The Present

by Pamela Thorpe
(USA)

I have submitted graduation speeches to help others to write theirs. My speech is not perfect in anyway but I do hope it will give someone a start!


Principal Mathers, Faculty members, Mr Gordon, Students and their friends and families.

Congratulations Class of 2008.

It does not seem like 20 years since I sat in the audience here at my own graduation day.

How wonderful to be here!

How wonderful to be with you fine young people.

It is a beautiful setting!


My theme today is the present.

So what can the present mean? Surely that just means now, or maybe 3 minutes ago or, well the present is such a fleeting concept.


I have tackled the subject a little differently.

Everything you have in the present day is as a result of everything that you did and happened to you in the past.

Everything you will do in future is as a result of not just the past but also your present actions and decisions.

Everything you get is in some way a present - perhaps a gift from god.


I remember the hard work, failures, and the ultimate success at graduation.

I know you will all have:


Set goals to achieve

Worked very, very hard to achieve them

Persevered in hard times and at failures

I hope you had some fun along the way.



What were the presents you received as you passed through college?

Great teachers guiding, stretching and shaping you.
Great mentors who worked very hard to help make you successful
Great families and friends who stuck by you, supported you and loved you.


It is worthwhile taking a moment to be thankful for the presents you have received so far.


Today you are receiving enormous love, best wishes, gifts, fun and some speakers whose graduation speeches stick to the time limit!


Enjoy all of it, it is all you deserve.

It is also the last of this present time in your life and draws to a close your college days.

What are your future presents.

Well, you make them.


You leave here uniquely ready to work hard, make great choices, and to grasp the opportunities the world has to offer.

You have a head start and you will succeed - if you want to!


The future has lots of presents for you. Think of careers, successes, family, social time, friends, material wealth. But only if you use the presents you have been given in college to the fullest and help others to achieve their aims.

I hope you return one day with your own graduation speeches and inspire a new generation.


The presents are there for you - GO GET THEM!


Good Luck