Last month, we gathered for Kellogg Community College’s 67th Commencement to celebrate a milestone that was earned – not handed out. That evening, we honored the grit, resilience and brilliance of the graduating Class of 2025.
As I said in my remarks that evening: Graduates, take a moment. Breathe this in. You made it.
I see you – and I know each of you has a story behind your cap and gown. For many of you, this journey wasn’t linear. It wasn’t easy. Some of you came back to school after years – maybe decades – away. Some of you studied while raising children, working full-time jobs, caring for parents or learning in a language that wasn’t your first. Some of you were told you wouldn’t make it. And yet, here you are.
You are proof that excellence lives in every zip code, every background, every age, every story.
As a graduate, you join a long line of remarkable individuals who’ve walked the Commencement stage before you. Students who sat in the same classrooms, stared at the same blinking cursor at midnight, questioned their worth – and found it. Alumni who became nurses, teachers, entrepreneurs, technicians, community leaders and changemakers. Their legacy is your foundation. And now, it is your turn to carry it forward.
Because here’s the truth: None of us gets here (or there) alone. Somewhere along the way, someone held the door open for you. Maybe it was a staff member or faculty member who believed in you before you believed in yourself. Maybe it was a partner who juggled work and family so you could study. Maybe it was a stranger who shared a note, a ride or a word of encouragement at just the right moment.
And now, I ask you to do the same. Hold the door.
Hold the door open for the next student who wonders if they belong. For the younger or older person who’s never seen someone like them wear a cap and gown. For the colleague thinking it’s “too late” to go back to school. For the dreamers still gathering the courage to take that first step.
Your degree is not just a credential – it’s a key. And it unlocks more than your future. It opens the way for others to follow.
So, graduates, as you go on to universities, new careers or new adventures, take pride in your journey – but don’t close the door behind you. Reach back. Lift up. Show someone else that it can be done – because you did it.
We are so proud of you. You carry the name of this College, and we will carry the pride of your accomplishments.
Congratulations, graduates. Walk boldly, speak kindly and always – hold the door – for the one who comes next.
This column first appeared in the June 2025 edition of BruIN magazine. To read the issue online, please visit kellogg.edu/bruinmagazine.
