Lisa Kamal: Inspirational Graduation Speech

Lisa Kamal’s inspiring speech at the UW–Madison 2019 Winter Commencement sheds light on the journey of an international student navigating challenges and triumphs. As a geology and geophysics major from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Lisa shares how the music of *Hamilton* became her lifeline during tough times. Her story is a testament to perseverance, self-reflection, and gratitude as she encourages graduates to cherish their journeys and look forward to the future.

Finding Strength Through Music and Community

Vocabulary Highlight:

• Resilience (noun): The capacity to recover quickly from difficulties.
  • Pronunciation Tip: /rɪˈzɪliəns/
  • Example: “Her resilience helped her overcome burnout during her second year of college.”
• Gratitude (noun): The quality of being thankful and showing appreciation.
  • Example: “She expressed gratitude to her mentors for their guidance.”

Grammar Focus: Using Conditional Sentences

• Example from Text: “If you graduated having spent all hours of the day in the library, you made it.”
• Explanation: Conditional sentences describe a possible result based on a specific condition.
  • First Conditional: “If + present tense, will + base verb”
  • Example: “If you believe in yourself, you will succeed.”

Simplified Explanation:

In the sentence, “If you graduated… you made it,” the condition (“graduated”) leads to the result (“made it”), highlighting success regardless of the challenges faced.

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Key Themes from Lisa Kamal’s Speech

1. Overcoming Burnout:
   • Definition: Recovering from mental and physical exhaustion caused by prolonged stress.
   • Example: “Lisa shared her strategies for overcoming burnout, including finding inspiration in music.”
2. The Role of Community:
   • Definition: Building support systems with friends, mentors, and family.
   • Example: “She credited her success to her family, friends, and university counselors.”
3. The Power of Music:
   • Definition: Using music as a coping mechanism during difficult times.
   • Example: “The *Hamilton* soundtrack inspired Lisa to keep going even during her hardest moments.”
4. Gratitude as a Driving Force:
   • Definition: Recognizing and appreciating the help and opportunities received.
   • Example: “Lisa expressed gratitude for her mentors, friends, and the opportunities at UW–Madison.”
5. Embracing Imperfection:
   • Definition: Accepting mistakes as part of the learning process.
   • Example: “She reminded her peers to embrace their imperfections as they journey forward.”

Lisa’s speech reflects the resilience and determination required to thrive in challenging environments, emphasizing the importance of community and self-care.

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Key Lessons and Vocabulary

Vocabulary Highlight:

• Burnout (noun): Exhaustion due to prolonged stress.
  • Example: “Students often experience burnout from academic pressure.”
• Perseverance (noun): Steady persistence in achieving a goal despite difficulties.
  • Pronunciation Tip: /ˌpɜrsəˈvɪrəns/
  • Example: “Her perseverance helped her graduate with honours.”

Sentence Structure: Using Subordinate Clauses

• Example from Text: “While I was carrying the expectations of many, the heaviest ones were my own.”
• Explanation: Subordinate clauses provide additional context to the main idea.
  • Structure: subordinate conjunction + subject + verb
  • Example: “Although she struggled, she graduated successfully.”

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Reflecting on Lisa Kamal’s Legacy

Vocabulary Highlight:

• Gratitude (noun): The quality of being thankful and showing appreciation.
  • Pronunciation Tip: /ˈɡratɪˌtjuːd/
  • Example: “Gratitude is an essential part of happiness.”

Pronunciation Tips:

• Resilience: /rɪˈzɪliəns/
• Gratitude: /ˈɡratɪˌtjuːd/
• Perseverance: /ˌpɜrsəˈvɪrəns/

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Conclusion

Lisa Kamal’s speech is a powerful reminder of the resilience and support that enable students to achieve their goals. From overcoming burnout to expressing gratitude for her community, Lisa’s journey is an inspiration to all graduates. As she reflects on her time at UW–Madison, she encourages everyone to value the lessons learned, both in and outside the classroom.

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Learning Tips:

• Practice New Vocabulary: Use the highlighted words to write sentences about your own experiences.
• Grammar Exercises: Create conditional sentences based on Lisa’s speech.
• Pronunciation Practice: Focus on the vocabulary tips provided to improve fluency.
• Reflect on Themes: Summarize Lisa Kamal’s key messages in your own words.

By learning from Lisa Kamal’s insights, you can not only improve your English skills but also gain a deeper understanding of resilience, gratitude, and the power of community in achieving success.

Raise a glass to freedom, raise a glass to all of us, telling the story of today. In my junior year of college, listening to the Hamilton soundtrack became my coping mechanism that would get me through the day. In case you don’t know of the musical written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, it tells the story of an orphan and immigrant who became one of the founding fathers of America. After listening to the album, I dove into the fandom, memorized all of the songs while walking to class, waiting for the bus, and before I went to sleep.

I came here on a scholarship, a long way from my home in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This opportunity to be here at the prestigious University of Wisconsin-Madison did not come easy or cost little for any of us. My hopeful freshman self had started out college with big dreams. I wanted to make the most out of my time here because just like Hamilton, there’s a million things I haven’t done.

In the beginning, the unknown was exciting. Remember those days? I could justify struggling in calculus or chemistry because I was only a freshman, and I thought that by the time I’m a senior, I’ll be a pro at everything. But as students, we juggle a lot on our plates. We juggle our studies, relationships with friends and family—and in my case, most of them were abroad, separated by a 14-hour time difference. Most importantly, we work towards the promise of a great future for ourselves.

While I was carrying the expectations of many, the heaviest ones were my own. When I didn’t meet them, the person I disappointed the most was myself. My second year in college, I suffered burnout to the point of losing motivation to finish this degree. I’d overwhelmed myself past my breaking point, kept chasing things that would look good on my resume, but I stopped feeling passion for anything I did or learned. The truth was, all I wanted to do was sleep all the time. I was so desperate to find a spark of enthusiasm, the same one we all overflowed with at the beginning, only to feel so helpless.

But friends, look at where you are. Look at where you started. You made it here to the last act. You did it day after day. You made the choice to rise up and give yourself another chance to start over every single morning. And for me, I sang like my life was a Tony Award-winning Broadway musical.

And believe me, you did not throw away your shot, because if you graduated having completed most of your coursework from the comfort of your own bed staring into your laptop, you made it. I see you. If you graduated having spent all hours of the day in the library or evenings in coffee shops, you made it. I see you. Or if you are anywhere in between, you made it. I see you.

There is everyday human experience that gives weight and substance to the certificate you’re about to receive. Every sacrifice, every bit of energy you drag out of you every morning, even if all you managed to do was scratch the bare minimum, you are here today. You’re graduating today, and I’m proud of you. I’m immensely proud of you.

Now, at the end, I look back and keep thanking God, teachers and mentors, mental health counselors at the University Health Services, my family and friends who helped carry me through till today. I thank Lin-Manuel for writing his songs, helping me finish my Nina story, and for reimagining diverse representations on the Broadway stage.

Madison, I’ll miss your winters, your sunsets, your super frozen lakes, but I look forward to the future that the University of Wisconsin has prepared me for. I love this school with all my heart.

My fellow graduates, as we proudly leave this campus, remember the dark moments that shaped us from the ground up, the good times that we are grateful for, and the person we became because of it. We’re gonna teach ’em how to say goodbye, say goodbye one last time.

Congratulations, Badgers!