Reflecting on a Moment of Honor: My Speech to the Radnor High School Class of 2024
JJulie-Anne Savarit-Cosenza
Co-founder & Executive Director
African Education Program
This week, I had the honor of returning to my alma mater, Radnor High School, to deliver the commencement speech for the Class of 2024.
You can watch the speech here: https://youtu.be/8BCWnGebRpY
Standing at the podium in front of hundreds, possibly over a thousand people, was an awe-inspiring and surreal experience. Being chosen by the senior class officers to share words of wisdom as they embark on new and exciting life chapters was both humbling and deeply moving.
Initially, I feared that my message might not resonate with these soon-to-be graduates. To overcome this, I spoke from a place of vulnerability and honesty, embracing my insecurities.
The overwhelming positive feedback from teachers, administrators, and students was incredibly gratifying. I am immensely proud of myself and this exceptional group of students who are ready to take on the world!
Click the video link above to hear my speech or keep scrolling to read it.
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Thank you, Dr. Mac.
And most importantly, thank you Class of 2024! I cannot tell you how much of an honor and a privilege it is to be a part of the community of teachers, administrators and loved ones gathered here today to celebrate you.
A couple of months ago, I spent two weeks with my family here in the U.S. I was about to board a flight from Newark to Nairobi, my layover stop on my way to Lusaka, Zambia, when I got a text from my mom that said, “Call me.” I’d already messaged our family group chat goodbye, so she knew I was about to get on a plane. I immediately thought, “oh no, what’s wrong?”
I called her and she said, “the principal of the high school just called and the seniors asked that you speak at graduation. I explained that you are about to fly, but text him right away.” In my head, I’m thinking there must be a mistake, they got the wrong Julie-Anne.
28 hours later, yes, it takes 28 hours to fly from Newark to Lusaka, Dr. Mac and I connected on the phone and he extended the invitation to be here today. I’m thinking, “Ok, I guess they didn’t make a mistake.” So imposter syndrome immediately sets in, “why ask me?”
Nonetheless, I’m humbled and excited at the prospect of sharing this important day with you. And while I immediately said, “yes,” I am honestly, explicit face emoji, scared.
While speaking in front of groups is a part of my job as a nonprofit leader, I can do the pitch speech about our work in my sleep. Today is totally different. Today is about celebrating you, your achievements and, hopefully you are walking away with a few seeds of advice that will grow in the next weeks, months and years to come.
And I was so afraid that my words would let you down. I feared that my message wouldn’t resonate. That it wouldn’t be inspiring as you close such an important life chapter and start writing a brand new and exciting one.
I was thinking to myself, “what on earth type of advice can I share with this group of soon to be Radnor graduates that I feel so distant from? Radnor is a place I visit as I spend most of my time in Zambia and France and I’m not on TikTok or any social media really.”
To gain some confidence, I asked to speak with some of your class officers and I’m so grateful for the time they made for me a few weeks ago. Hearing about their high school experiences, their hopes, their dreams, and their fears, I have to admit, I was impressed. You are incredibly in touch and aware in a way that I never was when I was sitting in these seats 19 years ago.
And while our conversation brought some reassurance that I could do this because of the shared values and experiences we discussed, I was still, explicit face emoji, scared.
It would take me several more weeks, coming full circle back to my favorite coffee shop in the Nairobi airport at midnight, and the deadline to share my speech with Dr. Mac only 48 hours away, to finally start putting pen to paper.
And here we are, with me in front of you. I’m embracing the possibility of failure and yet praying that I don’t let you down.
So, let’s do this…
There are three words that I hope you will walk away with today. Vulnerability, empathy, and love.
These are my core strengths and I use them as my guiding principles each and every day.
Vulnerability.
I shared the story of my insecurities about being before you today because it felt so unauthentic to walk up here simply showing confidence. To share with you a few life lessons that I have learned since graduation from Radnor High School without being vulnerable and sharing my fears and insecurities felt like it would be a disservice.
Vulnerability is a powerful strength, and it’s a lesson I hope you carry with you as you step into the next chapter of your lives. We all have moments of self-doubt, even when we appear confident to the outside world.
It’s okay to feel unsure sometimes. It’s okay to feel unsure a lot of the time. It’s okay to question yourself. What matters most is how you respond to those feelings and who you honestly and openly share them with.
By being vulnerable and honest with you today, I hope to show that it’s okay to be real and genuine about your feelings and experiences. Authenticity helps build deeper, more meaningful connections with others. As you move forward, remember that showing your true self will help you build trust and the most rewarding of relationships.
Be vulnerable.
Empathy.
Have empathy and grace for yourself as much as you have for others.
In high school, I identified as an athlete who worked hard to get straight A’s. I didn’t think I was beautiful because I didn’t have straight, blond hair. I only recently came to understand my misconceptions about body size, thanks to the lyrics of Jax’s song “Victoria’s Secret”: “I wish somebody would’ve told me that thighs of thunder meant normal human thighs.”
When I was 15 years old, I sat in the Radnor High School cafeteria with two friends and started thinking up a project to serve African youth. This project would become the nonprofit organization that has played a profound role for over half of my life. Quite literally, I have grown up with my nonprofit.
When I went full-time with the organization ten years ago, I identified solely as its leader. For a long time, I had trouble differentiating between Julie-Anne and the African Education Program.
I always built my identity on what I did, not who I was. I constantly compared myself to others and set way too high expectations for myself as a person and a leader. I used to be incredibly self-critical and a perfectionist. Well, let’s be honest, I still am sometimes.
Over the last few years, I have worked hard to build my self-identity based on who I am, not my actions. I have strived to accept my flaws as much as my strengths and to have the same empathy and grace for myself as I do for those around me and those I serve.
Today, I identify as Julie-Anne, full stop. And Julie-Anne is multi-faceted. She is a loving aunt, sister, sister-in-law, daughter, granddaughter, and a loyal friend. She is a nonprofit leader whose purpose is to inspire others to create change and transform their communities. She is a workout-loving, trash-TV-watching, animal enthusiast among the many other things that make her who she is.
And she still has to work hard every day to love herself.
Have empathy and grace for yourself as much as you have for others.
Love.
Love deeply. Love profoundly. Love passionately.
When I was sitting in these same seats 19 years ago, I was not only looking forward to Senior Week in Ocean City, but also preparing for my first trip to Zambia. I never imagined that I could develop a love so immense for a place and a people so far away, so unlike anything I had ever known growing up.
This year is the African Education Program’s 20th anniversary and I’m often asked how I’ve managed to keep going. Running a nonprofit is incredibly challenging; you burn out time and again. But it’s my deep, profound, and passionate love for the mission and the people we serve that has kept me rising above every challenge.
I’m going to step on my soap box here for just a minute…. to love means to be present. Be present with your community, your friends, your family, and yourself. Technology and social media are incredible tools, but don’t let them distract you from the beauty of the present moment. Ok, stepping off the soap box now…
Loving this deeply does come with heartbreak. Whether it’s in your friendships, romantic relationships, or professional endeavors, you will experience disappointment and hurt. But have faith that love, in all its forms, can overcome these obstacles and make every struggle worthwhile. Love is what drives us, heals us, and ultimately defines our greatest achievements. So, embrace love in all its intensity and let it guide you through every aspect of your life.
Love deeply. Love profoundly. Love passionately.
Alright everyone, we are almost there.
As a nonprofit leader, you learn quickly that you never walk away from a meeting or a speech without making an ask.
My ask today is very different from my usual request to support the African Education Program’s work.
My ask today is that you do not walk away taking for granted the privilege you have had to attend Radnor High School. Having worked in Zambia and across Africa for so long, I can assure you that far too few people have had the opportunities you’ve had.
And with these opportunities comes the responsibility to give back.
We live in a time when so many of the world’s challenges seem insurmountable. We are facing wars, climate change, threats to democracy, social injustice, systemic poverty — the list goes on.
And you may be wondering, “what difference can I really make?”
I’ve been fortunate to do work that has changed thousands of lives. But reflecting on my own path, I realize that my greatest impact is not in these thousands of lives but in the small, everyday actions that I take.
A quick example is Febby, a shy Zambian girl with a passion for children with disabilities whom I met when she was in 9th grade. Febby has shared with me that our conversations when she was young about following her dreams were part of the building blocks that got her where she is today. She now leads one of the most unique and impactful special education programs in Zambia and dreams of transforming the education landscape for all Zambian children with disabilities.
So what can you do? Be a sounding board for a friend in need. Help a stranger. Get involved in a cause you are passionate about. Start your own cause. Vote! Most of you, if not all of you, will be 18 this November. Please vote.
I can assure you that every single positive action you take has a ripple effect that you cannot imagine. And if we each do our small part, the needle of progress moves, and that movement matters!
I recently spoke on a podcast and was asked, “What advice would you have for your 20-something self?” My advice was simple, “Trust the journey. There will be ups and downs, twists and turns. Trust yourself and your intuition. Trust your core strengths of vulnerability, empathy, and love. And know that each moment is leading to exactly where you need to be.”
And I want to leave you with this same advice: trust yourself, trust your intuition, and know that you are exactly where you need to be. You are ready for this journey. Embrace it with open minds and open hearts.
Thank you, Radnor High School Class of 2024! Congratulations!
