I am invisible, understand, simply because people refuse to see me. Like the bodiless heads you see sometimes in circus sideshows, it is as though I have been surrounded by mirrors of hard, distorting glass. And so, I have taken from these experiences a hope and a resolve that the generations to follow will never have to bear that pain. That same resolve of years ago directs my path today. Perhaps most important, we must resurrect the notion that universities play a critical role in developing human potential and serving as agents of positive social change.
Students come to college, in large measure, unshaped and uncertain.
If we can do these things throughout our society, our future will be secure. If we can do these things, we can lessen the anger, fear and mistrust that make enemies of too many of us. But to make such changes will require the commitment and energy of each and every one of us. I want to thank you again for making this day so very special, but I end in a request. I ask that you strive always to make a difference in this world, that you reach out to those who suffer unseen and unloved, that you will find ways to give all our children a chance to dream, and that you dedicate your passion and your energy to building a world in which all people have a chance to live life with dignity.