By Nick Deiuliis

As I’m sitting in the sun, surveying a browning lawn while writing this reflection, most friends, neighbors, and coworkers have their thoughts on the upcoming 4th of July holiday. Depending on when you’re reading this, perhaps you’re similarly in flux preparing for, in the middle of, or returning from that highly anticipated vacation.

But my mind keeps thinking about four graduations from early May. Although each event was different, all shared a common purpose: celebrating achievements of young adults about to enter the next chapter in life and career.

This country has a lot riding on those next chapters being successes. And as Independence Day approaches, there’s an interesting connection to graduation season that has me still pondering May in the height of summer.

As recent graduates step into the next phase of their lives, they do so freely in a country where all individuals have the opportunity to succeed, free from tyranny and oppression, with the promise of contributing to the ongoing story of America.

A Dream Grows Up

The first graduation celebrated the students who successfully completed the 2023-2024 CNX Foundation Mentorship Academy program.

This was the third class in three years to do so, with the Mentorship Academy again delivering on its mission of presenting regional career paths that don’t require a four-year college degree to high school juniors and seniors from underserved rural and urban communities across western Pennsylvania.

The event was hosted at the ‘HQ at CNX’. Graduating students, families, Mentorship Academy mentors, and Mentorship Academy partners were all in attendance for a celebration of not just making it through the program but more importantly, of what is to come for promising career paths.

Mentorship Academy students left the program with a certificate, a resume, interview skills, business attire, a focused view of what career they are targeting, and most importantly, a support network of contacts willing to open doors across the region.

Two thoughts stick with me through this summer.

The obvious: the CNX Foundation Mentorship Academy has blossomed into a striking success. The first year was a voyage into the unknown; working with roughly thirty high school students, a handful of daring mentors, and a small group of willing partners. The past year’s enrollment exceeded eighty students, and the program enjoyed the focus and refinement that come with continuous improvement and dedication of a competent team. Next year’s class may exceed two hundred students. Hard to believe and inspiring to see.

Yet I also wonder what those recent graduates of the Academy are doing with their time this summer. Did they heed the advice to jump on the career plan immediately after graduation? Are they dedicating themselves to self-improvement and working toward goals? Do they understand this is their best shot at making a remarkable life for themselves? And that it is now entirely up to them?

I’m invested in the answers to those questions.

The Long and Winding Road

The next day I found myself sitting in a downtown Pittsburgh arena, attending a Catholic university undergraduate commencement for health sciences majors. Déjà vu was at hand since decades prior I participated in a similar commencement as a law school grad in the same facility and at the same institution. Now I was the spectator.

Earning a four-year degree is a huge accomplishment for any career path, but this is only another step in the long journey for these graduates. After undergraduate studies, these professions require two more years of academic and hospital residency work before earning doctorates and practicing their craft to provide patient therapy and care. So, after walking on stage, receiving their diploma, and shaking the hand of the dean, it is a short weekend of enjoyment followed by jumping headfirst back into classes Monday during summer semester. Not an endeavor for the meek.

Do those graduates have the stamina to keep going and not get distracted or exhausted from the journey? Do they understand how proud everyone around them must be?

Sitting here in summer, I hope the answers to both are in the affirmative. The graduates have much to gain by staying the course, and society needs their budding professional skills more than ever.

A Regional Crown Jewel

A few days later, it’s a sunny May evening. I am walking out to Pomp and Circumstance in a procession and onto a stage at the 50-yard line of the Steelers’ home field. Awaiting are hundreds of graduates from the Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) along with thousands of their friends and families seated in the stadium.

The vibe is beyond celebratory; it is raucous. Everyone is excited, and not only because of the earning of associate degrees. But also because the degree came at a reasonable cost of tuition and thus will deliver a great rate-of-return on investment for the graduate; a rarity in today’s higher education system and the biggest reason why CCAC is one of the most critical assets in western Pennsylvania.

I had two jobs that evening.

First, as commencement guest speaker I must inspire the graduates. Which first requires not losing their attention. The pressure was on. So, I decided to be brief, direct, and to the point (after all, The Gettysburg Address was only three minutes long). I emphasized how staying true is crucial in life, that it’s how the graduates earned degrees. They were true to themselves, their values, their families, to CCAC, and to the region.

I urged them to think for themselves, show up every day and work hard, and always be learning and doing. All those attributes fit snugly with the legacy of CCAC and western Pennsylvania.

I closed with the famous Churchill quote, “Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.” Because I couldn’t help but think that evening wasn’t just the end of the graduates’ beginning, but more importantly the start of something great for them.

My second duty was to shake hands and congratulate each graduate when they ascended the stage and received their diploma. Much less stressful than the first duty. But it took much longer. Time well spent.

Weeks later I am thinking of the future greatness coming up on the stage that night to receive a degree. Who and how many? Can’t wait to see what unfolds in the coming years.

This Place Is Different

Last up was a drive down to the Virginia peninsula where a famous colonial town and college are nestled between the York and James Rivers.

The College of William & Mary was chartered in 1693 and is known as the Alma Mater of the Nation. A 17-year-old George Washington received his surveyor’s license there and Thomas Jefferson attended as an undergraduate. The first honorary degree was conferred upon Ben Franklin in 1765.

Not surprisingly, the College is a stickler for tradition, including commencement ceremonies. It was on full display in the packed campus stadium on a warm Friday evening. Everyone, especially the graduates, was bubbling with the excitement of ending a journey that will now make them part of a long, proud legacy.

Judge John Charles Thomas, the first African American and youngest appointee to the Supreme Court of Virginia, served as the ceremony’s keynote speaker. He is also a poet. Judge Thomas proceeded to give an incredibly impactful and heartfelt speech. He urged graduates to become builders and to keep focused during chaotic times. He left everyone energized and motivated.

Watch Judge Thomas’ speech here on YouTube. Twelve minutes well spent.

At the event’s conclusion, the crowd made their way down to the field to meet graduates and snap photos. I looked around and couldn’t help but wonder to what extent the individuals in the caps and gowns felt a responsibility to live up to the legacy of what they experienced and are now part of.

The more I think about it, that pressure of responsibility should be a big motivator for the graduate. As well as a vital ingredient for a well-functioning America. A few more Judge Thomases make a big difference.

Four Bright Lights of Optimism

Much of our education system is sadly in crisis these days. From plunging competencies in high school, to a void of effective career planning for students, to higher-ed being hijacked by an ideology that turned campus from the marketplace of ideas into a four-year indoctrination center.

Collectively, the problems risk assigning an entire generation to unrealized potential. Perhaps we reached the point of no return.

But experiencing four quite different graduations across seven days provided an injection of bold, fresh successes with preparing and equipping the next generation for both the needs and opportunities of America in the coming years.

The trick is to make today’s exceptional exceptions in our education system tomorrow’s norm. That will require more than one person’s summer contemplation; it will require the commitment and buy-in across the full spectrum of the willing.