16 Best Graduation Speeches That Leave a Lasting Impression

By Kristi Kellogg and Noor Brara

Listen to words of wisdom from the best graduation speeches.

Some of the most impactful and inspiring sentiments are shared during graduation speeches delivered by the leaders we look up to. Graduation speeches from celebrities , entrepreneurs, authors and other influential thinkers are motivational, inspiring, thought-provoking and just might make you reach for the nearest tissue. After four years of hard work, stress, and exhausting self-discovery, lucky graduates are privy to a life-changing speech to top it all off.

Here, we rounded up up 16 of the best graduation speeches of all time, including words of wisdom from Natalie Portman, Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey, and more.

1. Steve Jobs: Stanford, 2005

"You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it."

2. Michelle Obama: Tuskegee University, 2015

"I've found that this journey has been incredibly freeing. Because no matter what happened, I had the piece of mind knowing that all of the chatter, the name-calling, the doubting...all of it was just noise. It did not define me, it didn't change who I was, and most importantly, it couldn't hold me back."

3. Natalie Portman: Harvard, 2015

"I just directed my first film. I was completely unprepared, but my own ignorance to my own limitations looked like confidence and got me into the director's chair. Once there, I had to figure it all out, and my belief that I could handle these things, contrary to all evidence of my ability to do so was half the battle. The other half was very hard work. The experience was the deepest and most meaningful one of my career."

4. Amy Poehler: Harvard University, 2011

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"What I have discovered is this: You can't do it alone … Listen. Say 'yes.' Live in the moment. Make sure you play with people who have your back. Make big choices early and often."

5. Meryl Streep: Barnard College, 2010

"This is your time and it feels normal to you but really there is no normal. There's only change, and resistance to it and then more change."

6. David Foster Wallace: Kenyon College, 2005

"Twenty years after my own graduation, I have come gradually to understand that the liberal arts cliché about teaching you how to think is actually shorthand for a much deeper, more serious idea: learning how to think really means learning how to exercise some control over how and what you think. It means being conscious and aware enough to choose what you pay attention to and to choose how you construct meaning from experience. Because if you cannot exercise this kind of choice in adult life, you will be totally hosed. Think of the old cliché about quote the mind being an excellent servant but a terrible master."

7. Barack Obama: Howard University, 2016

"You have to go through life with more than just passion for change; you need a strategy. I’ll repeat that. I want you to have passion, but you have to have a strategy. Not just awareness, but action. Not just hashtags, but votes."

8. Kerry Washington: George Washington University, 2013

"You and you alone are the only person who can live the life that can write the story that you were meant to tell."

9. Conan O'Brien: Dartmouth College, 2011

"There are few things more liberating in this life than having your worst fear realized. Today I tell you that whether you fear it or not, disappointment will come. The beauty is that through disappointment you can gain clarity, and with clarity comes conviction and true originality … Work hard, be kind, and amazing things will happen."

10. J.K. Rowling: Harvard, 2008

"I stopped pretending to be anything than what I was. My greatest fear had been realized. I had an old typewriter and a big idea. Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life."

11. Oprah Winfrey: Harvard University, 2013

"Learn from every mistake because every experience, encounter, and particularly your mistakes are there to teach you and force you into being more who you are. And then figure out what is the next right move. And the key to life is to develop an internal moral, emotional G.P.S. that can tell you which way to go."

12. Joss Whedon: Wesleyan University, 2013

"You have, which is a rare thing, that ability and the responsibility to listen to the dissent in yourself, to at least give it the floor, because it is the key—not only to consciousness–but to real growth. To accept duality is to earn identity. And identity is something that you are constantly earning. It is not just who you are. It is a process that you must be active in. It's not just parroting your parents or the thoughts of your learned teachers. It is now more than ever about understanding yourself so you can become yourself."

13. George Saunders: Syracuse University, 2013

"Do all the other things, the ambitious things … Travel, get rich, get famous, innovate, lead, fall in love, make and lose fortunes, swim naked in wild jungle rivers (after first having it tested for monkey poop)—but as you do, to the extent that you can, err in the direction of kindness."

14. Nora Ephron: Wellesley College, 1996

"Be the heroine of your life, not the victim."

15. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: Wellesley College, 2015

"As you graduate, as you deal with your excitement and your doubts today, I urge you to try and create the world you want to live in. Minister to the world in a way that can change it. Minister radically in a real, active, practical, get your hands dirty way."

16. Admiral William H. McRaven: University of Texas at Austin, 2014

"If you make your bed every morning you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride, and it will encourage you to do another task and another and another. By the end of the day, that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed. Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that little things in life matter. If you can't do the little things right, you will never do the big things right."

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Home / Essay Samples / Education / Higher Education / Graduation

Graduation Essay Examples

My plans after graduation: pursuing a career in education.

After graduation, many people have various plans for their future. Some may pursue higher education in their field of study, while others may take a gap year to travel or gain work experience. Some individuals may also seek employment immediately or pursue entrepreneurship. Regardless of...

Graduating High School: a Milestone of Achievement

As I stood on the threshold of my high school graduation, a whirlwind of emotions swept over me. The journey that had spanned four years was culminating in a single, pivotal moment. The familiar halls that had witnessed countless lessons, friendships, challenges, and triumphs were...

Graduation: What to Do in Trade School after Graduation

After graduating from highschool, young adults have an immense amount of opportunities from college, to sports, and heading straight into the workforce. However, there is one other major option that constantly gets overlooked. That option is trade school. In this graduation essay the concept and...

What Are My Plans after Graduation

At the end of my high school junior year, I resolved myself to select the Informatics and Digital Sciences branch, which can also be denoted by its acronym IDS, in addition to the other academic subjects for my senior year since I was willing, from...

When I Graduate from a High School: Reflections on Graduation

To start with, this is one of the "When I graduate from high school essays" as I have just ended my study and there were lots of confused feelings about this experience that I want to share. As I walked across the stage to receive...

My College Graduation Speech

Fellow seniors, family, faculty, and all Kingsway students, as I was getting ready this morning, it hit me that today is the day. Today is the day I will walk across this stage with the class of 2018, and finally receive my diploma. I have...

Why I Choose Environmental Biology Graduate Program

Earth has always intrigued me; how can a place be resourceful and destructive at the same time? I fascinated the connection between living organisms and various phenomenal which turn out to be pieces of the same puzzle. Yet, studying environmental science has a new purpose:...

The Day of My Graduation

“This morning as we find ourselves as seniors on the verge of graduation, I ask all of you to think back to August 2014 when we were freshmen,” I said in front of my class of 2018. Graduation was a significant moment in my life....

Examination of Possible Difficulties of Post-graduating Period

Although graduation is a big joy, it is also a harbinger of entering a new phase fraught with difficulties for the wide-ranging changes in the life of the graduate. These changes begin with the absence of vocabulary such as (hall, lecturer and homework) from the...

Why College Education is Important

“Education is our passport to the future for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepares for it today.” College education has become very important in every individual’s life as it provides higher level of knowledge, confidence, academic, technical and social skills required for a successful...

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110 graduation quotes to send off the class of 2024 in style

Throwing a cap into the clouds after graduating from university.

Graduations are among life's biggest accomplishments. They speak to hard work , dedication and success.

For the graduate, it's a day well-earned. For friends and loved ones, it's a time to let someone special know that their achievement is recognized and celebrated.

Whether it be a kindergarten , high school or college graduation, honor the grad in your life this year with a thoughtful gift, greeting card or one of these inspirational graduation quotes.

In recognition of commencements of every kind, we’ve gathered a list of the best graduation quotes to post on Instagram , send via text or jot down in a heartfelt note.

To help you find exactly the right words, we've put together a comprehensive collection of sayings from notable figures including Eleanor Roosevelt, Maya Angelou , Mahatma Gandhi, Helen Keller and other luminaries.

You'll find short quotes, funny quotes from the likes of Steve Martin, Tina Fey and Robin Williams, and time-honored quotes from the treasured Dr. Seuss book “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!”

Whatever message you’re searching for to celebrate someone special, you’re sure to find it in the compilation below.

So, without any further pomp and circumstance, here are the best graduation quotes to help you say "hat's off" to the class of 2024.

Best graduation quotes

Graduation Quotes

  • “A bright future beckons. The onus is on us, through hard work, honesty and integrity, to reach for the stars.” — Nelson Mandela
  • “Your talent determines what you can do. Your motivation determines how much you are willing to do. Your attitude determines how well you do it.” — Lou Holtz
  • “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” — Norman Vincent Peale
  • “Life loves to be taken by the lapel and be told, ‘I am with you kid. Let’s go!’” Maya Angelou

Graduation Quotes

  • “Set your course by the stars, not by the lights of every passing ship.” ― Omar N. Bradley
  • “I never dreamed about success. I worked for it.” — Estée Lauder
  • “You change the world by being yourself.” — Yoko Ono
  • “Keep your eyes on the stars, and your feet on the ground.” — Theodore Roosevelt
  • “You get whatever accomplishment you are willing to declare.” ― Georgia O’Keeffe

Graduation Quotes

  • “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
  • “What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson
  • “Let us make our future now, and let us make our dreams tomorrow’s reality.” — Malala Yousafzai
  • "Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever." — Mahatma Gandhi
  • “Success is getting what you want, happiness is wanting what you get.” ― W.P. Kinsella

Graduation Quotes

  • “It is not where you start but how high you aim that matters for success.” — Nelson Mandela
  • "The love of learning, the sequestered nooks, And all the sweet serenity of books." ― Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
  • “Am I good enough? Yes, I am.” ― Michelle Obama, “Becoming”
  • “The only impossible journey is the one you never begin.” — Tony Robbins
  • “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.” — Helen Keller

Graduation Quotes

  • “When you have a dream, you’ve got to grab it and never let go.” — Carol Burnett
  • “Nothing is impossible, the word itself says ‘I’m possible!’” ― Audrey Hepburn
  • "I scorched the earth with my talent and I let my light shine.” — André Leon Talley
  • “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work and learning from failure.” — Colin Powell
  • “I took a deep breath and listened to the old brag of my heart: I am, I am, I am.” — Sylvia Plath, “The Bell Jar”

Graduation Quotes

  • “Be the best of whatever you are.” — Martin Luther King, Jr.
  • “Forever is composed of nows.” — Emily Dickinson
  • “The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.” — Steve Jobs
  • “To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly.” ― Henri Bergson
  • “You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one. I hope someday you’ll join us. And the world will live as one.” ― John Lennon, "Imagine"

Graduation Quotes

  • “A #2 pencil and a dream can take you anywhere.” — Joyce Meyer
  • “Passion first and everything will fall into place.” — Holly Holm
  • “You’re off to great places. Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So ... get on your way.” — Dr. Seuss, “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!”
  • “The beginning is always today.” — Mary Shelley
  • “You don’t become what you want, you become what you believe.” — Oprah Winfrey
  • “You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” — A.A. Milne, “Winnie the Pooh”

Short graduation quotes

Graduation Quotes

  • “Celebrate endings — for they precede new beginnings.” — Jonathan Lockwood Huie
  • “There are no goodbyes for us. Wherever you are, you will always be in my heart.” — Mahatma Gandhi
  • “The harder the battle, the sweeter the victory.” — Les Brown
  • “A star is a rock that never gave up on its dream to rise.” ― Matshona Dhliwayo
  • “Success is loving life and daring to live it.” ― Maya Angelou

Graduation Quotes

  • “Your education is a dress rehearsal for a life that is yours to lead.” — Nora Ephron
  • “Through discipline comes freedom.” — Aristotle
  • “Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.” ― Robert Collier
  • “What could we accomplish if we knew we could not fail?” — Eleanor Roosevelt
  • “Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.” ― John D. Rockefeller

Graduation Quotes

  • “Nothing is impossible. The word itself says, ‘I’m possible!’” — Audrey Hepburn
  • “Be so good they can’t ignore you.” — Steve Martin
  • “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” — Neale Donald Walsch
  • “I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.” — Mark Twain
  • “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” — Nelson Mandela

Graduation Quotes

  • “Success is not the absence of failure; it’s the persistence through failure.” — Aisha Tyler
  • “Accept no one’s definition of your life. Define yourself.” ― Harvey Fierstein
  • “Today’s accomplishments were yesterday’s impossibilities.” — Robert H. Schuller
  • “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” ― Mahatma Gandhi
  • “Your education has prepared you for what lies ahead.” — Conan O’Brien, 2020 Harvard commencement

Graduation Quotes

  • “What we learn with pleasure we never forget.” — Alfred Mercier
  • “The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible.” — Arthur C. Clarke
  • “It’s supposed to be hard. If it wasn’t hard, everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great.” — Jimmy Dugan, “A League of Their Own”
  • “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” — Lao Tzu

Graduation Quotes

  • “Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” ― Theodore Roosevelt
  • “Persistence is the most powerful force on earth, it can move mountains.” — Albert Einstein
  • “Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement; nothing can be done without hope and confidence.” — Helen Keller

Funny graduation quotes

  • “Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school.” — Albert Einstein
  • “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” — Ferris Bueller, “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”
  • “I look to the future because that is where I’m going to spend the rest of my life.” — George Burns
  • “Try not to have a good time ... This is supposed to be educational.” — Lucy Van Pelt, “Peanuts”

Graduation Quotes

  • “People don’t turn down money. It’s what separates us from the animals.” — Jerry Seinfeld
  • “When all else fails, there’s always delusion.” — Conan O’Brien
  • “Summer vacation does kind of set up an adulthood of disappointment. That first job, you’re like, ‘I have to go to work in July? What is this, Russia?’”— Jim Gaffigan, “Cinco”
  • “Adults are always asking little kids what they want to be when they grow up because they’re looking for ideas.”  —Paula Poundstone
  • “A mind is like a parachute. It doesn’t work if it is not open.” — Frank Zappa

Graduation Quotes

  • “Do not take life too seriously — you will never get out of it alive.” — Elbert Hubbard
  • “You’re only given a little spark of madness, you mustn’t lose it.” — Robin Williams
  • “You can’t be that kid standing at the top of the water slide overthinking it. You have to go down the chute.”   — Tina Fey
  • “All my life, I always wanted to be somebody. Now I see that I should have been more specific.” — Jane Wagner
  • “If at first you don’t succeed, then skydiving definitely isn’t for you.” — Steven Wright
  • “Never follow anyone else’s path. Unless you’re in the woods and you’re lost and you see a path; then, by all means, you should follow that path.” — Ellen Degeneres
  • “You’re still here? It’s over. Go home. Go.” — Ferris Bueller, “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”

Graduation Quotes

Inspirational graduation quotes

  • “All dreams are within reach. All you have to do is keep moving towards them.” — Viola Davis
  • “That’s a great motto for all of us — find somebody to be successful for. Raise their hopes. Rise to their needs.” — Barack Obama, Arizona State University commencement speech 2009
  • “Look back on the journey that brought you here. What moments challenged you most? When were you asked to step outside of your familiar territory in order to rise to the occasion of your potential? I want you to remember those moments because they will embolden you.” — Kerry Washington, George Washington University commencement speech 2013

Graduation Quotes

  • “Just because you don’t know what you want yet, it doesn’t mean that there’s nothing to want.” — Emily Henry, “The Love That Split the Wind”
  • “You educate a man; you educate a man. You educate a woman; you educate a generation.” — Brigham Young
  • “You’ll be on your way up! You’ll be seeing great sights! You’ll join the high fliers who soar to high heights.” — Dr. Seuss, “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!”
  • “Make a career of humanity. Commit yourself to the noble struggle for equal rights. You will make a better person of yourself, a greater nation of your country, and a finer world to live in.” — Martin Luther King, March for Integrated Schools
  •  “Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.” — Dr. Seuss, “Happy Birthday to You!”

Graduation Quotes

  • “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go...” — Dr. Seuss, “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!”
  • “A great accomplishment shouldn’t be the end of the road, just the starting point for the next leap forward.” — Harvey Mackay
  • “If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.” — Henry David Thoreau, “Walden”
  • “It is you, the young and fearless at heart, the most diverse and educated generation in our history, who the nation is waiting to follow.” — Barack Obama, Selma Anniversary speech 2015

Graduation Quotes

  • “It’s opener, out there, in the wide, open air.” ― Dr. Seuss, "Oh, the Places You’ll Go!"
  • “Why fit in when you were born to stand out?” ― Dr. Seuss
  • “Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today.” — Malcolm X
  • “Congratulations! Today is your day. You’re off to Great Places! You’re off and away!” ― Dr. Seuss, “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!”
  • “It is our failure to become of perceived ideal that ultimately defines us and makes us unique.” — Conan O’Brien, 2011 Dartmouth College commencement address

Graduation Quotes

  • “Ambition is the path to success. Persistence is the vehicle you arrive in.” — Bill Bradley
  • “There are two types of people who will tell you that you cannot make a difference in this world: those who are afraid to try and those who are afraid you will succeed.” — Ray Goforth
  • “All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.” — Walt Disney
  • “Becoming isn’t about arriving somewhere or achieving a certain aim. I see it instead as forward motion, a means of evolving, a way to reach continuously toward a better self. The journey doesn’t end.” — Michelle Obama, “Becoming”
  • “I am a firm believer that you don’t achieve greatness on your own. There is always someone there to lend a hand.” — Greg Louganis

Graduation Quotes

Graduation quotes inspired by song lyrics

  • “Tonight / We are young /So, let’s set the world on fire / We can burn brighter than the sun.” — Fun, “We Are Young”
  • “I’ll spread my wings and I’ll learn how to fly / I’ll do what it takes ‘til I touch the sky / And I’ll make a wish, take a chance, make a change and breakaway.” — Kelly Clarkson, “Breakaway”
  • “And I’ll be gone, gone tonight / The ground beneath my feet is open wide.” — One Direction, “Story of My Life’

Graduation Quotes

  • “You just gotta ignite the light and let it shine / Just own the night, like the Fourth of July.” — Katy Perry, “Firework”
  • “It’s something unpredictable, but in the end, it’s right / I hope you had the time of your life.” — Green Day, “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)”
  • “Ain’t about how fast I get there / Ain’t about what’s waiting on the other side / It’s the climb.” — Miley Cyrus, “The Climb”
  • “I am unwritten / Can’t read my mind / I’m undefined / I’m just beginning / The pen’s in my hand / Ending unplanned.” —Natasha Bedingfield, “Unwritten”

Graduation Quotes

  • “As we go on, we remember / All the times we had together / And as our lives change / Come whatever / We will still be friends forever.” — Vitamin C, “Graduation (Friends Forever)
  • “I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance / Never settle for the path of least resistance.” — Lee Ann Womack, “I Hope You Dance”
  • “School’s out for summer / School’s out forever.” — Alice Cooper, “School’s Out”

Graduation Quotes

Sarah is a lifestyle and entertainment reporter for TODAY who covers holidays, celebrities and everything in between.

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15+ No Essay Scholarships To Apply For In 2024

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No Essay Scholarships

A Freeway To No Essay Scholarships!

As of recent times, over 1.7 million scholarships are awarded annually. It is commonly known that only a handful of students are lucky enough to qualify for most scholarships. However, some scholarships are easier to get than others; for instance, some scholarships require no essays as a part of the application procedure. Yes, you read that right; the no essay scholarships can range from quick scholarships that you can apply to in a few minutes to some that are focused on specific aspects. Going ahead with the article, we will be exploring a range of scholarships that omit the obligation of essay writing for a perfect application. 

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Below is a comprehensive list of more than 15 no essay scholarships with their designated deadlines, award amounts, and eligibility. Skim through each scholarship and pick the right ones for you to apply before the deadline catches up to you. 

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Award Amount: $2,000 Deadline: June 30, 2024 Eligibility: HS Upperclassmen, College & graduate students from the US

The Sallie Mae Scholarships operate on Sweepstakes and are one of the no essay scholarships for students in the United States. This no essay scholarship requires students to fill in some basic information and aims to render college financial aid as a stepping stone to further education. Although the $2,000 Sallie Mae Scholarship Sweepstakes is only open to legal residents of the 50 United States. 

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The Be Bold No Essay Scholarships aim to finance bold risk-takers and academically overachieving students who never fail to show up. This particular scholarship can come across as competitive since it is also merit-based. However, it is open to students from diverse backgrounds, such as level of education, field of study, and GPA. 

3. ScholarshipOwl No Essay Scholarship

Award Amount: $1,000 Deadline: Jun 30, 2024 Eligibility: All Grade level students from the US

These no essay scholarships are open to students from the US (high school, college and graduate). The applicant must be a resident of any of the 50 United States, District of Columbia or US Territories except for Rhode Island and Michigan. Every month, the ScholarshipOwl No Essay Scholarships nominates four winners.

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Award Amount: $10,000 Deadline: Jun 30, 2024 Eligibility: All Grade Levels

The “ No Essay Scholarship ” is one of the monthly non essay scholarships available for high school, college, and graduate students over the age of 16. Applying for scholarships on the Scholarships360 platform gives the applicant an added advantage.

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Award Amount: $10,000

Deadline: July 31st, 2024 Eligibility: All Grade Levels

The Niche No Essay Scholarship provides tuition, housing, books, and other college expenses money. It is for students of all ages and falls into the bracket of scholarships with no essay. The winners will be announced on Niche's e-newsletter and the official website.

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Award Amount: $10,000 Deadline: Jun 30, 2024 Eligibility: High School Juniors and Seniors who wish to get admitted to a Christian college/university

The Christain Connector Scholarship is for students who are interested in pursuing their further education at a Christain Institute. It is one of the scholarships without essays that finance students every month. 

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The No Essay CollegeVine Scholarships are scholarships without essays open to high school and college students. The only requirement is to create an account with a complete profile. The scholarship operates on sweepstakes, which allows a maximum number of students to participate without touching any kind of eligibility.

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Award Amount: $1,000 Deadline: Jun 30, 2024 Eligibility: High School Students 

Around the Corner from College Scholarships are no essay scholarships for high school students (US citizens, Permanent Residents, or with DACA Status). However, there are two definite deadlines throughout the year, and one winner is nominated for each period.

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DirectTextbook.com Photo Essay Contest scholarships are photo entries selected randomly from all qualifying entries. These no essay scholarships require students to have at least a GPA of 2.0 or above, be enrolled in a 2-4 year college degree program, and be legal residents of the United States. 

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Award Amount: $10,000 Deadline: Dec 31st, 2024 Eligibility: High School Students

The Unigo Scholarships are no essay scholarships, although students are required to submit a 250-word or less passage on "Would you rather be smart, funny, or rich? Why?" The passage will judge the student's writing ability, creativity, originality, and overall excellence. Winners will be announced through emails and calls.

11. US Bank Student Scholarship 

Award Amount: $20,000 Deadline: Oct 31st, 2024 Eligibility: High School Seniors & College Students The US Bank Student Scholarship is one of the no essay scholarships opportunities for U.S. residents. Applicants aged 17 or older who have been accepted to or are enrolled in a post-secondary institution are eligible to receive help funding their education. 

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Award Amount: $2,000 Deadline: June 30, 2024 Eligibility: All Grade Levels

The CampusReel Virtual Tour Scholarships are scholarships with no essay. There is no eligibility criterion for students; the only obligation is to watch a student-led virtual college tour. 

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Award Amount: $1,000 Deadline: June 30, 2024 Eligibility: Students who are admitted to a 2-year/4-year college course

The ULoop Dorm Survey Scholarship is one of the no essay scholarships where students who have lived in dormitories at some point in their college life. They have to fill out a short survey form expressing their dormitory experience and be entered for a chance to win $1,000.

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The Powering The Future - Whiddon Memorial Scholarships are another no essay required scholarships for STEM students. The scholarship honours Richard and Rebecca Whiddon's memories, project engineering managers who lost their lives in a car accident. If engineering is what interests you, then you must check out engineering scholarships in the UK as an option to reduce the financial burden of paying for your engineering degree.

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One Earth Young Filmmakers Contest Scholarship is for young filmmakers who submit a video on environmentalism. There are over seven categories split by age group and video type, but each applicant’s video must relate to conservation or environmentalism. These no essay scholarships are for students who can express their love for Earth through film. 

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Video of man pushing Black superintendent at daughter's graduation sparks racism claims

A video from a Wisconsin high school graduation shows a man pushing the school district superintendent away before he can shake hands with his daughter has sparked intense commentary, with some describing it as racist.

The incident happened at Baraboo High School's graduation on May 31. In the video, a high school graduate is seen smiling as she receives her diploma and shakes the hands of school officials. As she approaches the end of the line, a man, who the district identified as the graduate's father, is seen pushing Superintendent Rainey Briggs out of the line.

The graduate is seen pausing with a confused look for several moments before she moves her tassel to the other side of her graduation cap and leaves the stage. Other officials watch as others walk onstage and appear to begin to assist in managing the incident.

Graduations: Watch girl fly to shock best friend during graduation ceremony

'Gross and racist conduct'

A citation from the Baraboo Police Department shows that the father was charged with disorderly conduct and is required to make an August appearance in the Sauk County Circuit Court, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel , part of the USA TODAY Network. A judge has also ordered the man to have no contact with Briggs after a temporary restraining order was filed; a hearing is set for June 14.

It's not clear what motivated the incident, but it has prompted accusations of racism, as the father is white, and Briggs is Black.

State Rep. Francesca Hong, D-Madison, posted on X that "no one should have to endure  this type of gross & racist conduct."

In an interview with the Journal Sentinel, Hong, who does not represent the district but has met the superintendent, said she weighed in on the incident because it was "a very racist attack on a superintendent."

"Unless there was another deliberate reason to why he would do that, there was nobody else he pushed out of the way," Hong said.

There has been controversy in the school district in recent months. School board president  Kevin Vodak is facing a recall effort , with organizers saying he's misused taxpayer dollars by increasing salaries for Briggs and another district administrator.

Vodak was also onstage for Friday's graduation. The man who interrupted the ceremony did not prevent his daughter from shaking Vodak's hand.

Officials released a statement condemning the father's behavior

In a June 4 statement, the Baraboo Board of Education said it does not condone "engaging in threatening, intimidating, or physically harming behaviors against anyone in our school district community."

"We understand that there are many folks who care deeply about the education of students, and who come together with different understandings and ideas about how best to provide that education. We value the civil discourse that allows us to have conversations about those ideas; that's at the cornerstone of our democracy," the statement reads. "As we prepare our students to engage as citizens and community members, the adults in their lives should provide models of how to engage in productive civil dialogue."

The statement continued, addressing the father's behavior directly.

"That this adult felt emboldened to behave in this way in front of hundreds of students and other adults should deeply trouble us all; this type of behavior will not be tolerated."

Baraboo is a city of about 12,500 people near Wisconsin Dells, and the county seat of Sauk County.

In the restraining order against the man, Briggs wrote that the man told Briggs he was "not going to touch my (expletive) daughter."

The incident is under investigation

In a statement, the  School District of Baraboo  said there was an active investigation into the incident and couldn't comment on specific details.

In the statement, a district spokesperson confirmed that the man in the video was the father of a graduate; that he interrupted the ceremony by “charging the stage” and that a school resource officer, with two off-duty police officers, assisted in “managing the situation to ensure the safety of everyone present.”

The statement also said the man was escorted out of the venue.

“Our primary focus remains on celebrating the achievements of our graduates,” the statement said. “We want to ensure that the significance of this milestone and the hard work of our students are not overshadowed by this unfortunate event.”

Boonsboro High senior denied chance to walk on graduation stage due to makeup 'concerns'

graduation essay high school

A Boonsboro High School student was not allowed to participate at her graduation ceremony Tuesday night because of concerns surrounding her makeup, leaving the 18-year-old and her family "heartbroken" on the big day.

Nixx Cabrera-Guy is an aspiring piercer and tattoo artist and is the first person on her father's side of the family to receive her high school diploma. She said she was told by the Boonsboro High principal, Michael Kuhaneck, that she had to remove her makeup or she could not sit with her fellow students or walk on stage during the ceremony.

"He was like, 'You aren't allowed to walk, you aren't allowed to sit. It's either you take it off or you go,'" Cabrera-Guy recalls.

Cabrera-Guy and her family left the ceremony after she was told she could not participate.

Cabrera-Guy said she is a "very creative" person known in school for her expressive makeup looks. She said this look was much more toned down than some of her other looks she has worn to school events, where she paints intricate details on top of the white makeup base. At graduation, Cabrera-Guy put on only eyeliner and lipstick over the white base.

“It’s a part of my identity, it's part of like how the school knew me and how I knew myself and had never been an issue before,” Cabrera-Guy said. “I would rather walk the stage as someone who is genuinely me than someone who they are trying to hide.”

District says it did not have sufficient notice to study 'symbolism behind makeup'

Cabrera-Guy said she was told by Kuhaneck that her makeup needed “prior approval” for it to be worn at graduation. However, she said she wore similar makeup in school, including dances, spirit weeks and on typical school days.

Kuhaneck did not respond to a phone call before publication, but in a statement to The Herald-Mail, Washington County Public Schools and Boonsboro High said Cabrera-Guy was not allowed to participate in the graduation ceremony due to concerns surrounding the "symbolism of the makeup."

“The student was asked to remove the makeup because the school did not have sufficient notice to explore the symbolism behind the makeup,” read the statement. “There were concerns about cultural considerations and disruptions to the graduation celebration.”

Cabrera-Guy said she was not aware that she needed prior approval for the makeup. An email sent to Boonsboro High graduates stated students were required to wear an undecorated cap and gown over business casual attire, not jeans or sneakers, and shoes they could walk in.

The Washington County Public School dress code does not include any information or guidelines on makeup specifically, but states both permanent and temporary "body art" that breaks administrative regulations or disrupts the "educational setting" must be fully covered, even at district sponsored and school-sanctioned events. The student handbook does not mention approval of makeup or body art.

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'I will never get that moment back'

Cabrera-Guy said she and her family were “heartbroken” that she could not walk. Her dad and his family, who are from Guatemala, were especially devastated.

"[My dad] was really trying to see me walk the stage, as well as all of my family from Guatemala and all around the U.S.," Cabrera-Guy said. "And the school was aware of that too, but they still ripped that whole chance away from me."

Cabrera-Guy said she received good grades and was involved in the school culture, planning spirit weeks and helping out on different Boonsboro High committees.

“I will never get that moment back, which really sucked because the school knew how important this was to me and my family,” Cabrera-Guy said. “The career path I'm going down does not have another graduation ceremony, so I'm never going to get the chance to walk a stage again or celebrate my graduation with a class or my friends while my family watches.”

‘I Don’t Want Her Touching Him’: White Father Storms Stage During High School Graduation Ceremony to Block Daughter from Shaking Black Superintendent’s Hand, Shocking Video Shows

A Wisconsin man could face a disorderly conduct charge for rushing the stage during a high school graduation ceremony to stop his daughter from shaking the superintendent’s hand.

TV43 Baraboo streamed the ceremony at Baraboo High School on May 31. A viral clip of the incident that drew more than four million views on X showed a female graduate walking the stage.

The moment she starts shaking hands with school board members and administrators is when her father, a white man, storms the stage, grabs Superintendent Dr. Rainey Briggs, who is Black, and pushes him away.

White Father Storms Stage During High School Graduation

Viewers can hear Briggs protesting in the background.

“You better get him off me, man,” Briggs said. “Get away from me, bro.”

Meanwhile, district officials watched the encounter in confusion before two off-duty police officers and a school resource officer intervened. The man’s daughter looks visibly upset before leaving the stage.

“That’s my daughter,” the man is heard saying on the video. “I don’t want her touching him.”

Graduates and onlookers cheered as police led the man off the stage. Officers escorted the man out of the venue.

In a statement to Atlanta Black Star, the School District of Baraboo said there is an “active investigation into the matter” and that the district is “working very closely with law enforcement to ensure a thorough investigation.”

While the district didn’t name the individual who pushed Briggs, they did confirm he is a parent of a Baraboo High School graduate. Police referred the incident to the Sauk County District Attorney’s Office for criminal disorderly conduct.

“This joyful celebration of our students’ achievement was interrupted by an adult who became physically aggressive towards the Superintendent, Dr. Rainey Briggs,” district spokesperson Hailey Wagner said in an email statement.

“That this adult felt emboldened to behave in this way in front of hundreds of students and other adults should deeply trouble us all; this type of behavior will not be tolerated. The School District of Baraboo Board of Education condemns such actions and asks the community to take a stand and speak out against this type of behavior that threatens the fabric of our democracy,” the statement continues.

Many people condemned the man’s actions, expressing anger and disappointment at the discriminatory behavior on display.

“How utterly disgraceful,” one X user wrote .

“You can see the look of disappointment on her face. That and almost like not this again. Like this isn’t unexpected behavior from this man,” another person said.

When asked whether the district is investigating race as a factor in the incident, Wagner told Atlanta Black Star, “The investigation is ongoing.”

The Baraboo school district has come under fire in the past for incidents involving racial harassment and discrimination.

In 2018, a photo circulated across social media showing a large group of white male Baraboo high school students making a Nazi salute before their junior prom. According to The New York Times , then-superintendent Lori Mueller apologized and said the photo was “rightly described as hateful, frightening and disappointing,” but added that the district was “in no position to punish the students for their actions” due to their First Amendment rights.

In 2020, Dasia Banks, a Black student who attended Baraboo schools, filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the district, alleging a pattern of racial discrimination that the school officials ignored. The complaint detailed instances in which Banks was taunted and racially harassed by classmates and also sexually assaulted by a classmate. The district settled with Banks the next year and paid her and her attorneys $862,000.

Briggs was appointed the Baraboo superintendent in 2021. At the time, the district served more than 2,800 students, only 1.6 percent of whom were Black, while 80 percent were white.

An NCES report from 2024 revealed that 2,701 students are currently enrolled in Baraboo schools. Approximately 90 percent of them are white, 4 percent are Hispanic or Latino, and 1 percent are Black.

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A tornado warning ended the Moore High class of '74 graduation. 50 years later, they're finally walking

graduation essay high school

Fifty years after a tornado warning and encroaching wall cloud cut short their graduation ceremony, remaining members of the Moore High School Class of 1974 are finally turning their tassels. 

Roughly 200 senior Lions will gather Saturday at their alma mater to reclaim a rite of passage stolen decades ago by Oklahoma weather — walking across a stage to receive a diploma. 

The National Weather Service in Norman forecasts a high near 96 with nary a tornado in sight. The ceremony will take place at 5 p.m. in the auditorium. 

On May 23, 1974, a group of about 500 seniors donned blue graduation gowns and gathered inside the football stadium on a sunny spring evening. 

Maybe they laughed at the absurdity of Ray Stevens’ No. 1 hit song “The Streak.” Or quoted lines from the popular movie “Blazing Saddles.” Certainly, they didn’t know that Ken Jennings, the future star of “Jeopardy!” was busy being born that day in a Seattle suburb.

Meanwhile, a literal storm was brewing in Moore.  

As many graduates recall, immediately after class president Bob Baker gave the invocation, Principal George Hays interrupted the ceremony and urged everyone to leave. Moore was under a tornado warning. 

More: Sulphur, Chickasaw Nation are using a history of healing to help tornado-ravaged town

Hays told the crowd that because of a planned band trip the following day, there would no makeup ceremony. Graduates could come by later to pick up their diplomas at the school. 

“Our backs were to the south,” Sterling Crim, one of the 1974 graduates, told The Oklahoman. “Everyone in the stands started getting squirrelly. And the principal got on the microphone and basically said get out of here. And that was it.”

'My hot rod'

As a wall cloud moved over the stadium, Crim took shelter with his girlfriend, LeAnn Boyd, under the stands before they made it to safety inside the school.  

Meanwhile, classmate Rhonda Pendleton, now Burcham, headed for her royal blue 1968 Pontiac Firebird and drove away from the campus.

“I had my hot rod and I was trying to get home,” she said. 

It took her an hour. Traffic had snarled in the flooding caused by the storm. The deluge transformed her white dress and blue graduation gown. 

More: Is 2024 a record-setting tornado year for Oklahoma? Visual explainer of all-time records

“By the time I got home, (the gown) looked gray and my dress was blue,” she said. “I looked like a tie-dye. It was the '70s.”

Looking back, Burcham said, “it was a scary day” made relatively worse by the lack of cellphones and real-time weather alerts.

Over the decades that passed, Burcham never expected to have another opportunity to have a graduation ceremony. 

But that opportunity knocks Saturday evening at Moore High School. 

In addition to the alums expected to attend, loved ones of Lions lost have been invited to walk in their place. 

“All of us are excited about it,” Burcham said.

'Our grandchildren are gonna see us graduate'

The effort to revive a graduation ceremony started in the fall when Mike Wilson, a Moore High School’s sports announcer and a 1974 graduate, discussed the idea with school and district officials. 

“Moore Schools has just been phenomenal,” Wilson said. “One thing led to another and here we are.”

Moore High School Principal Rachel Stark, a 1988 graduate, said work has been done to make the ceremony as close to what the 1974 class anticipated 50 years ago. 

“It’s very unique,” Stark said. “I’ve never heard of it before. They’re still a part of our community ... so we’re gonna do it for them.”

Wilson said the idea for a new ceremony had been discussed by some of the graduates for years.

More: A tornado tore through a Barnsdall church May 6. But the altar — and a single lit candle — were untouched

“It just seemed like a firestorm that was burning,” Wilson said. “One of the unique factors of it is — our grandchildren are gonna see us graduate.”

Crim, a reunion organizer, said not having the traditional ceremony was something that bonded members of his graduating class. 

“It’s a great case of serendipity,” he said. “We always knew our dream was to have a graduation. Of course, it will be a light-hearted affair, but it will be a touching event.”

It will be especially touching for Crim. 

LeAnn, the girl he took shelter with during the tornado warning, later became his wife. They were married 47 years. 

Saturday, June 8, will mark three years since LeAnn died. 

Like many others, LeAnn always wished for her high school graduation ceremony to somehow happen. 

“It was just something that was very important to her, and we talked about it a lot,” Crim said. “She was passionate about this because she missed that graduation.”

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Scholarships and other monetary support are available to help with costs when you join Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC). Focus on your education and graduate into a secure path as an Army Officer—and with less debt for the school years your scholarship covers. You’re eligible if you are a high school student enrolling in college, enrolled in college, or an active-duty enlisted Soldier.

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Receive monthly help to offset living and book costs. All ROTC scholarships include an extra $420 each month throughout the school year for expenses like housing, along with $1,200 each year to spend on books.

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Start the application process.

To get started on your ROTC scholarship application, create an account and log in to the Scholarship Application. From there, you’ll locate and contact the Recruiting Operations Officer at the school you plan to attend. Most of them have served before and understand the process you’re going through.

Important dates to remember

ROTC scholarship applications opened on June 12, 2023. Applications must be started no later than March 4, 2024 to be eligible for review by the Army ROTC National Scholarship Board for the 2024 – 2025 school year.

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Your acceptance of the ROTC scholarship means a future service obligation of eight years in the Army, with requirements for active duty and/or the Army Reserve or Army National Guard depending on the scholarship. You may be eligible to serve part time in the Army Reserve or Army National Guard while pursuing a civilian career immediately after graduation.

Scholarship recipients who wish to exit the ROTC program may do so after their freshman year of college without any obligation. 

Here’s what to know when applying for an ROTC scholarship in college.

Types of scholarships available.

You’ll have access to four-year, three-year, or two-year scholarships if you decide to join Army ROTC as a college student. Four-year scholarships are most common for students who are on a five-year college plan, while two-year scholarships are more common for those who attend certain participating two-year community colleges before transferring to a four-year university.

To get started on your ROTC scholarship application, locate and contact the Recruiting Operations Officer at your school to discuss how to apply. Most of them have served before and understand the process you’re going through. Their years of experience will help the process.

Scholarship recipients who wish to exit the ROTC program may do so after their freshman year of college without any obligation.

Requirements to be eligible for an ROTC scholarship.

To be accepted for any ROTC scholarship, you must meet these standards.

Be a U.S. citizen.

Be at least 17 and under 31 in year of commissioning.

Have a high school diploma or equivalent.

Have an unweighted high school GPA of at least 2.50 if you’re in high school while applying.

Have taken the SAT or ACT.

Take the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) .

Meet the physical weight and height requirements .

Agree to accept a commission and serve in the Army , Army Reserve , or Army National Guard .

Career-building scholarship programs

Nursing scholarships.

Nursing students can apply for any Army ROTC scholarship by following the directions above. Being a nurse in the Army provides you with opportunities not found in the civilian world, including a three-week paid Nurse Summer Training Program, which introduces students to the Army Medical Department and the roles and responsibilities of an Army Nurse Corps Officer .

Enlisted Soldier Scholarships

As an enlisted Soldier, you have access to the Green to Gold program and scholarship opportunities to cover costs for tuition or room and board, while you earn your undergraduate or graduate degree.

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Father of Baraboo, Wisconsin, high school graduate seen pushing superintendent during ceremony

A video from Baraboo High School's graduation last week showing a man pushing the school district superintendent away before he can shake hands with his daughter has sparked intense commentary, with some describing it as racist.

A citation from the Baraboo Police Department shows that the father was charged with disorderly conduct and is required to make an August appearance in the Sauk County Circuit Court. A judge has also ordered the man to have no contact with Superintendent Rainey Briggs after a temporary restraining order was filed; a hearing is set for June 14.

The Journal Sentinel is not naming the man to avoid identifying his daughter.

It's not clear what motivated the incident, but it has prompted accusations of racism, as the father is white, and Briggs is Black.

State Rep. Francesca Hong, D-Madison, posted on X that "no one should have to endure this type of gross & racist conduct."

In an interview with the Journal Sentinel, Hong, who does not represent the district but has met the superintendent, said she weighed in on the incident because it was "a very racist attack on a superintendent."

"Unless there was another deliberate reason to why he would do that, there was nobody else he pushed out of the way," Hong said.

Hong said the incident speaks to how "prevalent and problematic" racism is in Wisconsin.

There has been controversy in the school district in recent months. School board president Kevin Vodak is facing a recall effort , with organizers saying he's misused taxpayer dollars by increasing salaries for Briggs and another district administrator.

Vodak was also onstage for Friday's graduation. The man who interrupted the ceremony did not prevent his daughter from shaking Vodak's hand.

In a June 4 statement, the Baraboo Board of Education said it does not condone "engaging in threatening, intimidating, or physically harming behaviors against anyone in our school district community."

"We understand that there are many folks who care deeply about the education of students, and who come together with different understandings and ideas about how best to provide that education. We value the civil discourse that allows us to have conversations about those ideas; that's at the cornerstone of our democracy," the statement reads. "As we prepare our students to engage as citizens and community members, the adults in their lives should provide models of how to engage in productive civil dialogue."

The statement continued, addressing the father's behavior directly.

"That this adult felt emboldened to behave in this way in front of hundreds of students and other adults should deeply trouble us all; this type of behavior will not be tolerated."

Baraboo is a city of about 12,500 people near Wisconsin Dells, and the county seat of Sauk County.

More: Baraboo schools chief apologizes for Nazi salute photo, calling it 'hateful, frightening'

More: Lawsuit by former student alleges racist culture at Baraboo School District

Video shows man moving school official away

A recording of the May 31 graduation ceremony from MAX TV, a local television station, shows the event.

In the video, a high school graduate is seen smiling as she receives her diploma and shakes the hands of Vodak and other school officials. As she approaches the end of the line, a man, who the district identified as the graduate's father, is seen pushing Briggs out of the line.

In the restraining order against the man, Briggs wrote that the man told Briggs he was "not going to touch my (expletive) daughter."

The graduate is seen pausing with a confused look for several moments before she moves her tassel to the other side of her graduation cap and leaves the stage. Other officials watch as others walk onstage and appear to begin to assist in managing the incident.

In a statement, the School District of Baraboo said there was an active investigation into the incident and couldn't comment on specific details.

In the statement, a district spokesperson confirmed that the man in the video was the father of a graduate; that he interrupted the ceremony by “charging the stage”; and that a school resource officer, with two off-duty police officers, assisted in “managing the situation to ensure the safety of everyone present.”

The statement also said the man was escorted out of the venue.

“Our primary focus remains on celebrating the achievements of our graduates,” the statement said. “We want to ensure that the significance of this milestone and the hard work of our students are not overshadowed by this unfortunate event.”

The school district spokesperson did not respond to a Journal Sentinel request for an interview with the superintendent. Attempts to reach the school board president were unsuccessful.

COMMENTS

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