by Lolito Tampus

Created on: July 05, 2010   Last Updated: July 06, 2010

Graduation day is one memorable moment for those who are involved, like the parents, friends, school officials and the graduates themselves. It is the so-called threshold and episode where the youth meets adulthood or another chapter in life. It is a new journey, which can be rough and exciting.  It is a new beginning to collect and treasure more wisdom and advice on how to have a meaningful life ahead.

One main source of motivation is the message from the commencement speaker. Conveyed lessons are worth considering since most speakers try their best to find strategies and antics to inspire and influence a great number of listeners. But the main target are the graduates clad in their best outfits with cap, gown, hood, toga, etc. Optimism for the future is a must and that the communicator is expected to say what he means and mean what he says.

The introductory part of the speech should be eye-catching, entertaining and interesting. It can be in a form of a song, prayer, anecdote, or a word of wisdom. It has the content and style that interlink with the main body and the conclusion. Coherence is an edge especially to continually catch the attention of everyone. Everything must have substance and direction. At the onset, the audience, especially the graduates, may be asked of their feelings and ideas during the particular occasion. Two or three persons can suffice to add spice in getting community participation and attention.

The main body of the message should get the overall sentiments and dreams of the batch. Based from the program's theme and nature of the graduates, the speaker can build an impact. Some common stories like personal or group struggles and successes in school can be emphasized to keep the ball rolling. Memorable activities, adventures and misadventures can be collated in an aura of fun and reflection. Some inspirational elements can be injected at this juncture. The employment of bandwagon or testimonial technique can be useful by citing famous and successful individuals who were from the rags to riches or from poverty to fame. The noteworthy life story of the successful speaker can be included to add color. Advice should be simple and clear and refrain from scenarios wherein the listeners have to fathom deeper thoughts or to imagine how to reach an unreachable star.

As we said beforehand, the conclusion should be obviously correlated with the introduction. If the message was started with a song, we  leave the audience with a dramatic finale. It's like an open- ending saga that impels everybody to dream boldly in spite of uncertainty and to face the past with gratitude as well as to meet the future with confidence.

The main goal of a very inspiring message is to make it purposeful and meaningful. It should reach to the hearts of anyone and must confront his conscience and well-being. In the course of the discourse, it should be alive, emphatic and clear. It's focus is to express and not so much to impress.  The delivery should have the essence of candidness and drama. After all, any inspirational speaker should have the capacities of being a good actor, a  homilist or an entertainer.

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