Good evening, my name is Levi Brake, and I’d like to take a moment to express my gratitude to those on stage with me and those in this institution who shepherded me along the way. I’ve been blessed by the grace and support of others around me who took the fumbling, lost college freshman that showed up late to his first class (and many to follow) and somehow transformed him into a graduate of one of the best known universities in the world. It’s truly humbling to, once again, be in this room, this time as an alumni, to congratulate and speak to the latest generation in a long line of Buckeyes. So, without further ado… O-H!
Before I launch into my self-centered monologue, it’s vital that you’re commended for making it to this room today. Without a doubt, the class of ‘22 will be known as one of the most impressive classes in this institution’s history. Later, I’ll discuss challenges I faced and how they were mitigated by the support of our regional campus; however, the hurdles placed in front of you as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic have been far greater than the challenges that I, or any generation in recent memory, had to face.
The resiliency you must have had to make it to this room today cannot be overstated. Truly, congratulations, it is an honor to count you among our fellow alumni.
I graduated from The Ohio State University at Lima in 2018 with a degree in middle childhood education. Currently, I teach right down the road at Liberty Arts Magnet, which for those of you who don't know, is part of the Lima City school district.
Now, like any teacher, professor, or lecturer, I could talk about myself all day up here, but I’m going to try to limit my autobiography to what I’ve deemed as contextually significant to understanding who I am (or was) and why I am here today.
Like most people who consider themselves to be succeeding, I have failed far more times than I have experienced success. My journey to, and through, higher education has been a testament to that. I would argue, and I’m certain I could cite some of the professors with us today, that I am fortunate to have graduated at all. I often joke that I was one of the worst students to grace these halls. I had an abysmal attendance record. I recall sitting with my supervisor on campus and discussing the fact that I had missed or been extremely tardy to nearly 20% of my classes. I had just as many late submissions as I did on time.
But, after two semesters I moved to Columbus, isolated myself, lost control of my mental health, and learned that you can’t pass Calc II if you only go to seven classes. So, I did the only reasonable thing I could think of–I dropped out of college.
For the next seven months I operated a 150-ton, industrial punch press on third shift. It’s likely that I would still be there today if my parents hadn’t bribed me with a ‘93 Buick to return to Ohio State Lima.
I returned, grudgingly, and quickly fell back into old habits. I was the same immature, unorganized mess I had been before, a real thorn in the side of my professors, but I managed to do enough to skirt by.
Then, less than a year after returning to school, my dad was killed by a distracted driver. He was the center of my universe, the reason I went to college in the first place, and he was the reason I went back. Losing him was like losing gravity. So, I began to drift away, in a far worse condition than when I was lost in Columbus.
Had I still been at the Columbus campus, my academic life would have come full circle. I have no doubt that I would have failed my classes and dropped out again.
However, our campus’ culture is different here. The immediate outpouring of compassion and support I received from both my peers and staff members was immense. Whether it was attending my father’s viewing, generously extending assignments, or directing me to our free on-campus counseling Ohio State Lima was there for me. The community was there for me. And now, I’m here, today, for that same community.
I am here because I believe in this community, in Ohio State Lima, in our nationally renowned professors and programs. I believe in our advisors, our tutors, our staff, our human resources. I believe in our arts, in our contributions to the community, and I believe in our fantastic network of professionals and alumni. But most of all, I believe in you. I believe in each and every one of you here today, whether you graduated in three years or six, like myself.
There’s a multitude of reasons why I feel this way; however, I would like to focus on three I believe to be most prevalent: the quality of your education, the strength of our community, and your resilience formed in the crucible of adversity.
First of all, over the course of your tenure at Ohio State Lima you had the opportunity to study under a series of highly qualified, well-published, and locally-connected scholars, with a far greater degree of access than other institutions of higher education offer. If you needed help, you didn’t need to take a bus or walk half an hour across campus, you just had to hop in an elevator (and pray you didn’t get stuck in it).
Truly, if one of you had wanted to, you could have spent as much time in office hours (be that in person or virtually) as you did in your actual classes with your professors. When I had the wisdom to be in class or in my professors’ office, they were constantly equipping me with tools that, even if I may not have realized it at the time, have been vital to my success when working within our community.
Second, in a world that has routinely increased its emphasis on global connectivity while chipping away at interpersonal relationships and our sense of local community, you’ve been educated in an environment that emphasizes and emulates the importance of both.
You, of course, have the typical global perspective and opportunities that come from being part of The Ohio State University. You have this broader sense of connection with a community that stretches across our country and the globe as a whole. If you haven’t experienced it yourself because of the difficulties of traveling these last few years, they’re not joking when they say you can shout O-H in most countries and at the very least have someone recognize the call, if not return IO.
It’s not my wish to diminish the value of global connections and the resources or opportunities that arise from them; however, your experience isn’t limited to that. You have a much stronger sense of community than individuals educated on a traditional campus. In your time here, you’ve likely formed close ties, both personally and professionally that will continue to impact and benefit you for years to come. That’s not a minor sentiment. In today’s society I believe that we struggle connecting with people, and I don’t mean just your friends, family, or partners (though that’s often the case). We struggle to form ties with neighbors, coworkers, allies and adversaries alike.
Again though, your experiences here, working cooperatively with those around you towards common goals and visions, have you far more equipped than your distant peers to face this challenge.
Finally, our pièce de résistance (don’t judge me, I took Spanish, not French). I’ve touched on it a couple times already, but the fact that you are here today speaks volumes of your character. You were faced with circumstances and challenges that were entirely unheard of up until now. From every direction, you were faced with uncertainty. We were uncertain about the impacts of this new virus, we were uncertain what our classrooms would look like for months or years to come, and we were uncertain how or if we could adapt to these new conditions.
In the midst of all this uncertainty, what did you do? What did Ohio State Lima do? Did you panic and throw in the towel? Did you abandon your education because the turbulence was too much to handle? That would have been an easier path, certainly. I don’t judge anyone who made that decision, these have been unprecedented times.
But you didn’t. You and your campus adapted, transitioning to accommodate the needs and health of the community around you.
You became tech experts, collaborating and learning over zoom and other resources. You continued to engage with your community through whatever medium was made available to you. You had virtual 5Ks, “take and make” kits, and I even had the pleasure to watch a virtual magic show that still has me confused to this day.
You adapted and evolved, and now, you’re off to join a world that has had to do the same. The difference is that you’ve had this time to train and prepare for it. You are far better equipped for success than your predecessors, and I hope you take that to heart moving forward.
Before I go, I’d like to leave you with a final piece of advice: a wise man once said, “be proud of both your abilities and the abilities of those around you, be confident, but not conceited, and be optimistic as you enter a world that’s potential is matched only by your own.”
Thank you for your time and attention. Good luck.