Faculty Commencement speaker tells UWO graduates degree is symbol of courage, belief in what is possible

Graduates, families, friends, faculty colleagues, and members of our community-welcome.

Graduates, today is more than a ceremony. It is a celebration of how far you've come and a reminder of how far you can go.

As I stand here, I cannot help but reflect on my own journey. I arrived in this country as an immigrant, landing in New York City on a cold December day with a heavy suitcase-and an even heavier Nigerian Yoruba accent. I had no roadmap. But I had one belief: I've done difficult things before, and I can do them again. I will figure it out! A positive attitude was all I carried, and it carried me a long way.

I was the first in my family to pursue higher education. There were no instructions. No roadmap. Just a long list of obstacles-learning a new culture, trying to belong, and carrying the weight of being "the first." When I told my parents I wanted to go to college, my dad looked at me and said, "How are we going to do that?" And all I could say was, "I'll figure it out."

My mom gently suggested I learn a trade instead. But I said, "No-I'm going to college." And with nothing but determination, a positive attitude, and the resolve to take it one day at a time and one challenge at a time… I made it.

It was not easy-but that journey taught me this: when you dare to dream beyond what anyone around you has seen before, you don't just change your life. You change the path for everyone who comes after you.

My journey wasn't shaped by hard work alone-it was shaped by people who believed in me. I remember my first day in senior high school, walking into the elite science class. Someone immediately asked, "What are you doing here?" In that moment, I felt like I didn't belong.

But my friend Segun Balogun stepped in and stood up for me. He strongly believed in me. Because of him, I stayed.

That moment taught me something powerful: none of us succeeds alone. We all rise because someone stands with us-and we all have the power to be that person for someone else.

Graduates, look around you, see the people who stood by you: your parents, grandparents, siblings, friends, mentors, professors. Give them a wave, show your gratitude. These are the people who believed in you, defended you, encouraged you, and supported you. You didn't get here alone, and you'll continue to need their support as you step into the next chapter of your life.

As you step into the real world, challenges will come. They came for me when I left a good job at Deloitte, my wife and three-month-old daughter in Nigeria to pursue graduate school in Florida. This didn't make sense on paper. But sometimes you have to take a deep breath and trust yourself: I will figure it out. It is in those moments of courage, when fear meets determination, that growth happens-and the impossible begins to feel possible.

Your story, your background, your beginnings, and even your struggles do not define your limits, they define your strength.

And now, Class of 2025, the spotlight turns to you.

You are entering a world that is complicated, unpredictable, and occasionally confusing. You will face setbacks. You will receive rejection emails. You will question your path. But with a positive attitude you will also rise. You will discover new talents. You will meet people who will change your life. Build things that outlast you.

Do not underestimate what brought you here-your late nights, your early mornings, and your persistence. Your degree is not just a piece of paper. It is a symbol of your courage and your belief in what is possible.

Carry it boldly. Use it to uplift others as you advance yourself.

Congratulations, Class of 2025. Now go do something remarkable.

THE WORLD IS WAITING! WITH A POSITIVE ATTITUDE AND THE RIGHT SUPPORT SYSTEM, YOU WILL FIGURE IT OUT.

Thank you!

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