Jefferson said her speech, "The Awaiting Deep," is intended to give some sense of her seven years at Harvard, both as a student at the College and the Law School.
"I'll talk about the fear and challenge of Harvard, the place I've After submitting her speech to the committee "on a whim," Jefferson said she is thrilled to have the chance to present it on commencement day but that the composition was a largely personal work. "I really just wanted to write something honest," Jefferson said. "I was writing for myself, to convince myself that I could make it outside of Harvard." Other graduate speeches included a tribute to the Marshall Plan and a speech by two brothers delivered in tandem. Senior speeches varied from personal narratives to a look at Dante's portrayal of Ulysses, but Marius said Chaponda's speech stood out for its emphasis on commitment after graduation. Chaponda said his speech, "The Price of Greatness," is meant to motivate students to take action, even in little ways, to effect change after they graduate. "The underlying theme [of the speech] is that Harvard has generated great leaders in the past, but that comes at a price," Chaponda said. Chaponda, who is originally from Malawi, Africa, said his work with the Harvard Foundation and the African Student's Association helped him recognize the need for students to contribute to communities outside of Harvard after they graduate. "Many people in our class are destined for power positions in major industries but what type of responsibility comes with that?" While addressing a crowd of several thousand may seem daunting, Chaponda said he feels prepared. "Of course one cannot help being overwhelmed by the crowd," he said. "But I really love public speaking, and I'm happiest when in front of a large audience."