UWO Commencement speaker Emily Heider says what matters most is how we care for one another

Before a performance begins, there is always a moment of deliberate silence.

A pianist sits at the bench.

A conductor raises their hands.

A choir takes a breath together.

And for just a moment, the room is completely still.

Not because nothing is happening, but because everything is about to begin.

Today feels a lot like that moment.

Good afternoon, and congratulations to the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh's remarkable graduating Class of 2026. My name is Emily Heider, and it is a privilege to stand before you as a part of this extraordinary community. Like many of you, my path through this university did not unfold the way I once imagined. When I arrived, I began as a Piano Performance Major, convinced I knew exactly what the future would sound like. But life, much like music, rarely follows the first draft of the score, and somewhere along the way, I realized something important: the path does not need to be perfectly planned to be meaningful.

Growth is gradual, meaningful, and at times difficult. Growth happens quietly through conversations, experiences, mistakes, and the people who challenge us to think more deeply.

Often, it is moments of failure, not success, that shape us most drastically. Setbacks are not signs that we are falling behind, but invitations to grow stronger, more self-aware, and to deliver an even greater comeback.

As a musician, there were moments on stage when I missed notes, lost my place, or forgot words, but what mattered is acceptance and the decision and courage to continue, to adjust, and to carry on. Because in music, as in life, it is not perfection that carries us forward-it is persistence. I encourage you to embrace failure and adversity, because when they happen, and they will happen, you will emerge stronger and more resilient.

Our lives are not solitary journeys and we are always a part of something larger than ourselves. Our lives are influenced by our communities-professors who challenged us, friends who supported us, mentors who believed in us, and loved ones who carried us through every high and low.

Change is not a sign that we have lost our way. It is how we find it.

During our time here, we have grown not only in knowledge, but in perspective. We have encountered different languages, stories, struggles, and dreams. And if we have learned anything from one another, it is this: That intelligence without empathy is incomplete.

That knowledge without compassion is insufficient.

That progress without open-mindedness is impossible.

And that love, expressed through friendship, family, and community, is what gives our lives true meaning.

The author Don Miguel Ruiz reminds us that "real love is accepting other people the way they are." Perhaps that is one of the most meaningful lessons education can offer us: not only how to think more critically, but how to understand one another more deeply. To pursue ambition, but also to listen, to remain curious, and to treat others with dignity and respect, even when their experiences differ from our own.

Not everyone will understand our path, and that is okay. Remain true to who you are and how you choose to treat others. None of us will leave this world with the things we are chasing, so go forward today, live in the moment now, instill hope, be encouraging, love one another, and be impeccable with your words. Words are energy, and they cast spells, hence why it is called "spelling." Change the way you speak about yourself, and you will change your life.

Soon, the ceremony will end and we will step forward into lives we cannot fully predict. And that uncertainty is not something to fear. It is something to trust. As Ludwig van Beethoven reminds us, "The music is not in the notes, but in the silence between." And perhaps life unfolds much the same way, one uncertain note at a time, gradually becoming a melody none of us could have written alone.

Porque al final, lo que más importa es cómo nos cuidamos unos a otros.

Because in the end, what matters most is how we care for one another.

As we step forward, please remember:
Growth does not end at graduation.

Discovery does not end with a degree.

And the most meaningful paths in life are often the ones we never planned to take.

Just like the moment before the first note of a performance, the silence we stand in today is not the end of something.

It is the beginning of everything.

Thank you, and congratulations, Class of 2026.