Ms. Jessenia Diaz Commencement and Convocation Address Delivered at Vaughn College, May 21, 2011

Transcription

1 Ms. Jessenia Diaz Commencement and Convocation Address Delivered at Vaughn College, May 21, 2011 Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, distinguished faculty, trustees, staff and administrators, friends and family and, of course, the graduating class of Before I begin I would like to personally commend the attendance of our commencement speaker Mr. J. Randolph Babbitt, Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, or should I say, my future boss! So on that note, if I get all nervous, we all know why. I must say I have had the honor of meeting Mr. Babbitt at the tower dedication for LaGuardia Airport this past January. He was very gracious and admirable. Today he is receiving an honorary doctorate degree. Congratulations Mr. Babbitt, you are an inspiration to us all. As individuals we are all indeed different and, have had unique experiences. However, I know one thing we, the graduating class of 2011, have in common: When people see an aircraft in the sky they automatically think of a vacation, but when we look up, we get an unexplainable adrenaline rush. We don t say look at that big plane in the sky. We say, look at that Boeing series, and those wheels, to us, are the landing gear, and the tail, well, that s a vertical

2 stabilizer. To everyone else it is all about boarding the aircraft and getting to their destinations. They never really think about what exactly it entails to arrive in Atlanta Hartsfield International safely and on time. We here at Vaughn make that happen! From the engineers and designers who construct these aircraft to the maintenance personnel who keep the aircraft in good working order, to management and security departments monitoring and maintaining the infinite operations within the field, to everyone else who is involved, including the pilots who take us from point A to point B with the help of our effective and essential dispatchers and most importantly the air traffic controllers, who provide the safe, orderly and expeditious flow of traffic Without this joint teamwork, it is impossible to get to the final destination. It is truly a world like no other, and all of us will be a part of it. We make that all possible. Most of you may have already read my spotlight story on Vaughn s website and know that while at Vaughn I was one busy woman. I acquired two degrees in management and completed an internship with the Federal Aviation Administration in the Aviation and Space Program at the Eastern Regional Office. I was also a peer leader for the Freshman Year Experience course, a Leadership Academy member, and the founder and president of Vaughn s Air Traffic Control Organization as well as Vaughn s Dance Crew. Aside from all that, I completed the Flight Dispatch program and, most importantly, accomplished the

3 completion of the Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative program. To me, becoming an air traffic controller has been a dream since middle school. Now, I am only steps away from making this dream a reality as I await a call to become an air traffic control trainee. Working two jobs, delegating clubs, attending classes, coordinating meetings, studying for exams, and writing papers I must say, it was overwhelming at times, as if 24 hours in a day weren t enough. But it has truly been worthwhile. I mention all of my accomplishments not to brag, but to express how it all can be done with dedication and commitment. One experience I will never forget is the summer I was invited to be a keynote speaker at the Intrepid Museum for Camp Goals, a camp designed for young girls interested in aviation and space. I shared with them my aspirations of becoming an air traffic controller, and spoke of the duties I would have when I become one. I corrected the myth that controllers are not the people on the ground directing aircrafts with the light sticks. No, that is not what controllers do. But that is not what struck me the most. Two other girls made the following two statements: So you re the people that keep the planes from crashing, and I thought only guys can do that. Hearing that made me extremely proud of my accomplishments and career goals. Many may consider me a double-minority: I am woman in a male-dominated field, and I am a

4 Latina. But I never let obstacles become a roadblock. I have used my internal drive to guide my future. All of us here have a passion and a drive for what we aim to become and because of this we will find careers that we truly love. When that happens it will be like we no longer have to work a day in our life because we are doing what we love. So, as our day begins and we try to get that flight in on time and get those anxious passengers to their destinations, remember that we are not at work, we are getting paid to do what we love almost like getting paid to enjoy ourselves. Studying here at Vaughn was where most of the tiresome work was done, and with this graduation we are beginning to see the fruits of our labor. Vaughn is comprised of a very diverse group of people who have provided us with a comfortable environment, great opportunities and, most importantly, professors and staff who go above and beyond. With all of this, we also have had people in our personal lives who have created a supportive foundation for us to build on--that includes our families, friends, and colleagues. Some of us are graduating today with careers already at hand; others, like myself, are just a few steps away from making our career goals a reality. All in all, our journeys do not end here. We have met and will continue to meet great and wise people. Feel free to ask them questions. Remember, knowledge is never-ending, and you will find valuable experiences throughout your lifetime.

5 I would like to wish the best of luck to Vaughn s graduating class of 2011, and I want to thank everyone that has played a vital role in our path to success. Queria darle las gracias a toda mi familia, les tengo mucho agradecimiento a mis padres, Marino y Margarita y mi abuela Paulina por apoyarme y darme todo lo necesario para hacer esto posible. I want to thank the rest of my family and close friends, including my cousins Kelvin, Rosy, Steph, and Iza, who have supported me and allowed me to be their role model. Jorge, who has always been there when I needed him the most. Lastly, I want to thank and congratulate my little sister, Marizeli, who is also graduating this year and going to high school. I want her to know that her dream of becoming an astronaut can become a reality. As the late Eddie Rickenbacker, a pioneer in aviation, quoted, Aviation is proof, that given the will, we have the capacity to achieve the impossible. Once again, congratulations to Mr. Babbitt and to Vaughn s graduating class of Thank You