[note: Former Oshkosh Area School District Board of Education President LuAnn Bird graduated from Alverno College on December 15, 2001 with a degree in Community Leadership and Development. She had the honor of being selected as student speaker, and sent a copy of her remarks to Commentary. Those remarks, entitled "Not To Worry, We Have Our Degrees!," are a revealing look at how LuAnn came to terms with a family tragedy by seeing it as an opportunity for personal growth and development. The speech is must reading for adults wishing to go back to college but doubting their abilities.]
By LuAnn Bird
Commencement Address Alverno College Milwaukee, Wisconsin
We all have unique stories about some educated person who inspired us to seek a college education. For me it was my husband Phil. Not because he has achieved great position or wealth. Rather because of how he lives his life each day - especially since a construction accident in 1990 left him permanently paralyzed.
He has faced this challenge with dignity and integrity, never forgetting his values.
The day Phil came home from the hospital he pulled our two-year-old son Tom onto his lap to change his diaper; business as usual. No longer could he swing with our five-year-old daughter Elizabeth in his lap because in her words, "his feet would drag." Instead he took her for long rides on his lap in his wheelchair. Phil never stopped playing baseball with our family; he just became the pitcher for both teams!
My husband's positive attitude really impressed me. But I will never forget his words when it came to discussing our financial future. He said confidently, "I am not worried, I have my degree."
It wasn't that he grew up on a farm and had to get up at 5 a.m. to milk the cows before school that gave him confidence, although that helped.
Nor was it the experience of serving in the Vietnam War that gave him confidence, although that helped.
It wasn't even running his own business that gave him confidence, although that helped too!
It was his education that gave him the confidence to overcome the challenges.
Today, Phil, I understand what you meant and I know why you encouraged me and supported my decision to get my degree. Thank you, honey.
(Applause)
Each one of us has a unique story about challenges or opportunities that helped us see the need for an education.
For me, even though it was the result of a tragic event, my husband's disability created new awareness, challenge and opportunity. For example, I became aware of the need for elevators, ramps and accessible bathrooms and no longer questioned those empty handicapped parking spaces.
Our children's school became a challenge, as it was not completely accessible. After further research I found there were problems all over the district. In fact, there were four schools a person in a wheelchair could not even get into!
So I took the opportunity of running for the school board and was elected. An Americans with Disabilities Act Committee was formed, and I am happy to report to you that today, my husband can get into all of the schools in our district. And, out of 24, only two - need an elevator. The district now has accessible bathrooms, parking stalls and also conducts Disability Awareness Days for all 5,000 elementary students.
While accessibility in our district improved, my husband's health did not. Medical complications kept him from working full time. Eventually it became apparent that I would need to go back to work. It was depressing that - in spite of all my political success, - I did not have the education or the confidence to pursue a career in order to provide additional support for my family. So eventually - and fortunately - I ended up here with all of you.
As we all know, getting through Alverno is no easy task! Together, we have learned as we shared our accomplishments, our failures, our deeply felt values, and our dreams.
Eleanor Roosevelt had to be describing college life when she wrote this:
Friends, you and me…
You brought another friend….
And then there were three….
We started our group….
Our circle of friends…
And like that circle…
There is no end …
We have a common bond and memories that will last a lifetime! As friends we will continue to share our unique stories, challenges, accomplishments, and failures now that we have our education. We will still be connected because after today we each become an Alverno Alum.
As educated citizens with a new worldview, we share our excitement about the future!
We can be confident not only in our jobs, but in our families and in our communities as well.
Having our education is probably more important today than it ever has been. This past semester our nation and our world changed. Shortly after September 11th, I remember thinking, "How will this affect us as we graduate?"
Our country now faces new challenges. Tom Friedman, foreign affairs columnist for the New York Times, believes it wasn't lack of intelligence on our part, it was lack of creativity. We never dreamed our own planes would be used as weapons against us in our own country. So, we are learning to think more creatively.
We are now aware of how vulnerable we are! So we are more cautious and realize that our freedoms can be used against us.
The international community has joined us, and I firmly believe together we can and will stop terrorism. We have a heightened awareness of our role in the global community and can no longer ignore issues of poverty and human rights violations around the world, some of which are the root causes of terrorism.
Even though a tragic event, the terrorist attack has created new awareness, challenge and, yes, opportunity! Already significant positive changes are happening.
Albert Einstein once said, "We cannot solve our problems at the same level of thinking that created them." How fortunate we are to live in a free society where we can get an education!
How fortunate we are to have found Alverno where we have learned how to think - and do!
It is a wonderful time to graduate! On almost every block you see American flags flying and signs proclaiming we are proud to be Americans.
We have a renewed awareness that we live in a society where our inalienable rights include life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
We are free to take risks, set new goals, pursue our passions, face our fears and dream new dreams.
As we march across this stage to get our diploma, we can be proud that we have worked so hard, we can be excited about our futures and we can be confident that we can walk through those doors of opportunity.
It was my husband's education that gave him the confidence to face challenges and helped him to live according to his values.
Our education gives us the confidence that we too can face whatever life might bring.
We too can uphold our dignity and integrity.
We too can live according to our values.
Like my husband, Phil says, we don't have to worry, we have our degrees!
LuAnn Bird can be reached at labird@new.rr.com