Alumni Graduation Speakers 2023

Justin McNiff ’15, Head of School Gretchen Forsyth, and Cameron Kirwin ’15

Alumni speakers are a treasured and impactful annual tradition at GUS graduation. Alumni speakers are always selected from the class that was graduating themselves as eighth graders when the current eighth grade class was in Kindergarten. They return as recent college graduates to speak to share words of wisdom and advice with the graduating class. This year’s alumni speakers were Cameron Kirwin ’15, who recently graduated from the University of Richmond with a degree in business administration, and Justin McNiff ’15, who is recently graduated from Providence College with a degree in business management.

Cameron Kirwin ’15

Thank you, Ms. Forsyth, thank you faculty, parents and graduates. To the class of 2023 congratulations, you have done it! When I sat down to think of what I should tell you today, a lot of things crossed my mind, but I settled on three pieces of advice. Much like your black books where you recorded your own thoughts and reflections throughout your time at Glen Urquhart, today I want to provide you with the first page of a new black book that you can take with you as you move forward into high school. 

Turn to page one of your new imaginary black book. To start the first page of this new black book, I want to emphasize the power of the relationships you have built here at GUS. Look to your left, now look to your right. Those people sitting on either side of you, or anywhere here for that matter, may remain in your life for many many years. You might not know it just yet, but some of the friendships you have made at GUS could truly be lifelong friendships. In fact, two nights ago I had dinner with two friends whom I have known since Upper School when they joined the GUS community. GUS is a uniquely collaborative space, where you always have someone to turn to for help with work, as a teammate, or just a funny laugh—faculty and students alike are all equally supportive. My sentiments here are probably not surprising to those who knew me during my time at GUS. For context, let’s just say my superlative was “Most likely to never stop talking until the world ends.” 

Needless to say, I was always “collaborating” with those around me—maybe a little too much. But as funny as that superlative was (and I am sure it was also slightly annoying for my teachers), I think that it shows how GUS creates an academic and social space where everyone feels comfortable to be themselves and forge lifelong friendships with those around them. To turn the quiet, introverted first grader who came to GUS, into someone who would never stop talking is a testament to the environment GUS creates. 

Attending GUS has given you the tools to be a strong collaborative team member, who understands how to work with others. Whether it was the map project, the Boar Cup, or your GUS sports team, Glen Urquhart consistently encouraged teamwork and collaboration both inside and outside of the classroom. You may not realize it, but you have an invaluable skill that lots of students do not yet have: your ability to collaborate and work with others—both similar and different from yourself. For example, the other day I was cleaning out my room at home, preparing to move to Washington DC. I found a book of compliments. I am not sure if this sounds familiar to you—it had to have been a project from either the second or third grade. 

A book full of compliments that each student wrote to every other student. Reading the compliments was certainly entertaining and touching, but I now realize it really was the exercise itself that was invaluable. Learning early on how to recognize the strengths of others, is so important for successful friendships, relationships and collaborative work—this is something that has been instilled in you since the beginning of your time at GUS.

Now, turn to page two of your new imaginary black book. For the second piece of advice as you start this new book, I want to encourage you to accept change. I am sure you have heard this phrase quite a few times over the last few weeks, but I know when I was in your shoes, no matter how many times I heard it, accepting change still felt like a daunting feat. I am not here to tell you that change is easy. Often it is not. However, I am here to tell you that as eighth graders, change is inevitable. Whether you await your next step to high school with anxious excitement, or with sadness about leaving GUS, change is inevitable. You have to graduate today, and you have to take your next step. What you had at GUS is not going to be replicated anywhere else. Attending Glen Urquhart is a unique experience; I can confidently say that your high school will not have Chariot Races as a part of your Latin Class, or an entire day dedicated to celebrating bread. 

However, your high school experience will be filled with exciting new opportunities. I am here to tell you that GUS has already taught you many of the tools that you need to embrace such change. When you went on your first overnight school trip, perhaps it was to Mystic Seaport as it was for me, that was a change. When you moved from the lower school to upper school, that was a change. When you tried a new sport for the first time or participated in your first school play, that was also a change. While all of these may feel like small events compared to the new experience of going to high school—at various little moments in time, GUS has already given you opportunities that show that you are resilient, you are curious, and most importantly, you are equipped to tackle change head-on because you have done so before. 

Turning to page three in your black books, the final piece of advice I want to leave you with is that you are stronger than you currently think. Some of you have already faced struggles during your time at GUS, while others might not have. Either way, when the time comes and you are faced with a challenge or adversity, you have learned important skills that will help you when you encounter challenging times. Whether it was learning how to lose gracefully on the athletic fields, finishing a tough algebra exam in Ms. Wyman’s math class, or turning in a paper on time, you have learned that not everything will always go your way. 

And when this happens, remember, you have the foundation you need to tackle a challenge, remain optimistic, and lean on those around you for support. The support system instilled in you by the GUS community remains a part of your life whenever you may need it. As I look back, having just graduated from college, I can tell you that I had no idea where I would end up when I was in your shoes. There were certainly times between then and now that did not go my way. However, Glen Urquhart gave me the independence and confidence that I needed to trust the path I was on and to go forward knowing that everything would work out in the end. 

Thank you!

Justin McNiff ’15

Before I start, I wanted to thank the GUS community for having me back to speak.  I also wanted to thank my parents for sending me to this school and all the other wonderful schools I have attended, it is because of them I am who I am today.  And finally, thank you to the GUS class of 2023, for being a captive audience to a 22 year old attempting to give life advise.  It is crazy to think that when I was graduating from GUS in 2015 that you all were just wrapping up Kindergarten. A lot has changed for us in the past 8 years. Just like you I have grown a little bit taller, learned lots while at school, and we are both now preparing for some big changes in our lives. For me this means I’ll soon be buying my own groceries. For you, this means a new school, full of new friends, teachers, opportunities, and lessons to learn. 

I still remember my first day of high school, what was then my “new school”. I was terrified. Butterflies fluttered throughout my stomach all day long. I imagine some of you feel this way right now, even I, while giving this speech am getting that familiar feeling of nervousness. In the past 8 years I have felt nervous an uncountable number of times. I would let this feeling stop me from doing things I wanted to do. It stopped me from approaching new friends, letting my old friends know how I was feeling, and even asking for help from my teachers when I no longer understood what was going on. I let these nerves control my life. What changed that, however, and the reason I am able to speak to you all today is a simple quote from racecar driver Daniel Ricciardo, “Enjoy the butterflies”. 

This quote completely changed my perspective. Every nerve I felt began to remind me of the inherent excitement of what I was about to do. We don’t get nervous for the little things, it’s the big moments that make us the most nervous. I began smiling when those little butterflies made themselves known, they let me know that I was about to do something great. Interviews, deadlines, and speaking to unfamiliar people began to excite me, rather than paralyze me. I’ve come to understand that this feeling is a part of the complete human experience, just like being happy and sad. It is our way of knowing we have an opportunity ahead. With nervousness, too, comes triumph. We experience the nerves and are able to overcome them to achieve the goals we have set out for ourselves. Throughout the next 8 years, before some of you come up and speak in front of the now Kindergarten class, you all will have moments of struggle. You will all become anxious over any number of things: grades, sports, friends, work. I know I sure did. However, when you first walk into your new school this fall, during the start of this new chapter in life, and you feel the familiar twinge of nerves poking at you, try to remember “enjoy the butterflies”. 

Thank you.