Ayleem Moore

Hello, everyone, and thank you for being here to celebrate this significant milestone in our lives. Never in my life did I think I’d be giving a commencement speech. I am humbled and I’m honored to be here today as we celebrate us.

I remember the very first time I set foot on this campus. There was a graduation going on the same day I came to meet with my advisor. I couldn’t help but get emotional seeing all the graduates make their way toward their ceremony because for so long that’s been my goal, my dream — to finally be able to get my degree. To finally be able to say, “I graduated college.” Then, some years later, came that appointment — the one where you hear those words: “You’re graduating!”

As a first-generation college student, there tends to be a lot of pressure to get a degree. But in my experience, that “pressure” came from someone who saw our value, our potential, always wanted what was best for us. Someone who was rooting for us, who was there for us day and night, and didn’t want minor setbacks to stop us from achieving major accomplishments. Dr. M. Lance Lusk once told me, “You are creating a legacy. This is a life achievement.” Thank you, Dr. Lusk, for the reminder that this is a life achievement. Cherish this moment. Every graduate here today has accomplished something momentous. Not everyone does this. Not everyone is able to do this.

All of us made it here, but our paths are uniquely our own. Some of us went to college right out of high school, some of us took a break and then began our college journey, and some, like me, took several breaks. There was a point in my life where I worked three jobs while going to school full time; 0/10 do NOT recommend. I say this to remind anyone sitting in the audience dreaming of graduating one day that life is going to life; things are going to happen that are outside of your control. But graduating from college? That is a journey you can keep moving toward. Whether it takes you four years or almost 20 years, please do not give up and do not lose hope.

The road to success isn’t always going to be a smooth one. There will be potholes and roadblocks. And guess what? That’s OK. Regardless of when or how you started, be proud of yourself, because you made it. You may have thought about giving up. But you didn’t. And that positive mindset is why we are all here today. Each of us worked hard, studied and made sacrifices, all while juggling whatever life threw at us. To everyone here who doubted themselves, who thought of giving up, who thought this day was not attainable: you are resilient, you pushed through and you did it. And in case someone hasn’t already told you, I am so proud of you!

To my sister, who graduated earlier this month from UT Arlington with her bachelor’s degree: Seeing you blossom into an amazing, dedicated woman is one of the things that inspired me to get here. Even though you’re my little sister, I’ve always looked up to you. You make me want to do better. And for that, I thank you.

To my husband: Thank you for always being there for me. How I ended up with a blessing like you in my life is something I can only thank God for. I love you 3,000.

And to my mom, who raised my sister and I all on her own and now gets to see the both of us graduate: A ti que nos diste tu vida, tu amor y tu espacio, a ti que cargaste en tu vientre, dolor y cansancio. Thank you for your strength, your compassion, for always reminding us that we are capable of doing whatever we set our minds to, for the unconditional love you give your kids, for being our biggest supporter, and the best mother anyone could ever ask for. ’Ción, mami!

You know that saying, “It takes a village to raise a child?” Well, I believe it also takes a village, big or small, near or far, to raise a graduate. I am so grateful to the “village” that helped and supported me, and I hope everyone here takes a moment to acknowledge that. Thanks to the love, care and support from someone — may it be a family member, friend, faculty or staff, even pets (mommy loves you Lani and Nila) — you are here today. We all had different paths to this day — our graduation — but we have something very important in common: we are here. We made it. We are college graduates.

As we move into the world, may each of us remember to treat others with dignity and lead with compassion. May each of us be a member of someone’s village.

Thank you, and congratulations, Class of 2025!

Ayleem Moore is originally from Linden, New Jersey, but has lived in Texas since 2007. She graduates today with a Bachelor of Arts in interdisciplinary studies and a concentration in psychology and education. She began her college education in 2009 at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. During her time there, Moore was a youth development professional at the Boys & Girls Club of Pharr and a volunteer with AmeriCorps. She is also a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success. She plans to be an educational and nurturing safe space for bilingual, multilingual and English language learners.