Words of inspiration for DePaul grads

June 12, 2012
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More than 6,000 students were awarded degrees during DePaul’s 114th Commencement on June 9 and 10. The College of Law’s Commencement took place on May 20. Students not only picked up degrees but collected some sage advice from the distinguished speakers. Here are brief excerpts:

“In addition to the pride and satisfaction that you are justly feeling today, I want you to know and always remember that you are entering a noble profession.” …  John Simon, partner at Jenner & Block law firm, to the College of Law.

"Your mission is to work, to bring about a new day when we as a nation will invest in all of our children and enable each to realize his or her full potential." … Linda Darling-Hammond, a professor of education at Stanford University, to the College of Education.

“No dream is impossible.  No dream is unlikely.  You can make everything you want in life happen. No one can stop you but you. And I’m here to tell you, don’t you dare stop your dreaming.” … Jackie Taylor, actress, theatrical producer and founder of Chicago’s iconic Black Ensemble Theater, to The Theatre School and School of Music.

“So it was not enough that we become more complex thinkers; a worthy education also must make us more engaged, more caring, more committed. In the end, I thought, a worthy education ought to make us better people—to set us on the road to wisdom.” … Laurent Parks-Daloz, author and leader in adult learning, to the School for New Learning.

 “Stay on whatever path you’ve chosen and be passionate.  The world needs you badly.”  E.O. Wilson, one of the world’s most influential biologists and evolutionary theorists, to the College of Science and Health and the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences.

“We can’t learn to see until we admit we are blind.” … Alan C. Kay, a pioneering computer scientist, to the College of Digital Media and the College of Communication.

“It’s not important that you remember my name, but it is important that you remember my message about my love for this great university, DePaul, and the tremendous impact DePaul has had not only on my life but on the lives of tens of thousands of others who have been fortunate enough to attend DePaul.” … Brian Campbell, industrialist, investor and philanthropist to the Driehaus College of Business.

See more Commencement images here.