Below is a copy of my Commencement Address! That's right - this week I did something new, I delivered the Commencement Address at our Clarkston Campus' ceremony. It still seems surreal. It was such an honor to speak at this event. It's my favorite time of year. #ilovemylife Good evening class of 2022! It is such an honor to be here this evening celebrating each one of you, and all that you have accomplished. When Dean Chad Miltenberger called me about the Clarkston Campus Commencement Committee wanting me to speak at graduation, I responded with a resounding, of course; without truly processing that I was being asked to deliver The Commencement Address. My bad! It wasn’t until earlier this week that I realized what I had ACTUALLY agreed to do. This realization blew me away. I, a relatively new Vice President of Instruction at Walla Walla Community College, was being asked to deliver The Commencement Address. You see, it was just a little more than a year ago that I joined this amazing team of educators – and relocated my family to our home state of Washington. Plus, if I’m being totally honest, I struggle from time-to-time with a bit of imposter syndrome as a first-generation college student and graduate. It never really dawned on me to think an honor such as this would be bestowed on me. Realizing that my speech was more than a short welcome or brief remarks, I have struggled all week trying to find the right words to share with you all this evening. In my mind, I just knew they had to be profound, uplifting, and inspiring. These words had to reflect more than me and my experiences, as this is about all of you and your experiences – your trials and tribulations, your hard work, perseverance, and determination, your accomplishments. The pressure to write this speech truly has been looming over me all week, reminding me of what it was like to be a student – to be a first-generation student with no experience or point-of-reference to navigating college. It only dawned on me late yesterday evening – after attending one of our graduation ceremonies at the Washington State Penitentiary and after attending our Celebración de Graduación that I needed to talk to you all about flipping obstacles into opportunities.
Navigating college as a first-generation college student was no easy feat, as I am sure many of you know. My parents, who are incredible and were both supportive of my journey in higher education, truly had no point of reference for the time commitment and workload associated with seeking a college education, and neither did I. You see they equated “going to college” to “going to school – high school.” And, as a result, I did as well – at least at first. This common misalignment of perceptions and expectations placed several unintentional obstacles in my path as I navigated higher education through my undergraduate degree at Central Washington University and my graduate degrees and certificates at North Dakota State University and the University of Wyoming. There were many, many times it would have been easier to give up – to let the obstacle define the outcome. But I never did! Instead, I flipped those obstacles into opportunities – opportunities to learn and to grow. And the fact that we are here today celebrating your graduation tells me, you know what I am talking about. Yesterday was inspiring – so much so that when I got home after the Celebración de Graduación, I opened my computer, found the file – Commencement Address – and hit delete. That’s right, I deleted every word of my original speech. Watching our students at the Washington State Penitentiary earn their high school diplomas and general education certificates and watching our students celebrate at the Celebración de Graduación reminded me why I love what I do so much. It reminded me why I am constantly saying flip the obstacle into an opportunity. While I had the support of my parents, as a first-generation college student, I also had to work while going to school and take out student loans. I’m not ashamed to admit that for several years I could be found wearing a red cummerbund and bowtie as an employee of Hollywood Video. Oh, how I loved that job. That said, it is safe to say the hours that I put in at Hollywood Video (or Snoqualmie Pass or Fred Meyer or Bed, Bath, and Beyond) detracted from my studies – splitting my attention between earning a wage and earning a degree. It was hard – very hard at times – managing my need to pay rent and buy groceries with my educational goals. But I did it – and here I am today, a first-generation college student-graduate, Vice President of Instruction – delivering a Commencement Address. Never in a million years would I have predicted this at my first college graduation. So, why am I sharing this with you all? Because I want you to think about where you will be in 5 years, or 10 years, or even 20 years? As I listened to last night’s keynote speaker at Celebración de Graduación, Ana Myrna Ramirez Arevalo (a WWCC graduate) – I was reminded of just how many curves exist in the pathway of life, but I was also reminded how much mindset plays into how we navigate it. We all have our own narratives and our own struggles. In navigating life, what matters most is how we write our story and address our obstacles – it’s a matter of mindset. Several years ago, a mentor of mine, President Karla Leach, offered me the opportunity to become an Outward Mindset Facilitator through the Arbinger Institute. I jumped at this opportunity – as it sounded like another way to grow and learn. Unbeknownst to me, Dr. Leach had bigger plans through sending me through this training. As the President of Western Wyoming Community College, she was looking to train a facilitator who could then come back to the College and train all faculty and staff in Outward Mindset and best practices for hiring employees. Again, as I first generation college student-graduate, I was blown away by the honor that was being bestowed upon me. The Outward Mindset Training is some of the best training I have ever received! It shifted the way I think about not only my job, but my life. I don’t think I realized how much until last night’s speech. The Outward Mindset is about seeing people as people – it's focused on relationships first and foremost. To help me explain this concept, I would like you all to visualize a standard pyramid – yes, the shape. With the larger portion at the bottom, serving as the base; and the smaller portion or tip at the top. Now, think about the next chapter in your story – your first job after college, or the next college degree – whatever it is. Think about what you want to accomplish in this next chapter, and place that at the tip/top of the pyramid. Far too often, people jump right into the actions needed to achieve their next goal. These actions or behaviors make up the bulk of the pyramid (the body). But they are not the foundation. At the bottom of the pyramid – providing the foundation for the behaviors that lead to the goal – is mindset. Mindset drives behaviors that create results. I want you to remember that – mindset drives behaviors that create results. Thus, as you are thinking about your next chapter, start by making sure your mindset is rooted in flipping obstacles into opportunities. On that note, I want to leave you with a few tips and tricks that have helped me navigate the pathways of life with the lens of opportunities. Please keep in mind it’s not always easy to do – and some days I struggle to find the opportunity in place of the obstacle. Nobody is perfect. But, on most days – I'm able to center myself in this framework, and it has aided me well. So, here we go:
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AuthorDr. Jess Clark is a trained historian and higher education leader passionate about leveraging technology, including AI, to enhance learning experiences. A lifelong learner and servant leader, she empowers educators in the digital age. Through her blog, she shares expertise on educational leadership, curriculum development, and integrating technology in higher education, inspiring administrators and educators. Dr. Clark's commitment to embracing emerging technologies like AI reflects her belief in technology's transformative power in shaping the future of education. Archives
April 2024
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