles, philosophies and achievements will become immortal, spreading from generation to generation.

You can start making your mark on the world today by pushing yourself to greatness. Take control of your destiny with these 11 motivating quotes, and leave behind an inspiring legacy for to all to see.

Related: 5 Undeniable Reasons to Leave a Legacy

1. “All good men and women must take responsibility to create legacies that will take the next generation to a level we could only imagine.” — Jim Rohn

2. “carve your name on hearts, not tombstones. a legacy is etched into the minds of others and the stories they share about you.” — shannon l. alder, 3. “if you would not be forgotten as soon as you are dead, either write something worth reading or do something worth writing .” — benjamin franklin, 4. “no legacy is so rich as honesty.” — william shakespeare, 5. “i think the whole world is dying to hear someone say, ‘ i love you. ’ i think that if i can leave the legacy of love and passion in the world, then i think i’ve done my job in a world that’s getting colder and colder by the day.” — lionel richie, 6. “that is your legacy on this earth when you leave this earth: how many hearts you touched.” — patti davis, 7. “ the great use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it.” — william james, 8. “immortality is to live your life doing good things, and leaving your mark behind.” — brandon lee, 9. “you make your mark by being true to who you are and letting that be your staple.” — kat graham, 10. “ the legacy of heroes is the memory of a great name and the inheritance of a great example.” — benjamin disraeli, 11. “your story is the greatest legacy that you will leave to your friends. it’s the longest-lasting legacy you will leave to your heirs.” — steve saint.

Related:   This Is How You Leave a Legacy

Lydia Sweatt

Lydia Sweatt is a freelance writer, bookworm, and bass guitar enthusiast. When she goes outside, a bicycle goes with her.

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The 21 greatest graduation speeches of the last 60 years

By german lopez on may 11, 2016.

Graduation speeches are the last opportunity for a high school or college to educate its students. It's unsurprising, then, that these institutions often pull in some of the world's most powerful people to leave an equally powerful impression on their students. Here are the best of those speeches and some of the sections that resonate the most.

David Foster Wallace at Kenyon College, 2005

Jamie Sullivan

“There are these two young fish swimming along and they happen to meet an older fish swimming the other way, who nods at them and says, 'Morning, boys. How's the water?' And the two young fish swim on for a bit, and then eventually one of them looks over at the other and goes, 'What the hell is water?' This is a standard requirement of US commencement speeches: the deployment of didactic little parable-ish stories. The story thing turns out to be one of the better, less bulshitty conventions of the genre, but if you're worried that I plan to present myself here as the wise, older fish explaining what water is to you younger fish, please don't be. I am not the wise old fish.”

Steve Jobs at Stanford University, 2005

Stanford University

“No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because death is very likely the single best invention of life. It’s life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it’s quite true. Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma, which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

Ellen Degeneres at Tulane University, 2009

Tulane University

“I know that a lot of you are concerned about your future, but there’s no need to worry. The economy is booming, the job market is wide open, the planet is just fine. It’s gonna be great. You’ve already survived a hurricane. What else can happen to you? And as I mentioned before, some of the most devastating things that happen to you will teach you the most. And now you know the right questions to ask for your first job interview — like, ‘Is it above sea level?’ So to conclude my conclusion that I’ve previously concluded in the common cement speech, I guess what I’m trying to say is life is like one big Mardi Gras. But instead of showing your boobs, show people your brain. And if they like what they see, you’ll have more beads than you know what to do with. And you’ll be drunk most of the time.”

Conan O'Brien at Dartmouth College, 2011

“Way back in the 1940s there was a very, very funny man named Jack Benny. He was a giant star and easily one of the greatest comedians of his generation. And a much younger man named Johnny Carson wanted very much to be Jack Benny. In some ways he was, but in many ways he wasn’t. He emulated Jack Benny, but his own quirks and mannerisms, along with a changing medium, pulled him in a different direction. And yet his failure to completely become his hero made him the funniest person of his generation. David Letterman wanted to be Johnny Carson, and was not, and as a result my generation of comedians wanted to be David Letterman. And none of us are — my peers and I have all missed that mark in a thousand different ways. But the point is this: it is our failure to become our perceived ideal that ultimately defines us and makes us unique. It’s not easy, but if you accept your misfortune and handle it right, your perceived failure can be a catalyst for profound reinvention.”

Carol Bartz at University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2012

University of Wisconsin-Madison

“Accept failure and learn from it. Failure is part of life, it’s part of every career, and you have to know how to take advantage of it. The single greatest strength that this country has via Silicon Valley is that failure is seen as a sign of experience. Failure is part of work, it’s part of life. People are willing to take risks on the way to innovation. One of my fondest sayings is fail, fast, forward. Recognize you’ve failed, try to do it fast, learn from it, build on it, and move forward. Embrace failure, have it be part of your persona. You’re going to have long careers, as I’ve already told you, you’re going to have many failures — personal, business, professional. I’ve had my share. But just use this as a building block to your next success.”

President John F. Kennedy at American University, 1963

“Genuine peace must be the product of many nations, the sum of many acts. It must be dynamic, not static, changing to meet the challenge of each new generation. For peace is a process — a way of solving problems. With such a peace, there will still be quarrels and conflicting interests, as there are within families and nations. World peace, like community peace, does not require that each man love his neighbor — it requires only that they live together in mutual tolerance, submitting their disputes to a just and peaceful settlement.”

David McCullough Jr. at Wellesley High School, 2012

Wellesley High School

“Like accolades ought to be, the fulfilled life is a consequence — a gratifying byproduct. It’s what happens when you’re thinking about more important things. Climb the mountain not to plant your flag but to embrace the challenge, enjoy the air, and behold the view. Climb it so you can see the world, not so the world can see you. Go to Paris to be in Paris, not to cross it off your list and congratulate yourself for being worldly. Exercise free will and creative independent thought not for the satisfactions they will bring you but for the good they will do others — the rest of the 6.8 billion and those who will follow them. And then you too will discover the great and curious truth of the human experience is that selflessness is the best thing you can do for yourself. The sweetest joys of life, then, come only with the recognition that you’re not special, because everyone is.”

Stephen Colbert at Northwestern University, 2011

Joshua Sherman

“You have been told to follow your dreams, but what if it’s a stupid dream? For instance, Stephen Colbert of 25 years ago lived at 2015 North Ridge with two men and three women in what I now know was a brothel. He dreamed of living alone — well, alone with his beard in a large, barren loft apartment, lots of blonde wood, wearing a kimono, with a futon on the floor and a Samovar of tea constantly bubbling in the background, doing Shakespeare in the street for homeless people. Today, I am a beardless, suburban dad who lives in a house, wears no iron khakis, and makes Anthony Weiner jokes for a living. And I love it, because thankfully dreams can change. If we’d all stuck with our first dream, the world would be overrun with cowboys and princesses. So whatever your dream is right now, if you don’t achieve it, you haven’t failed, and you’re not some loser. But just as importantly — and this is the part I may not get right and you may not listen to — if you do get your dream, you are not a winner.”

Sheryl Sandberg at Harvard Business School, 2012

Harvard Business School

“I sat down with Eric Schmidt, who had just become the CEO [of Google], and I showed him the spreadsheet and I said, this job meets none of my criteria. He put his hand on my sheet and he looked at me and said, ‘Don’t be an idiot.’ Excellent career advice. And then he said, ‘Get on a rocketship. When companies are growing quickly and having a lot of impact, careers take care of themselves. And when companies aren’t growing quickly or their missions don’t matter as much, that’s when stagnation and politics come in. If you’re offered a seat on a rocketship, don’t ask what seat. Just get on.’”

Michael Lewis at Princeton University, 2012

Princeton University

“In a general sort of way you’ve been appointed leader of the group. Your appointment may not be entirely arbitrary. But you must sense right now its arbitrary aspect: you are the lucky few. Lucky in your parents, lucky in your country, lucky that a place like Princeton exists that can take in lucky people, introduce them to other lucky people, and increase their chances of becoming even luckier. Lucky that you live in the richest society the world has ever seen, in a time when no one actually expects you to sacrifice your interest to anything. All of you have been faced with the extra cookie. All of you will be faced with many more of them. In time you will find it easy to assume that you deserve the extra cookie. For all I know, you may deserve the extra cookie. But you will be happier, and you will be better off, if you at least pretend that you don't.”

Jon Stewart at the College of William & Mary, 2004

College of William & Mary

“Lets talk about the real world for a moment. ... I don’t really know to put this, so I’ll be blunt: we broke it. Please don’t be mad. I know we were supposed to bequeath to the next generation a world better than the one we were handed. So, sorry. I don’t know if you’ve been following the news lately, but it just kinda got away from us. Somewhere between the gold rush of easy internet profits and an arrogant sense of endless empire, we heard kind of a pinging noise, and then the damn thing just died on us. So I apologize. But here’s the good news: you fix this thing, you’re the next greatest generation, people.”

Oprah Winfrey at Spelman College, 2012

Spelman College

“You must have some kind of vision for your life, even if you don’t know the plan. You have to have a direction in which you choose to go. I never was the kind of woman who liked to get in a car and just go for a ride. I had a boyfriend that would say, ‘Let’s just go for a ride.’ I want to know where are we going. Do we have a destination? Is there a plan? Are we just riding? What I’ve learned is that’s a great metaphor for life. You want to be in the driver’s seat of your own life, because if you’re not, life will drive you.”

Neil Gaiman at the University of the Arts, 2012

Lennie Alzate

“The moment that you feel that, just possibly, you’re walking down the street naked, exposing too much of your heart and your mind and what exists on the inside, showing too much of yourself, that’s the moment you may be starting to get it right. The things I’ve done that worked the best were the things I was the least certain about, the stories where I was sure they would either work or more likely be the kinds of embarrassing failures that people would gather together and discuss until the end of time. They always had that in common. Looking back at them, people explain why they were inevitable successes. And while I was doing them, I had no idea. I still don’t. And where would be the fun in making something you knew was going to work? And sometimes the things I did really didn’t work. There are stories of mine that have never been reprinted. Some of them never even left the house. But I learned as much from them as I did from the things that worked.”

George Saunders at Syracuse University's College of Arts and Sciences, 2013

Syracuse University's College of Arts and Sciences

“Seek out the most efficacious anti-selfishness medicines energetically for the rest of your life. And do all the other things of course, the ambitious things: travel, get rich, get famous, innovate, lead, fall in love, make and lose fortunes, swim naked in a wild jungle river — after first testing it for monkey poop. But as you do, to the extent that you can, err in the direction of kindness. Do those things that incline you toward the big questions, and avoid the things that would reduce you and make you trivial. That luminous part of you that exists beyond personality — your soul, if you will — is as bright and shining as any that has ever been. Bright as Shakespeare’s, bright as Gandhi’s, bright as Mother Teresa’s. Clear away everything that keeps you separate from this secret luminous place. Believe it exists, come to know it better, nurture it, share its fruits tirelessly.”

Nora Ephron at Wellesley College, 1996

Wellesley College

“So what are you going to do? This is the season when a clutch of successful women who have it all get up and give speeches to women like you and say, ‘To be perfectly honest, you can’t have it all.’ Well, maybe young women don’t wonder whether they can have it all any longer, but in case any of you are wondering, of course you can have it all. What are you going to do? Everything is my guess. It will be a little messy, but embrace the mess. It will be complicated, but rejoice in the complications. It will not be anything like what you think it’s going to be like, but surprises are good for you. And don't be frightened. You can always change your mind. I know. I've had four careers and three husbands. And this is something else I want to tell you, one of the hundreds of things I didn’t know when I was sitting here so many years ago: you are not going to be you, fixed and immutable you, forever.”

Aaron Sorkin at Syracuse University, 2012

Syracuse University

“Decisions are made by those who show up. Don't ever forget that you're a citizen of this world. Don't ever forget that you’re a citizen of this world, and there are things you can do to lift the human spirit, things that are easy, things that are free, things that you can do every day: civility, respect, kindness, character. You’re too good for schadenfreude, you’re too good for gossip and snark, you’re too good for intolerance — and since you're walking into the middle of a presidential election, it’s worth mentioning that you’re too good to think people who disagree with you are your enemy. … Don’t ever forget that a small group of thoughtful people can change the world. It’s the only thing that ever has.”

Barbara Kingsolver at DePauw University, 1994

DePauw University

“It’s not up to you to save the world. That’s the job of every living person who likes the idea of a future. But I’m going to go out on a limb here and give you one little piece of advice, and that is, like the idea of a future. Believe you have it in you to make the world look better rather than worse seven generations from now. Figure out what that could look like. And then if you’re lucky, you’ll find a way to live inside that hope, running down its hallways, touching the walls on both sides.”

Jane Lynch at Smith College, 2012

Smith College

“My counsel to you, women of Smith College: let life surprise you. Don’t have a plan. Plans are for wusses. If my life went according to my plan, I would never ever have the life I have today. Now, you are obviously good planners, or you wouldn’t be here. So stop it! Stop it now! Don’t deprive yourself of the exciting journey your life can be when you relinquish the need to have goals and a blueprint.”

Bill Gates at Harvard University, 2007

Harvard University

“In line with the promise of this age, I want to exhort each of the graduates here to take on an issue — a complex problem, a deep inequity, and become a specialist on it. If you make it the focus of your career, that would be phenomenal. But you don’t have to do that to make an impact. For a few hours every week, you can use the growing power of the internet to get informed, find others with the same interests, see the barriers, and find ways to cut through them. Don’t let complexity stop you. Be activists. Take on big inequities. I feel sure it will be one of the great experiences of your lives.”

Eugene Mirman at Lexington High School, 2009

Eugene Mirman

“What’s the worst grade you’ve ever gotten? A D? An F? When I was in eighth grade in Diamond Middle School on a homework assignment — this is true — I once got a -8. Sadly very true. I did my assignment worse than not doing it. But did I let getting a grade lower than the lowest possible grade stop me? No. I was put into resource room in special education, and I turned my F into a D. So you see sometimes you can fail, then barely pass, and then become a comedian.”

Michelle Obama at Spelman College, 2011

“Some of you may have grown up like me, in neighborhoods where few had the chance to go to college, where being teased for doing well in school was a fact of life, where well-meaning but misguided folks questioned whether a girl with my background could get into a school like Princeton. Sometimes I’d save them the trouble and raised the questions myself, in my own head, lying awake at night, doubting whether I had what it took to succeed. And the truth is that there will always be folks out there who make assumptions about others. There will always be folks who try to raise themselves up by cutting other people down. That happens to everyone, including me, throughout their lives. But when that happens to you all, here’s what I want you to do: I want you to just stop a minute, take a deep breath — because it’s going to need to be deep — and I want you to think about all those women who came before you.”

• The formula for a good life after college
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What Legacy Do You Want to Leave Behind?

By Natalie Proulx

• March 21, 2019

Have you ever known someone who has died, whether someone close to you, an acquaintance or even a famous figure? What legacy did the person leave in your life or the world? What made him or her so meaningful or memorable to you?

In “ Want to Leave a Legacy? Be a Mentor ,” Jane E. Brody writes about how making a positive impact can keep people alive in the memories and lives of others:

Encouraged by a grandfatherly professor at Cornell, in my sophomore year I gave a speech asking my fellow students “when you come to the end of your days, will you be able to write your own epitaph?” I urged them to focus on establishing meaningful goals and the legacy they may want to leave when their physical lives end. By legacy, I did not mean money, structures or any other tangible object. I meant the positive impact they might have that would help to keep them alive in the memories and lives of others. Thus, when I read Marc Freedman’s new book, “How to Live Forever: The Enduring Power of Connecting the Generations,” it spoke volumes to me. It reminded me of that dear professor, George Eric Peabody, who was in effect my mentor, encouraging me to step out of my comfort zone and develop talents I never knew I had. Professor Peabody, who died in 1967 at age 70, did indeed leave an enviable legacy. As stated in the university’s memorial, he was “an inspiring and challenging teacher in helping thousands of students develop poise, self-confidence and, in his concise words, the ability to ‘stand up — speak up — and shut up.’” Mr. Freedman, the founder of Encore.org and co-founder of Experience Corps , both dedicated to helping older adults find purpose later in life, calls himself a social entrepreneur. Asked what it takes to be a mentor, he said succinctly, “Showing up and shutting up: Being consistent and listening. You don’t have to be a charismatic superhero. You don’t need an advanced degree. It’s more about the relationship than imparting sage advice. The key is not being interest ing . The real key is being interest ed — being present and paying attention.”

The article continues:

Mr. Freedman’s latest endeavor, now in its second year, is called Generation to Generation , a foundation-supported nationwide project that aims to “build a movement of older people focused on the well-being of future generations.” The annual increase in life expectancy attests to the importance of this effort. More and more people are living 20 or 30 years beyond traditional retirement age. Do they all want to spend those “golden years” watching TV, playing cards or golf, reading or traveling? Or might some prefer a more productive and meaningful old age, one that could enrich them physically, mentally and socially, and in some cases economically? “The real fountain of youth is the fountain with youth,” Mr. Freedman said. “It’s spending less time focused on being young and more time focused on being there for the next generation.” As the developmental psychologist and psychoanalyst Erik Erikson said nearly 70 years ago, “I am what survives me.”

Students, read the entire article, then tell us:

— What do you think about the premise of this article? Do you agree that leaving a positive impact on the world and others is more memorable than the money, property and other tangible objects one has to one’s name? Why or why not? Can you think of an example of someone’s life that supports your opinion?

— Who has been a mentor to you? What influence have they had in your life, the lives of others or the world?

— When your physical life ends, how do you want to be remembered? What do you hope people will say about you? What kind of lasting impact do you want to have made on the world, whether it’s through your work, accomplishments, relationships or something else?

— What things are you doing or working toward now that are helping to shape the legacy you want to leave?

— The developmental psychologist and psychoanalyst Erik Erikson said nearly 70 years ago, “I am what survives me.” What does this mean to you? How might you apply it to your life?

Students 13 and older are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.

Home › Inspirational Graduation Speeches

Inspirational Graduation Speeches

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Do you have a graduating son or daughter? A high school or college graduation is a major milestone in life that should not be ignored. The graduation ceremony celebrates hard work and encourages students to move into the world to achieve great things. This hopeful message is further cemented through an inspirational graduation speech.

As you celebrate graduation day and wish your student good luck, consider the following commencement advice you can share as well as inspirational quotes for a happy graduation.

Here are the best graduation speeches and inspirational message graduation quotes to inspire you and change your life.

Page Contents

1. Barack Obama – Howard University, 2016

You have to go through life with more than just passion for change; you need a strategy. I’ll repeat that. I want you to have passion, but you have to have a strategy. Not just awareness but action. Not just hashtags, but votes. Barack Obama

During his graduation message, Barack Obama spoke with hope. He urged the graduating students to be hardworking yet pragmatic as they sought justice, equality, and freedom. Howard University is one of the nation’s most distinguished and historically Black universities.

In 2020, Barack Obama also shared a graduation message to the Class of 2020 as part of Graduate Together: America Honors the High School Class of 2020 . These students had to learn to overcome obstacles and challenges that classes before them had not had to deal with due to the pandemic.

The disappointments of missing a live graduation, those will pass pretty quick…What remains true is that your graduation marks your passage into adulthood—the time when you begin to take charge of your own life. It’s when you get to decide what’s important to you: the kind of career you want to pursue. Who you want to build a family with. The values you want to live by. And given the current state of the world, that may be kind of scary. Barack Obama

Obama goes on to offer hope and support as graduating students set out to navigate a very new landscape and shape a new world.

2. David Foster Wallace – Kenyon Graduation Speech, 2005

There are these two young fish swimming along, and they happen to meet an older fish swimming the other way, who nods at them and says, “Morning, boys. How’s the water?” And the two young fish swim on for a bit, and then eventually, one of them looks over at the other and goes, “What the hell is water? David Foster Wallace

In this commencement address, Wallace reminds us that we often forget, or take for granted, the most obvious things around us. He acknowledges it’s difficult to stay aware of what’s happening in the world, especially when you’re too busy dealing with the monologue inside your head.

That’s what a college education is about, according to him. It’s learning how to think and exercising some degree of control over your thoughts so you can choose what to pay attention to.

Our thoughts affect our realities, and the ability to choose how you “construct meaning from experience” will determine the lenses from which you see the world and how you react in return.

3. Natalie Portman – Harvard Graduation Speech 2015

Sometimes your insecurities and your inexperience may lead you, too, to embrace other people’s expectations, standards, or values. But you can harness that inexperience to carve out your own path, one that is free of the burden of knowing how things are supposed to be, a path that is defined by its own particular set of reasons . Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman majored in psychology at Harvard University because she believed it would help her acting. She graduated in 2003. In her commencement speech at the 2015 graduation ceremony, she spoke of her own self-doubt and gave an inspiring, funny , and wisdom-filled speech for the graduating class.

Portman said even though she was a successful student and went on to find success as an actress, she still struggled with her own worth but eventually learned to set her own goals.

4. Ellen DeGeneres – Tulane University, 2009

Never follow anyone else’s path, unless you’re in the woods and you’re lost and you see a path and by all means you should follow that. Don’t give advice, it will come back and bite you in the ass. Don’t take anyone’s advice. So my advice to you is to be true to yourself and everything will be fine. Ellen Degeneres

This is one of the funniest graduation speeches ever! All humor aside, this speech shows why  it’s better to be true to yourself instead of trying desperately to be a second-rate version of someone else.

For years, Ellen thought being bisexual might prevent her from being a successful stand-up comedian, but it’s just not the case. Ellen proved that you could be successful, whoever you are, if you worked hard and learned from your past experiences— even one as sad as the death of a loved one.

5. Charlie Munger – University of California Law School, 2007

*Skip to 4:08 for the actual speech

You’re not going to get very far in life based on what you already know. You’re going to advance in life by what you’re going to learn after you leave here. Charlie Munger

Education doesn’t stop after you graduate from college. It doesn’t stop after you finish your MBA or PhD either. Munger says, “Wisdom acquisition is a moral duty. It’s not just something you do to advance in life.”

It’s a moral duty because it’s only through continuous learning that we can add to the vast knowledge of man kind. If we stopped learning, progress in all industries—computers, finance, engineering, biology, stops as well.

6. Michelle Obama – Eastern Kentucky University, 2013

If you’re a Democrat, spend some time talking to a Republican. And if you’re a Republican, have a chat with a Democrat. Maybe you’ll find some common ground, maybe you won’t. But if you honestly engage with an open mind and an open heart, I guarantee you’ll learn something. And goodness knows we need more of that, because we know what happens when we only talk to people who think like we do — we just get more stuck in our ways, more divided, and it gets harder to come together for a common purpose. Michelle Obama

As far as inspirational speeches go, Michelle Obama’s speech is very actionable. Her advice is simple (not easy), talk to each other with an open mind.

Different religion, race, political stand, it doesn’t matter. We can all learn from one another.

7. Jim Carrey – Maharashi University of Management, 2014

This is one of my favorite motivational speeches because Jim Carrey is such a good example of his message.

So many of us choose our path out of fear disguised as practicality. My father could have been a great comedian, but he didn’t believe that that was possible for him, and so he made a conservative choice. Instead, he got a safe job as an account. Jim Carrey

Carrey’s father lost his accounting job when he was 12, and it was then he realized that failure is inevitable , whether you’re doing what you want or not. If that’s the case, you might as well take a stab at doing something you love.

8. J.K Rowling – Harvard Commencement Address, 2008

I was set free, because my greatest fear had been realized, and I was still alive, and I still had a daughter whom I adored, and I had an old typewriter and a big idea. J.K. Rowling

This is probably one of the most inspirational videos for writers and creatives everywhere.

Rowling was suffering from depression when he wrote the Harry Potter books. But through grit and patience with herself, she was able to complete the first Harry Potter Manuscript and, stay motivated to continue even when feeling down. Thanks to her drive and imagination, the world has Harry Potter !

9. Bono – University of Pennsylvania, 2004

In case you don’t know him, Bono is the lead singer of the famous band U2. Of course, being the rock star he is, he leads his speech by saying, “My name is Bono, and I am a rock star.”

In his speech, he urges graduates to carefully consider their big idea, in saying:

What are you willing to spend your moral capital, your intellectual capital, your cash, (and) your sweat equity in pursuing outside of the walls of the University of Pennsylvania? The world is more malleable than you think, and it’s waiting for you to hammer it into shape. Bono

Being a rock star, I thought Bono would talk about the perils of fame, the road to stardom or something to that effect. But instead, he talked about big ideas and changing the world.

10. Amy Poehler – Harvard University, 2011

Life is like a heist that requires good drivers, an explosives expert, a hot girl who doubles as a master of disguise, and this is a hard and fast rule. If the Rock shows up, they’re on to you . Amy Poehler

During her commencement speech at Harvard University in 2011, Amy Poehler expressed her surprise at the invitation to do so. She delivered a speech with jokes, advice, and insight as she looked out at the graduates.

She told them to head out into the world with love, light, joy, and laughter. Finishing off her speech in true Amy Poehler fashion, she also says, “please don’t forget to tip your waitresses.”

11. Meryl Streep – Barnard College, 2010

This is your time, and it feels normal to you, but really there is no normal. There’s only change, and resistance to it and then more change . Meryl Streep

Meryl Streep is an actress most famous for Sophie’s Choice , The Devil Wears Prada , and Mamma Mia . She was asked to deliver the commencement speech to Barnard College in 2010. Her speech was dripping with extreme personality, honesty, and bluntness.

Streep shared her own personal stories and emphasized the importance of empathy. The audience was all women, so the speech was directed at them, but she shared many graduation messages that applied to everyone.

12. Kerry Washington – George Washington University, 2013

You and you alone are the only person who can live the life that writes the story you were meant to tell . Kerry Washington

Kerry Washington is an actress, producer, and director. In 2018, she was named the eighth highest-paid television actress and has won several awards, including the President’s Award.

In her commencement speech at George Washington University in 2013, she urged graduates to go beyond their comfort zones and live their own stories.

How to Create Your Own Inspirational Graduation Speech

Do you need to write your own inspirational speech or curate the perfect graduation message? Here are a few tips on how to do just that, so you can inspire others like the commencement speeches above.

Start With a Quote

Start with a relevant quote. This sets the overall tone of your speech and grabs your audience’s attention. A good example of this is a quote by David Brinkley, “A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him.”

Provide Scenarios

Now that you have drawn in the audience, present a what-if scenario to encourage the audience to continue following your thought process.

You can also provide a scenario encouraging the audience to put themselves directly into it. Suggest that they imagine doing something and ask what they would do if it doesn’t go as planned.

If you are giving a graduation message, ask where they see themselves years down the road or what they picture success as. You can then offer advice and insight based on your own experience.

Ask Questions

You should also ask questions, whether they are literal or rhetorical. When you present a question to someone, the person intuitively answers it, keeping them engaged with what you have to say.

Pause for Silence

When giving an inspirational speech, it also helps to pause for a few seconds after important points. This pause allows the audience to react to what you have to say and settle down before you continue with your next statement. The pause is also a good way to draw attention to what you want to say.

What Makes an Inspirational Graduation Speech?

The best graduation speech should have a very uplifting message that leads with education and wisdom. The graduation speech should focus on the graduates’ achievements and accomplishments. It should highlight the sacrifices that may have been made.

When writing a graduation or inspirational speech, ensure a strong theme or message is conveyed to keep your audience’s focus and attention.

Do you remember the speaker on your graduation day? What pearls of wisdom did he or she share?

Related Reading : Don’t forget what you worked so hard on in school! Check out our 150 Education Quotes for Teachers and Students , too. These gems are good for any graduation card when offering congratulations.

Natalie Seale

3 thoughts on “Inspirational Graduation Speeches”

Am really inspired by these brief messages,indeed education has no boundary; therefore, I say to you,” education is immeasurable, regardless of what disciplines or background we find ourselves.

These are very inspiring. My favorite is from J.K. Rowling. Thanks for sharing

Actually Very Inspiring ……thanks for sharing

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• English Language
• 2016 WAEC English La...

2016 WAEC English Language Theory You are the main speaker in a debate on the topic: Education is the best...

You are the main speaker in a debate on the topic: Education is the best legacy a parent can give a child. Write your arguments. for or against the motion.

Explanation

                                                                 EDUCATION IS THE BEST LEGACY

      Chairman Panel of Judges. Time-keeper, Co-debaters. Ladies and Gentlemen I am here to support the motion which states "Education is the best legacy a parent can give a child" Education which can be formal or informal is a process of teaching, training and leaving aimed at improving knowledge and skill development. Education is important in the life of a child and it is the best legacy a parent can give a child.

      A parent who wants his child to be independent in thoughts in future has to give the child education Education is a liberating force which can liberate the thinking process of an individual and makes him to be independent of other peoples thought. A child who has been educated will have his own independent ideas and thoughts which will make him relevant to his society.

      The main adequate way to prepare a child for the challenges and problems he may likely face in future is by giving him good education. Apart from being capable of developing an independent thought process, education gives him a meal ticket. An educated person will always remain relevant and employable to make use of the skills and knowledge he has acquired. Any parent who wants a better future for his child will not but give the child good education. Education will enable him to secure good jobs, occupy leadership positions in his society as education has always remain the only criterion for achieving greatness and for attaining leadership positions in his society.

      Furthermore. a parent who does not want his child to depend on his properties after his death will give education to his child. For the child to be able to manage whatever his parent will leave behind for him and to be able to build on it, he must acquire education Education will allow the child to be able to manage and even build on any inheritance left behind by his parent. A parent who amasses material wealth without given his child education would not have his wealth sustained after his death.

      Lastly, education gives a child great initiative and insight to a lot of things that will make him become great and successful in life. Illiteracy is usually a limiting factor while education broadens ones horizon and enlarges one's scope. Therefore, a parent who wants his child not to be limited will give him education so as to enable him to soar among his peers.

      I hope that i have been able to convince you, with my points that education is the best legacy a parent can give a child.

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Home — Essay Samples — Business — Leadership — My Legacy Speech

My Legacy Speech

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Defining legacy, impact through service, advocacy for change, empowering others.

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UNI celebrates the historic legacy of the West Gym

Commencement on the UNI campus marks an annual opportunity to celebrate our students as they embrace new opportunities. As degrees are conferred and mortarboards are decorated, families can fondly look back at how their students met challenges and eventually reached an important milestone in their lives.

While it’s impossible to adorn an iconic structure in a ceremonial cap and gown, members of the UNI community paid tribute to the West Gym on Friday, sharing memories and giving a final homage to a building that stood on the UNI campus for nearly a century.

Led by President Mark Nook, a ceremony was conducted to not only recognize the West Gym for its service to the UNI community, but to also acknowledge the individuals, groups and teams who will forever hold special memories of moments in the facility. 

“This has been a historic place for many, many reasons,” said Nook. “For our community, for our student body — it is hard to say goodbye to a building of this type, because many things have happened in here and it’s touched lives.”

Originally named the Men’s Gymnasium, the structure has withstood snowstorms and blizzards. Its bricks have buffeted wind and rain, along with humid Iowa summers, while housing countless athletic competitions, political speeches, physical education classes, ROTC events, dances, pep rallies, concerts, commencements and much, much more.

The West Gym’s origins begin after World War I when UNI (then the Iowa State Teachers College) began to prioritize recruiting men to the teaching profession, including physical education and coaching. College officials decided that a new gymnasium built solely for men’s physical education and intercollegiate athletics could aid these recruiting efforts.

Over the years, the building has served as a makeshift dorm, a boxing ring, a place to swim, a polling location and gathering spot for the UNI community. It has been the site of marriage proposals and its coordinates are tattooed on the arm of at least one alum.

Full West Gym History

In the summer of 2023, architects and consultants identified unexpected structural issues in the building, making it necessary for the West Gym to be vacated. Offices for track and field, cross country and softball relocated to other areas on campus. UNI’s wrestling program moved to a temporary training location for its student-athletes to train and practice. Since then, the Iowa Board of Regents has given UNI permission to plan for a new wrestling training facility, and fundraising efforts are underway.

Certainly, no UNI athletic team identified more closely with the facility devoid of many modern accouterments than the wrestling program. 

“The West Gym was an iconic space for us. So many memories were built there, but so many men were built there,” said UNI head wrestling coach Doug Schwab. “It’s not just a wrestling room, no, it’s so much more than that because of the lessons that were taught in it.”

The Panthers hosted and won the 1950 NCAA Wrestling Championships in the West Gym under head coach Dave McCuskey. Both the 1974-75 and 1977-78 UNI wrestling teams captured the NCAA Division II national titles for head coach Chuck Patten. That 1977-78 squad featured three individual national champions. In 2024, Parker Keckeisen became the latest UNI wrestler to be crowned a national champion and the latest in a distinguished lineage of athletes to have training in the West Gym that has included Olympic medalists.  

Fittingly, the Panthers won their final dual conducted in the West Gym, a 31-10 triumph over West Virginia on February 5, 2022.

“There's a grieving process to it,” said Schwab. “But I can tell you that, to me, the heart of the building isn't gone. The heart of the building is the memories that will live on.”

While the West Gym’s origins are rooted in attracting more men to campus and the teaching profession, the facility also helped usher in intercollegiate female athletics at UNI. The inaugural UNI women’s basketball game was played in the West Gym on December 7, 1968 as the Panthers registered a 60-30 victory over Upper Iowa. Although the opening of the UNI-Dome in the 1970s provided another home venue for women’s basketball, the program still played a number of games in the West Gym over the ensuing years with the final contest in the building coming against Northern Illinois on December 2, 2010.

No women’s sport at UNI enjoyed more success in the West Gym than the volleyball program. The initial match in program history was a two-set win over Coe in 1975. Then the program began its rise to national prominence when Iradge Ahrabi-Ford was named head coach in 1981. His illustrious tenure included wins in the West Gym over the likes of Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas, Minnesota and Missouri. 

One of Ahrabi-Ford’s star pupils was Bobbi Becker, who later became UNI head volleyball coach Bobbi Petersen. 

“I can remember so vividly watching now-Coach Petersen, but she was Bobbi Becker the star player at the time,” said Interim Athletics Director Bob Bowlsby, recalling the successes the Panthers had in the facility during his time of being assistant athletics director and athletics director in the 1980s. “I remember the first time when we got to the NCAA tournament and how proud we all were, and how much we knew that playing in the West Gym was an advantage for us.”

The success of the volleyball team only continued as Petersen took over as head coach in 2001 and guided the Panthers to a 29-1 record en route to another NCAA Tournament appearance. After dispatching Northern Illinois in the opening round, UNI competed in one of the most memorable matches in West Gym history in Round Two. After losing the first two sets to Minnesota, the Panthers rallied to win three straight sets to advance to face #1 Long Beach State in the NCAA Regionals.

The UNI volleyball program registered a three-set victory over Creighton in its final West Gym match on November 11, 2006 before posting a straight set win against Bradley in the inaugural event in the McLeod Center a week later. While Petersen’s squad no longer competed in the West Gym, the volleyball squad still conducted periodic practices and workouts in the facility until 2023.

“I know to some this is just a building. But it isn’t and it wasn’t. It was a home. It was our home,” said Petersen.” It provided a space for so many of us to grow up, learn to fail and to accomplish things that we may not have even thought we could have accomplished.

No West Gym retrospective would be complete without mentioning the vibrant history of men’s basketball in the building. The facility opened during the tenure of Coach A.D. Dickinson as the Panthers competed against the likes of Iowa Conference foes such as Central, Cornell, Coe, Parsons, Upper Iowa and William Penn. Dickinson was followed by O.M. Nordly, who guided the program to five conference titles and the school’s first-ever victory against Iowa State in 1938-39.

The State College of Iowa program truly came of age when a swaggering Missouri native named Norm Stewart was hired as head coach in 1961. Stormin’ Norman guided the Panthers to their first-ever berth in the 1962 NCAA College Division Tournament, leading the squad to a win against Hamline. In 1963-64, Stewart’s squad defeated Iowa State and registered a pair of NCAA Regional wins in the West Gym to advance to the NCAA College Division National Tournament. That team’s 23 wins remained a program record until 2009-10. The Panthers would topple Iowa State again in 1964-65.

‌ Coach Jim Berry manned the UNI bench for UNI’s final years in the West Gym, culminating with a contest against Eastern Illinois on February 10, 1976. The Panthers then moved into the recently completed UNI-Dome for the final five games of the 1975-76 campaign, registering wins in all of those contests. But over a decade later, both the UNI men’s and women’s basketball squads would return east of Hudson Road to play in the West Gym. A leaky UNI-Dome roof forced the women’s team back to the West Gym for the 1998-99 season, while the men would also play multiple games there. A 83-37 win vs. Drake on Feb. 22, 1999 would mark the final time the UNI men competed in the venerable gym.

During the farewell to the West Gym, held on a sunny Friday afternoon in May, both coach Petersen and Schwab spoke of West Gym Magic. Said Petersen, “I do know that the magic of the West Gym will live in the hearts of many of us, all of us that are here today, and it will live on always.”

Coach Bobbi Petersen

Coach Doug Schwab

Panther wrestlers

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