Dear Your Excellency Ambassador Tracey Jacobson, Chargé d’Affaires of the U.S. Embassy, Addis Ababa Dear Dr Wondwosen Tamrat, President and Founder of St. Mary’s University Dear Mrs Ruth Anne Stevens-Klitz, Counselor for Public Affairs, US Embassy, Addis Ababa Dear Mrs Ruth Anne, Gena Rhoades, Regional English Language Officer, US Embassy, Addis Ababa Dear Woreda 10 EducaƟon bureau representaƟve Dear Graduates, family members, and teachers Ladies and gentlemen It is an honor to be part of this celebraƟon. Graduates of the class of 2022, CONGRATULATIONS!!! Before I present my remarks I would like to take this opportunity to thank God at first. Next, I would like to thank our teachers Dr. Misganaw, Mr. Tekalign, Mr. Leuel, Mr. Yitayal and Mr. Fanta for their dedicaƟon to empower us with the best of their English language knowledge. Their Ɵreless work has paved the way for each student to know the English language, which is serving as a global tongue worldwide. To family and friends, I personally want to thank you because you made this day possible. Your support, encouragement, sacrifice, and love helped me a lot to be here now. My thanks are also due to the ladies who have been providing snacks and refreshed our mind to the next classes. I would like to express my graƟtude to them as well. SMU’s Access Program, sponsored by the American Embassy, is the best program I have ever been part of. This program is an opportunity which drives my life ahead to the peak of success. There is a saying, “If opportunity does not knock, build a door.” Victory comes from finding opportuniƟes in problems. Pessimists see the difficulty in every opportunity: but an opƟmist sees the opportunity in every difficulty. As a member of SMU Access Program, I would not exaggerate if I say that this program is an opportunity that brings another opportunity. This program helped me to become a member of another program called Brighter GeneraƟon. The English language skills I developed through SMU Access Program helped me become the member of Brighter GeneraƟon Program. Flora Lewis says, “Learning another language is not only learning different words for the same things, but learning another way to think about things.” Finally, I would like to say this: life may give each of us different circumstances or situaƟons, but what truly makes us all the same is that we are all monarchy for life, master of our fate, captains of our souls. All of us have our own desƟnies to write and share our stories. How we choose to use our mind, our hands, and our hearts, how to get where we want to be, to become the person we want and the like are all up to us. You become what you desire to be so. We are the results of our thinking. Thank you Dagmawi Meki
I want to say that I am very glad to stand here and make this speech today in front of you all. Though I am sad, because the program comes to an end, I can say this is the greatest day of my life. Today, all of us can see the fruit of the program and the changes we made throughout this two years. I am not going to say too much. I just want to share with you what my stay in Access looked like. It was a sudden encounter in my life. I heard about the program only when one week was leŌ to take the wriƩen entrance exam. By the will of God, I made it. The first day I came here was with my mom and I was so happy and was looking forward to it especially aŌer the interview I had with Mr Tekalign who made me feel warm and friendly. AŌer I joined the program what I got was beyond my expectaƟon and it has proven to me that every word we were told at orientaƟon session was true. At first, I was afraid to talk with fellow students who I was not familiar with. Now they are my best who share my burden and joy. At the beginning I was worried how I could manage to board a taxi to come here and return home. But aŌer some Ɵme, the feeling of being responsible for my own acƟon and being a grown girl was so incredibly fast and solid. As I began classes, I thought that waking up on Sunday morning would be Ɵresome but aŌer starƟng taking the lessons, I was so happy to wake up every Sunday morning earlier than the other weekdays to discover something new. I enjoyed even to queue for bus to come here. UnƟl the day our teacher asked us to reflect on our first visit, I was so confident about making public speech but that day when I stood in front of Access students, I was shaking and all my words were stuck to my throat. But aŌer having so many opportuniƟes to speak up, I could see my improvement and you all can now witness that. All in all, my stay in Access Microscholarship Program wasn’t only about learning English language skills but also grabbing some valuable life skills. Each and every acƟvity in Access has its own purpose. AŌer every tour, there were reflecƟons. In my stay, I learned how to communicate and collaborate with others. I also learned how to be confident to speak up my feelings, how to be creaƟve and how to shoulder responsibiliƟes. As you see me here, I can now share my feelings with my peers and express my thoughts freely. I apologize for making my speech long. I hope I haven’t boarded. However, you understand that it isn’t easy to put this long journey in a few sentences. In any case, let me end my speech by expressing my graƟtude to: all of you for giving me your aƩenƟon, my teachers for assisƟng me and making me feel free to make mistakes and correct me when the need arose, Access students for making me feel like home, and American Embassy for giving us this golden opportunity. I thank you. Kalkidan W/yesus
Access is where we achieved confidence through a carefree but earnest style of schooling. Access is the place where we learned to use our voice regardless of who is listening. We realized the power there is when we reveal our opinion that we consider frivolous. We got the courage to say no to something that is below or moral standard and dared to reject the proposal of what glitters but which isn’t actually a gold. We started to block every negativities in our lives that is likely to hinder our growth and discourage us. We witnessed firsthand that cooperation and teamwork can reduce the load of responsibility a single individual bears. We saw the extent of what we can do and the maximum effectiveness we can attain when we are a united front. Collaboration enabled us to see the unique quality of our members and initiated us to find a way of enhancing their specialty for a better outcome. Access is beyond what is written here but due to time constraint ,I’m afraid I shall stop here. Thank you Kearyam KefleEyesus
The place that introduced me to the BEST people I've ever met in my life - to the one who is genius and relates everything with his studies, to the one who thinks everything can be solved by money and not anything else, to the one who is perfect in English and even called 'THE AMERICAN GIRL', to the ones who are always on their mobile phones, to the ones who count themselves as grown up women and not as teenagers like us, over all to the best, smartest and the most punctual and 'Ɵme sensiƟve ' teachers. That place is ACCESS - English Access Microscholarship Program - at St Mary's University. The place which will never let us forget what we've been through. The unforgeƩable travels and pictures we'd taken. I guess none of the students regret the Ɵme we spent here at St. Mary’s as Access students. Generally, this place really changed ME, MY MIND AND MY PERCEPTION about the community I live in. And not even one of my classmates denies that it has increased the confidence of each and every one who took part in this program. Besides, I don’t want to conclude my opinion without menƟoning the role of the Access Program in avoiding mine and many of my friends’ stage fright. Everything we have been through in our Access program leaves everybody speechless. The only thing I can say is keep it up and THANK YOU SO MUCH. Hanna Masresha