Good afternoon members of the Board of Trustees, Dean of College, faculty, staff, families, guests, and my fellow graduates. It is a blessing and an honor to stand before you today as respondent of the Class of 2015. Yet, today is not only my day to shine. This is our moment, made possible by the immense sacrifice and effort made by our families and friends. All of which has allowed us to persevere and reach this milestone in our lives. Perseverance, a strong word and an ethos, that has dictated our way moving forward.
Here’s the thing: some of you may not remember this speech 10 years from now, some of you may not remember it tomorrow, and others might not even understand a word I say because of my accent, but I promise I’ll try to keep it as sharp as I can.
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“No, you won’t make it.” “No, you have to do this.” “No, that’s too big of a risk.” If we counted all the times we’ve heard the word “no” it would surpass all the times it’s been more than 90 degrees Fahrenheit in Laredo, which if you didn’t know, it’s a lot. Yet, the “no” I want to talk to you about is a life-or-death type of no. I come from the Dominican Republic, the greatest island in the Caribbean. A third world country imbued with the greatest resource, its people. And my mother best exemplifies the quality of the human spirit and what it means to