Ethan Bravin - 2019 Commencement Speech

Good Morning President Riordan, Board of Trustees, faculty, administration, family and friends, and the Class of 2019,

I was asked here today to address you as we move on from Adelphi. We all have so many memories at Adelphi. Some of these memories are joyous, others sad, but those memories we will keep for life. I want to talk to you all about some of our adventures we have had while we were here at Adelphi.

We have seen Adelphi grow and change over our years here. Many of us can look back at our first year here, some of us without a major, others with a life plan that was literally written out for us. Many of us found ourselves lost on campus trying to navigate and being embarrassed to find the building we were looking for right in front of us. As we met new people on the campus we built our new network of friends. Some of us have been friends since kindergarten and others we may be meeting for the first time today.

I can honestly say that Adelphi has shaped and developed the person you see here today. I am so grateful for all of the faculty, staff, peers, family, and friends who have impacted my time while I have been here.

While we haven’t all had the same experiences, Adelphi has given all of us the opportunity to truly grow. I was fortunate to have studied abroad twice. I learned about different cultures while I was away and was able to bring back my new found knowledge to share in class and elsewhere. For example, I was able to start an aromatherapy program in the emergency department I work in. Adelphi’s total focus was to give us all a diverse, globally enhanced education and I know we have received that.

College has been what we made of it. Some of us worked through school, and many of us got involved on and off campus; Adelphi didn’t only give us a community, it gave us a family. When you look back at Adelphi who or what are you going to remember? I am definitely going to remember Adelphi’s orientation where I met my first friends. I remember playing Kunja with Kendell and Kat my two orientation leaders. Are you going to remember those late nights in “Club Swirbs” where you told your parents you were studying while you were hanging out with your friends? I am going to remember this moment today, where we all got to say farewell to Adelphi and hello to whatever is next. For me, that is my dream job post-grad, a nursing position in an Emergency Department. For some of you, it is the next step in your education, or you might even be taking a break to figure out what your next steps are. Adelphi has prepared us all for these moments.

As you continue to grow and venture out in your life what is Adelphi going to mean to you? Some of us live or may move far away and may not have the opportunity to come back to campus, but that doesn’t mean we can’t keep in touch. We have made some amazing friends here and some of them we will keep for a lifetime.

All our lives, many of us have been told what to do, who our friends were, what clubs to get involved in, who to hang out with, and who not to. Many of us when we got to Adelphi had the opportunity to explore past those bounds, but some of us haven’t. So here is my challenge to you. If you haven’t gotten to explore and I mean truly explore do it. You are now a college graduate. If you don’t know what you are going to do keep exploring, if you know what you want to do for the rest of your life keep at it, try something new and keep exploring. Life is a journey so enjoy the ride.

Thank you.

President Riordan, would you now please join me for the announcing of the Senior Legacy Campaign results.

Giving Back.

The 2019 Senior Legacy Campaign is an Adelphi tradition in which members of the graduating class join together to support the future generation of Adelphi students.

Adelphi helps students in so many ways – our internships, career counseling, and mentoring can truly change lives.

This year, the Class of 2019 was able to choose where their gift would make a difference. Some chose their program or department, some chose our Food Pantry, and many gave to the Adelphi Fund.

Our support will impact our campus for generations to come. These gifts are our way of leaving our legacy, and a vote of confidence and encouragement to future Adelphi students. This year, over 135 seniors generously gave to the Senior Legacy Campaign and have supported future panthers. Congratulations and thank you to the Class of 2019!