"Our light was created not to be put
under the bed but to be put on a lamp
stand so that everybody that walks in
that room can see that light and
recognize that light,"
- Common
wssu
from page AI
something.
""What are you willing to die for? Live
for that.' These are the words that were
spoken to us on the first day of rehearsal of
'Selma' by Ambassador Andrew Young.
These words resonated with me and I went
home from that rehearsal and thought
about that. I found out that I'm willing to
die for what 1 believe in and my creator. So
I thought, that's what I should live for," he
said. "When you reach the highest poten
tial, or greatness, within yourself, you
inspire others to do the same. To reach that
greatness, you have to find your path,
believe in your path and live your path."
He went on to give graduates examples
from his path, including Little League bas
ketball, when he first began rapping, his
break-up from Erykah Badu, the death of
his cousin and losing out at the Grammy's
despite five nominations.
"As you step into your greatness,
remember the greatest of you is those who
serve. As you find your path, believe in
your path and live your path, you know
that you entered to learn and now must
depart to serve," he said. "You only need a
heart full of grace, a soul generated by
love, and you can be that servant."
The artist told graduates not to dim
their lights, or downplay their talents, for
others.
"Our light was created not to be put
under the bed but to be put on a lamp stand
so that everybody that walks in that room
can see that light and recognize that light,"
he said.
The hip-hop artist, actor, author and
philanthropist was presented with an hon
orary degree of a Doctorate of Humane
Letters.
Nontraditional student Sharon Stewart
could relate to what Common was telling
the students and in some ways had already
begun the process.
The 62-year-old student can now live
her path with a bachelor's degree in
Rehabilitation Studies. Stewart calls
Friday's accomplishment "a blessing from
God" as she works on her second career.
"After I got laid off from my previous
job working in human services, I decided I
wanted to go to school," she said. "At
times it was a struggle but I did it."
Stewart hopes to own her own business
and plans to come back to WSSU to work
on her master's degree in Rehabilitation
Counseling.
Graduating Senior apd Student
Government Association President Olivia
N. Sedwick encouraged graduates to
depart and serve in the communities that
they will enter.
"The motto of our university, the very
core of her existence, is that of action.
Seeing the need and then making the nec
essary steps to meet that need," she said.
"We now have the responsibility to invest
in ourselves, the communities from
whence we came and know the university
that has prepared us for the world that
awaits. The place that we have called home
for the last several years is releasing us to
do as our founder Simon G. Atkins intend
ed us to do: Depart, Serve and Change the
world. So 2015 graduates, class is now dis
missed."
upwun
Photo by Erin Micelle for the Winston Salem Chronicle
Common delivers the commencement address at the Winston-Salem State
University graduation in Bowman Gray Stadium, Friday, May 15.
Graduates celebrate as the ceremonies end at Winston-Salem State University's
graduation in Bowman Gray Stadium on Friday, May 15.
WFU
from page AT'
motions and plodding along on some
one else's treadmill. Breathing deeply
might just put you in touch with your
own deepest calling."
That sentiment rings true for grad
uate Hannah Akpaete. The 23-year
old graduated Monday with a degree
in Health and Exercise Science but
she teaches at least 30 first graders
every day at Rashkis Elementary in
Chapel Hill.
"I figured out last year that 1
wanted to teach and that I wanted to
work in a low-income area to help
children," she said. "If I wasn't in the
classroom, I'd teach health educa
tion."
Akpaete said that eventually she
wants to work with middle schoolers.
"You can mold them and pique
their curiosities while getting them
ready for the rest of their lives," she
said..
Late-night television host, satiri
cal comedian and author Stephen T.
Colbert addressed the class of 2015,
telling them to set their own standards
I
and give themselves grades. After
joking about Wake Forest and the
graduates' time there, he reminded
them that those days are in their past
after today. He told them that while
he does not know what their future
looks like, he feels it is appropriate
that he would be addressing them
"because I just spent many years
learning to do one thing really well.
"I got so comfortable in that
place, that role and those responsibil
ities that it became how I saw myself.
But now that part of my life is over,
it's time to say goodbye to the person
we've become, we've worked so hard
to perfect and to make some crucial
decisions on who we will be," he
said. "For me, I'll have to figure out
how to do an hour-long show every
night and you at some point will have
to figure out how to sleep. I'm told
the Adderall wears off eventually,
good luck.".
Colbert said that the graduates
should not be new to uncertainty and
.that they may miss being graded on
all their work. He told them to have
the courage to accept what's right and
what's wrong while making the world
right around them.
"When you're out of school, there
is no objective criteria for the work
you do. People my age will say that
thing you did, that thing you said, that
cause you championed, it's not
good," he said. "Having your own
standards will help you weather
moments like that. Having your own
standards allows you to perceive suc
cess where others may see failure.
Any standard worth having will be
hard to meet and most of the time you
will fall short. What is nice about
having your own set of standards is
that from now on you fill out your
report card. So do yourself a favor, be
an easy grader, score yourself on a
curve and give yourself extra credit."
Closing with a quote from the
new "Mad Max:Fury Road" movie,
Colbert told graduates:
"All you young folks really need
to succeed in the future is a reliable
source of fuel and a fanatical cadre of
psychopathic motorcycle killers. May
you ride eternal, shiny and chrome."
The university also presented
Colbert with an honorary Doctorate
of Human Letters degree.
Photos by Erin Mizelfc for the Winston
Sakm Chronicle
The future Late
Show host, Stephen
Colbert, delivers a witty
yet insightful com
mencement address at
Wake Forest University
on Monday, May 18,
2015, saying that it's
"time to say goodbye to
the person we've
become."
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Forsyth Medical Center's Women's Council announces 2015 grants
SPECIAL TO
THE CHRONICLE
The Women's Council
of Forsyth Medical Center
Foundation has announced
a 2015 commitment of
$49,400 in grants to six
programs that focus on
raising the standard for
women's health care by
helping underserved
women and recognizing
specialized medical needs
of women.
With these new grants,
the Women's Council has
provided nearly $425,000
to women's health pro
grams since 2009.
The grants were
announced at the seventh
annual Garden Party
fundraiser "April Showers"
that was held at Forsyth
Country Club on April 17.
The foundation helps
Novant Health Forsyth
Medical Center programs.
Programs receiving
grants are $7,500 for Breast
MRI; $5,400 for Health
Coaching for Underserved
Women; $25,000 for a Peer
Support Specialist; $2,500
for Heart Disease Risk
Assessments for Hispanic
Women; $3,000 for High
Risk Maternity Unit; and
$6,000 for The Weigh for
You.
The Women's Council
of Forsyth Medical Center
Foundation is an organiza
tion of nearly 200 women
who want to improve the
health of women in the
Winston-Salem communi
ty, primarily underserved
women. It was created by
women for women in 2008.
The Council's mission
is to involve women in
raising the standard for
women's health care and
expanding health-care
opportunities for all
women regardless of their
economic circumstances.
The Women's Council
will focus on ensuring that
life is a healthy journey for
as many women as possible
by making sure that
resources for good health
are available.
Funding is derived
from membership dues.
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DAY OF TICKETS SUBJECT TO SELL OUT