2004 Commencement Address

The 2004 Dwight and Ida Curry Newberg Outstanding Senior Ryan Diehl, English and history major from Iola, delivered the Spring 2004 Commencement address at the May 15 ceremony. Diehl is the fourth student to do so. Since 2001, inviting the Newberg Outstanding Senior to serve as the keynote speaker has been a tradition at ESU. Aaron Bauck was the first student speaker followed by Breanna Flynn in 2002 and Leah (McBride) Childers in 2003.

Take a look around and take it all in. Remember today for today marks a turning point in your life. No matter if you are off to Australia or Germany, Madison, Wisconsin or Castle Rock, Colorado, Hanover or Cheney, Kansas, or even if you are staying right here in the center of it all, one chapter of your life comes to a close, but as that door shuts, another one opens to a bright future. Just as when your chapter at ESU began, there is no telling what your next chapter of your life has in store for you. The one thing guaranteed with everyone who is graduating today is that although you may no longer be a student at ESU, you will continue to have ties to this university. For as you walk across the stage today, you will be becoming a member of the oldest alumni association West of the Mississippi and will be taken wonderful care of by the truly outstanding Joan Lauber and Roy Mann.

However, before you think about the future, think about the past that created who you are today. Let your memories of your collegiate career return to your mind. Think about all those times that you have had. In just the last four years I have been here, a lot has happened, and the amazing part about the chapters of our lives is that everyone has a different version. Although we may have shared some experiences together, when it comes to it, all of us have different recollections for our time at ESU.
There were of course the classes we took and the lessons, which we directly and indirectly learned. There were the days of student teaching, PDS, and Phase. Then the all nighters we pulled to finish a paper, swearing that we would never procrastinate again, which of course we did. Then there were the amazing professors we had who would do anything in their power to assist you whether it was helping you with a paper or taping Buffy the Vampire Slayer. By their phenomenal instruction, they made themselves immortal by inspiring us to learn from their teachings which in turn we will teach others for many years to come.

Then there was the life outside the classroom where in many cases the majority of the learning occurred. There was the living in the Residence Halls, the Fraternities, the Sororities, the apartments, the houses, or even for a week in a large cardboard box on Morse lawn. For food, we would go to the Caf during the day or McDonald’s after 11 using the coupon in The Bulletin for a free Big Mac.

There was the winning of the Mineral Water bowl, the beating of Pittsburg several times, and the making to the play-offs by our football team. We had our times with E-Zone, Homecoming parades, and the Parade of Corky’s. We had our games of volleyball and basketball. There were many track meets and tennis matches. We played in the all night softball tournaments and were also entertained by disc golf, foosball, darts, and pool. And how can we ever forget the sledding and the snowball fights we enjoyed during those two days that Emporia State University closed their doors because of snow and ice.

There were the concerts, the operas, and the many excellent theatre productions we either watched or performed in. We had our road trips to Minnesota, Georgia, Padre, California, and even to Maine. There were the dates or lack there of in my case. We had our families who supported us, and our friends who kept us sane. We shared late night walks, late night talks, and many trips to Wal-Mart, sometimes even by walking and talking there.

And now today, all of our very different chapters come to a close with the same ending - our graduation, as we leave ESU very well prepared for the life in front of us as our memories can attest to.

Memories were and are made everyday. Some may have the ability to make you smile, while others can bring a tear to your eye, and then there are those which fade off to the back of your mind, only to reemerge when a song, smell, word may trigger that time in the past. During my time at ESU, I have made many memories and learned some important lessons along the way. While awards and honors may be nice, in the end it is your health, family, and friends that will be your finest treasures. Those are also the very riches many may overlook and take for granted. Never find yourself truly having to deal with the cliché that you don’t know what you have until it’s gone. Instead, smile to yourself and realize what you have instead of always longing for something else.

I have found you can make a life plan if you want to humor yourself. While it may look wonderful on paper or in your mind, rarely will all parts play out as you expect them to. Let the fickle path of fate take you where it desires, and have faith that all will turn out well if not even better in the end.

People will come into your lives and bring something with them. Everyone can help you, even if unintentionally, realize something about yourself. Never think someone is below nor above you. Always treat everyone how you would wish to be treated, and many will reciprocate the feeling.

Friends will be lost along the way. Only a few may be there for a lifetime. Regardless if they are there for years, months, weeks, days, or even mere minutes, never forget them; however, never live in the past. Instead, take those memories with you as a strength as you approach your upcoming future.

Live life with no regrets but always be true to yourself. At the end of the day, always be able to look yourself in the eyes and be proud of who you are and who you are becoming, for it is truly only you who has to be able to live with yourself at all times of the day.

And as an ESU Alumna once told me, "Carpe Diem, for you never know how many diems you have." These are your days, for you are alive, and never forget that very fact.

Take Care, Congratulations, and Good Luck.

Last Updated July 2, 2007>