Reflection is an essential part of growth and is at the center of life’s greatest lessons, which is a message Clarissa Wykstra wanted to share with her fellow classmates before they depart from Central Wyoming College.
Wykstra will express her successes, struggles and life lessons she learned at CWC to the graduating class of 2019 at commencement on May 10 in the Robert A. Peck Arts Center theater.
I really like public speaking. The opportunity to honor my graduating class is a humbling experience and a time for me to learn.
This year CWC created a commencement speaker competition with a committee made of faculty, staff and students. There were nine applicants this year and five finalists. Each finalist was asked to prepare a three to five-minute speech for the committee.
“They were incredible,” Cassity said of the finalists. “Each had a unique approach in how they wanted to represent their graduating class. It was a tough decision. Anyone of them would have represented their graduating class incredibly well. We really tried to put ourselves in the shoes of the student body and focus on what they would want.”
And Wykstra had the connection the committee was looking for. Her message was the driving force for the decision.
Wykstra’s speech is all about making connections and making a difference in people’s lives.
The most important thing is just being kind to someone. Even if that is just smiling at someone; you never know what they are going through. Kindness goes a long way.
As part of being selected as the 2019 commencement speaker, Wykstra was awarded $250. She said this will go to her schooling at Weber State University where she will continue her studies in theater and communication.
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