- I now call upon Ingrid Magalhaes, Class of 2019,
to deliver the expression of student gratitude.
(crowd applauds)
- Good morning.
- [Crowd] Good morning!
- Am I worth it?
- [Crowd Members] Yes.
- [Crowd Member] Go, Ingrid!
- Am I even good enough to be here?
- [Crowd Member] Oh, yes, you are.
(crowd laughs)
- I'm sure that many of us have asked ourselves
these two questions and perhaps even believed
that the answer was, no.
Our challenges and the unknown can pose a threat
to the ability to place trust in ourselves
to seek and acknowledge our personal strengths.
My name is Ingrid Magalhaes.
I'm a Ada Comstock Scholar,
(crowd applauds)
a Government major and a proud member
of the Class of 2019!`
(crowd applauds)
I'm also the daughter of two wonderful parents
who deeply recognize the value of an education
but who never had the chance to pursue it themselves.
And, today, I would like to this opportunity to thank them
and share a little bit of my story with you.
My upbringing, in Rio de Janiero, Brazil, allowed
me to witness social injustices, crime, violence,
and the limited access to quality education.
But it also taught me the importance of focusing my efforts
to assist my fellow community members.
My parents encouraged me to fully commit
to all of my endeavors, from teaching music to children,
in the urban slums known as favelas,
to organizing social events within our community.
Giving one's all was and still remains the standard
in our home.
And armed with these values, I moved to the United States
to pursue a higher education at the age of 22.
I faced great difficulties in adapting
to the new environment including a tremendous challenge
of learning English as an adult.
After nearly three years of language study,
my dream to pursue a higher education
(crowd applauds)
seemed within reach.
Five years after I arrived in America,
I had completed an associate's degree
in liberal arts in Norwalk Community College,
Connecticut, (crowd applauds)
graduating at the top of my class
and being accepted into the prestigious
Ada Comstock Scholar program at Smith College.
(crowd applauds)
And, tomorrow, I'll become the first in my family
to complete a college degree.
(crowd applauds)
I remember my first day at Smith.
I was taking Gov 100 with Professor Gregory White,
and I know some of you are not a big fan
of political theory.
(crowd laughs)
But Professor White has his own way
of making students like his classes.
In fact, that class changed my life.
It was the very first time I had ever read Plato.
And my mind was just blown with his claims
about society, government, and human nature.
And I wanted to read every single word
of the "Plato's Republic."
- [Crowd Member] Whoo! - And I did, at least during
the two, first weeks of classes.
(crowd laughs)
Until I realized that 24 hours in a day were
not enough to read three chapters of Plato.
(crowd laughs)
That was when I began to doubt myself.
I felt so overwhelmed and extremely stressed.
And I asked myself the two questions that I opened
my speech with.
Am I worth it?
Am I even good enough to be here?
But Smith meant
resourcefulness.
It meant empowerment.
It meant work, but it also meant friendship.
I was so blessed to have found friends
who have become closer than siblings to me.
The challenges I encountered
in my classes were overcome with persistence,
resilience, and great supports of friends.
Thank you, DeAndra and Zoiya, - [Crowd Member] Whoo!
- for the role
that you played in my academic success.
And to, Sydney, my dear fellow Adum,
I will never forget a moment
when you saw the heavy weight in my eyes.
You provided with that moment of comfort.
You looked at me and said, "You are not alone."
I'm grateful for your life, and for our friendship.
Thank you.
(crowd claps)
My time at Smith has made me more confident,
more aware of my strengths.
It presented me with endless opportunities
that I would never have imagined.
Encouraged by Rebecca Hovey, the Director and Dean
of the International Study, I spent
the spring 2018 semester in Geneva, Switzerland.
(crowd applauds)
I interned for PLAN International, an NGO
that advocated for girls' and young women's rights.
I spoke twice at the UN Human Rights Council.
And I developed a training platform
that taught NGOs and civil society organizations
on how to engage with the UN mechanisms.
This platform was translated into four languages.
And it has been used in 10 different countries
within the Asian and African continents
(crowd applauds)
None of these would have been possible without
the support I received from Smith
and its generous financial aid.
In fact, during my time at Smith,
I encountered unexpected expenses
from fixing my car, to having to pay medical bills.
And I'm grateful for the generous financial support received
to alleviate some of this burden.
I'm especially grateful for the lives
of Dean Andrea Rossi-Reder,
(crowd applauds)
and Sidonia Dalby, (crowd applauds)
for their love and dedication
to the aid of community.
During my senior year, I began stressing out
about my uncertain future.
Can anyone relate to that?
(crowd laughs)
As an international student,
there was great pressure
to find a job after graduation
in order to meet visa requirements.
But, once again, peers, staff,
and faculty members played a crucial role
in my success.
I received great support from my dear family
at the Lazarus Center for Career Development,
especially from Deborah Wijnhoven.
I am indebted to all of them
for their unwavering support
towards my professional career.
I have accepted an employment offer
from Sanford Heisler Sharp,
a public interest law firm located
in Washington, D.C., where I'll be working
(crowd cheers)
where I'll be working
as a legal assistant
for a period of one year.
And then in the fall of 2020, I'll be attending
the The Fletcher School of Law
and Diplomacy at Tufts University.
(crowd applauds)
I think I need a tissue by now.
- [Crowd Member] There's some underneath, right there.
- I'm sorry.
(crowd laughs)
- [Crowd Member] "Whoo"
- [Crowd Member] Yay, Tufts.
(laughs)
- I'm sure I'm not alone when I say
that some of the faculty have become
as close as family to us.
Ann Leone, the Professor of French Studies,
and Director of Landscapes Studies program
became a central figure in my life at Smith.
From encouraging me to pursue my studies in French,
to completing my applications for graduate schools,
merci beau coup, Ann,
for everything you have done for me.
(crowd applauds)
This morning, my heart is filled with gratitude.
And I thank God for every, single blessing
that changed the course of my life.
And for the alumnae, for the tremendous road
that all of you have played in our lives.
Tomorrow, this student chapter
at this amazing institution officially ends.
As we join the Smith alumnae community.
Here, we found friends,
sisters,
mentors,
who greatly shaped our trajectory.
And to you, my fellow peers,
you are
worth it.
(crowd applauds)
You are much more than just good enough.
You are the most exceptional human beings
I have had the honor to meet.
Always remember to believe in yourself,
in your dreams, in your power.
And when you find yourself facing self-doubt
and uncertainty in any of your pursuits,
remember the words of Martin Luther King, Jr.
"Take the first step in faith.
"You don't have to see the whole staircase.
"Just take the first step."
Thank you, and congratulations,
Class of 2019! (crowd applauds)