Jun 21, 2008

Don't miss out on commencement

By Jason Katz / Daily News columnist

Q: I am not interested in going to my commencement, but my parents are pressuring me to attend. What do you think?



A: Each family has to work such disagreements out among themselves, but I can tell you that the commencement speeches are given by our best and brightest and often make the day worthwhile. Both Republicans and Democrats have been active in this election year, usually making nonpolitical speeches.

Just a few weeks ago, for example, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, Sen. Barack Obama, gave the commencement speech at Wesleyan University. The theme of Obama's speech was the importance of service, not just to yourself, but to America and to the rest of the world. "It's because you have an obligation to yourself," stated Obama. "Because our individual salvation depends on collective salvation. Because thinking only about yourself, fulfilling your immediate wants and needs, betrays a poverty of ambition."

Obama went on to say, "At a time of war, we need you to work for peace. At a time of inequality, we need you to work for opportunity. At a time of so much cynicism and so much doubt, we need you to make us believe again. That's your task, class of 2008."

The presumptive Republican nominee, John McCain, spoke at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy commencement on June 18, 2007. His speech was about leadership.

"Leadership of any enterprise has many qualities, but the most important is to listen to your conscience, always accept your responsibilities, and trust the people under you with theirs. Many of us learn about the qualities of leadership from historical figures, famous leaders whose lives we have read about in books. But all of us learn more about those qualities from personal experience, from people close to us."

Some speakers are apolitical, like the famous late author, Theodor Geisel, aka Dr. Seuss. He gave his commencement address in the form of a poem to the Lake Forest College class of 1977 in Lake Forest, Ill.:

"My uncle ordered popovers

from the restaurant's bill of fare.

And, when they were served,

he regarded them

with a penetrating stare

Then he spoke great Words of Wisdom

as he sat there on that chair:

"To eat these things,"

said my uncle,

"you must exercise great care.

You may swallow down what's solid

BUT

you must spit out the air!"



And

as you partake of the world's bill of fare,

that's darned good advice to follow.

Do a lot of spitting out the hot air.

And be careful what you swallow."



Seeing speakers like these is a rare opportunity that you might want to reconsider giving to yourself and to your parents.



Jason Katz is an independent college counselor and is founder of JKatz College Counseling in Redwood City. E-mail Katz at jkatz@jkatzcollegecounseling.com.