Madeleine Albright,commencement speech
Madeleine Albright, in her commencement speech, speaks of the expectations of the world after school. She compares school to the outside world, where the school has definite expectations; the outside world requires reliance on an individual’s inner compass where daily challenges will be the norm, testing their courage, values, and sense of self. This dilemma, according to Madeleine, Albright has no remedy; however, Holyoke has provided the graduates with sufficient tools to succeed in this world. She follows this by adding to the excellence of Holyoke, alluding to the beauty, leadership reputation, and quality o the graduates at Holyoke. Madeleine Albright also honors Mary Lyon whom single-handedly brought girls education from the 12th century to the 19th century
Madeleine Albright next shows the unique position America finds itself in. She talks of the position of prosperity America stands in without an enemy to be wary of. She talks of Stalin, Lenin, and marxism is dead, and also cleverly cautions the graduates against laziness and assumptions arising from the calmness of the present as everlasting conditions. She cautions the graduates through alluding to George Marshal, where she asks of what would have happened if George Marshal had stopped assisting in the second world war, having helped enough, and the results that would have been witnessed. She further asks what would have happened if President Truman had felt the city of berlin too small, and not worth rescuing while it was being surrounded. She asks what would have happened if Roosevelt had decided against forming the universal declaration of human rights. Madeleine Albright gives is all to motivate the graduates against complacency rather, to act in courage and faith.
Madeleine Albright then inspires the graduates to learn from their history and seize the opportunity to shape history. She proposes a look into the future with lessons from the past, where she talks of the berlin wall being a memory, and NATO, a European alliance being the present and future protection for European countries. The prevailing peace is not the final point; rather speaks of countries reducing their nuclear stockpile, the outlawing of chemical weapons, and the end to landmines. Madeleine Albright continues to inspire through showing he graduates rather than going back to war, now that the war in Bosnia is over, people are moving forward towards fulfilling their parts in the Dayton accords. Madeleine further speaks of the good economic situation the west was experiencing, and the fact that it did not stop them from pursuing even broader prosperity.
Finally, Madeleine Albright, in her speech, talks of women and the inspiration they serve. She talks of the uncommon women not only found in Holyoke but all over the world. She talks of Sarajevo women who reached out through grief to rebuild their shattered society. She speaks of Burundian women who are at the forefront of preventing the same catastrophe as happened in Rwanda. She speaks of Guatemalan women and the Burman woman, Aung San Suu Kyi, who is sacrificing herself to fight for the rights of her people.each of these women, according to madeleine, has charted their won way amidst refusal and persecution.
Madeleine finally impresses on the graduates, the meaning of aiming high with faith and courage, saying that whenever they aim higher, there will be people who will try and bring them down; however, through courage, strength, and perseverance, they will succeed.