Welcome everyone to the 2026 Commencement Ceremony.
For those who don’t know me, I am Nicole Kreischer. I have been your Class Senator since sophomore year, second semester, and if you still don’t know who I am, I was the one constantly sending you emails that you ignored.
I am not going to lie, this is pretty high up on the list as one of the hardest things I have ever done throughout college. I am a very big behind the scenes person, not a get up and speak in front of a big crowd when I have dyslexia and I have to read a semi-long speech kind of person. But since I started here I have grown so much, and I have been able to see my friends and classmates grow along with me.
From Nursing students freaking out about Anatomy 1, to finishing their finals and planning their NCLEX dates. Or watching Education majors figure out how to write a lesson plan, to now teach this past year in their own classrooms. I am a big believer in if you want to make change you have to take the steps in order to achieve it. Nobody will push you and make the change that you want in your life but you.
That's why, when looking out to my classmates, I am filled with pride and curiosity. For many of you, this will be the last time you are attending college; for others, this will be the kickoff point for your careers and goals. No matter what, this is the next step in our journey and everyone will grow to move onto something better, and I can’t wait to watch it on Instagram, just like our parents did on Facebook to their peers.
The opportunities that I have had that made me the person I am today have not only impacted my life but also those around me. In my first internship I traveled to Honduras and worked with communities to provide clean water supplies, education, and arts. Three weeks before I left I didn’t have a passport, but with the support of my Mom and Dad I was able to change the trajectory of my life. Finding the passion for helping others and community work has helped me change my career path. The real life experiences that I gained from my internship have helped me see what other opportunities are out there. Just like Nursing students can find their passions during clinicals, (ER peds, oncology, etc.). The Education majors discovered if they love working with children or they realize they’re little devils, but I’m not here to judge.
The experiences that we’ve gained through college, whether they were good or bad, have all helped form us into the people we are today. The paths that we are pursuing will change over time, and we will continue to grow in our chosen professional roles. Whether you’re continuing your education or going right into the workforce, you are making active steps to change your life.
Don’t let anyone tell you you don’t have experience. Internships, jobs, clinicals, student teaching are all experience in your playbook. You’ve learned so much more than you know and you will succeed once you cross the stage. There’s no saying whether it’s going to be easy or hard, (I’m guessing it’s going to be hard). Like my parents always say “just wait until you get into the real world,” but I think we’ve already been living in it. All of the experiences, challenges and curveballs have made us stronger and more resilient. We’ve grown from every speed bump and learned to take a step back and slow down to reevaluate. Over these 4 years we found solutions to our worries and have become more independent.
For some students, that started when we moved into our first time on Campus, walking into Sakac, seeing the dorm rooms and figuring out where we want to put our beds. But then we learned how to do laundry, grocery shop on our own, and then deal with conflict from our roommates and friends. We also created so many lasting memories, like having a movie night, or doing a late night fast food run. Commuters learned how to balance getting to class on time and dealing with traffic; some who had to get home to pick up their little sibling from the bus stop, and others worked out how to balance childcare while getting an education. All the strides you’ve made have helped you get to this moment right here, and it does not matter if you’re a resident or commuter.
Every person has their group of people that made a lasting impact, whether it was late nights in the Courts or DC studying, going to Billy Joe’s for line dancing, or coming back together the first week of classes. Sadly, we won’t have that experience anymore, but I’m sure we’ll have plenty of reunions to see how everyone’s doing and people slightly exaggerating “no, yeah I’m doing great” as I’ll still be living with my parents for the next five years most likely.
I hope you have been able to make one last memory today and reflect on where you were four years ago. Asking yourself, “where did I start and how much have I grown?” I can’t say I’m going to speak with every person after graduation, in fact there may be people I won’t see ever again, but I have to say I am so happy with my choice to become part of the Mount community. This part of my life will stay with me forever.
Thank you to everyone who gave me this opportunity to speak for my class, Emily Lundy, President Gervasi, Father Greg, Dr. McCorvey, Dr. Merkhofer, and all the encouragement from my fellow peers in Student Government who convinced me I knew how to string together a sentence. All the people who have impacted me give me the courage to be up here speaking to you now. Mom, Dad, Pop-pop, Ryan and Justin, thank you.
Thank you for your time. I hope you have an amazing rest of your day. Take many pictures so you can save these memories. I wish you all the best of luck with your future endeavors and happy Commencement!
