米歇尔北大演讲中英文

米歇尔北大演讲中英文

米歇尔北大演讲中英文 篇1

But let’s be clear, studying abroad is about so much more than improving your own future.It’s also about shaping the future of your countries and of the world we all share.Because when it comes to the defining challenges of our time-– whether it’s climate change or economic opportunity or the spread of nuclear weapons--these are shared challenges.And no one country can confront them alone.The only way forward is together.That’s why it is so important for young people like you to live and study in each other’s countries, because that’s how you develop that habit of cooperation.You do it by immersing yourself in one another’s culture, by learning each other’s stories, by getting past the stereotypes and misconceptions that too often divide us.That’s how you come to understand how much we all share.That’s how you realize that we all have a stake in each other’s success--that cures discovered here in Beijing could save lives in America, that clean energy technologies from Silicon Valley in California could improve the environment here in China, that the architecture of an ancient temple in Xi’an could inspire the design of new buildings in Dallas or Detroit.And that’s when the connections you make as classmates or labmates can blossom into something more.That’s what happened when Abigail Coplin became an American Fulbright Scholar here at Peking University.She and her colleagues published papers together in top science journals, and they built research partnerships that lasted long after they returned to their home countries.And Professor Niu Ke from Peking University was a Fulbright Scholarship--Scholar in the U.S.last year, and he reported--and this is a quote from him--he said, “The most memorable experiences were with my American friends.”

These lasting bonds represent the true value of studying abroad.And I am thrilled that more and more students are getting this opportunity.As you’ve heard, China is currently the fifth most popular destination for Americans studying abroad, and today, the highest number of exchange students in the U.S.are from China.But still, too many students never have this chance, and some that do are hesitant to take it.They may feel like studying abroad is only for wealthy students or students from certain kinds of universities.Or they may think to themselves, well, that sounds fun but how will it be useful in my life? And believe me, I understand where these young people are coming from because I felt the same way back when I was in college.See, I came from a working-class family, and it never occurred to me to study abroad--never.My parents didn’t get a chance to attend college, so I was focused on getting into a university, earning my degree so that I could get a good job to support myself and help my family.And I know for a lot of young people like me who are struggling to afford a regular semester of school, paying for plane tickets or living expenses halfway around the world just isn’t possible.And that’s not acceptable, because study abroad shouldn’t just be for students from certain backgrounds.Our hope is to build connections between people of all races and socioeconomic backgrounds, because it is that diversity that truly will change the face of our relationships.So we believe that diversity makes our country vibrant and strong.And our study abroad programs should reflect the true spirit of America to the world.And that’s why when my husband visited China back in 2009, he announced the 100,000 Strong initiative to increase the number and diversity of American students studying in China.And this year, as we mark the 35th anniversary of the normalization of relationships between our two countries, the U.S.government actually supports more American students in China than in any other country in the world.We are sending high school, college and graduate students here to study Chinese.We’re inviting teachers from China to teach Mandarin in American schools.We’re providing free online advising for students in China who want to study in the U.S.And the U.S.-China Fulbright program is still going strong with more than 3,000 alumni.And the private sector is stepping up as well.For example, Steve Schwarzman, who is the head of an American company called Blackstone, is funding a new program at Tsinghua University modeled on the Rhodes Scholarship.And today, students from all kinds of backgrounds are studying here in China.Take the example of Royale Nicholson, who’s from Cleveland, Ohio.She attends New York University’s program in Shanghai.Now, like me, Royale is a first-generation college student.And her mother worked two full-time jobs while her father worked nights to support their family.And of her experience in Shanghai, Royale said--and this is her quote--she said, “This city oozes persistence and inspires me to accomplish all that I can.” And happy birthday, Royale.It was her birthday yesterday.(Laughter.)

And then there’s Philmon Haile from the University of Washington, whose family came to the U.S.as refugees from Eritrea when he was a child.And of his experience studying in China, he said, “Study abroad is a powerful vehicle for people-to-people exchange as we move into a new era of citizen diplomacy.”

米歇尔北大演讲全英 篇2

MRS.OBAMA:(Applause.)Thank you.Well, ni-hao.(Laughter.)It is such a pleasure and an _____________ to be here with all of you at this great university, so thank you so much for having me.Now, before I get started today, on behalf of myself and my husband, I just want to say a few very __________ words about Malaysia Airlines Flight 370.As my husband has said, the United States is offering as many _______ as possible to assist in the search.And please know that we are keeping all of the families and loved ones of those on this _______ in our thoughts and prayers at this very difficult time.Now with that, I want to start by _________ our new Ambassador to China, Ambassador Baucus.President Wang;Chairman Zhu;Vice President Li;Director Cueller;Professor Oi, and the Stanford Center;President Sexton from New York University, which is an excellent study ___________ program in Shanghai;and John Thornton, Director of the Global Leadership Program at Tsinghua University.Thank you all for joining us.But most of all, I want to thank all of the students who are here today.And I _______________want to thank Eric Schaefer and Zhu Xuanhao for that extraordinary English and Chinese introduction.That was a powerful _____________ of everything that I want to talk with you about today.See, by learning each other’s languages, and by showing such curiosity and _______________ for each other’s cultures, Mr.Schafer and Ms.Zhu and all of you are building bridges of understanding that will lead to so much more.And I’m here today because I know that our future ____________ ____________ connections like these among young people like you across the globe.That’s why when my husband and I travel abroad, we don’t just visit palaces and parliaments and meet with heads of state.We also come to schools like this one to meet with students like you, because we believe that relationships between nations aren’t just about relationships between governments or leaders--they’re about relationships between people, particularly young people.So we view study abroad programs not just as an educational ____________ for students, but also as a vital part of America’s foreign policy.Through the wonders of modern technology, our world is more ____________ than ever before.Ideas can cross oceans with the ___________ of a button.Companies can do business1

and ______________ _____________ companies across the globe.And we can text, email, Skype with people on every continent.So studying abroad isn’t just a fun way to spend a semester;it is quickly becoming the key to success in our global ______________.Because getting ahead in today’s workplaces isn’t just about getting good grades or test scores in school, which are important.It’s also about having real experience with the world beyond your borders –-experience with languages, cultures and societies very different from your own.Or, _________ __________ Chinese _______ _______: “It is better to travel ten thousand miles than to read ten thousand books.”

But let’s be clear, studying _________ is about so much more than improving your own future.It’s also about shaping the future of your countries and of the world we all share.Because _________ __________ ___________ _________ the defining challenges of our time-– whether it’s climate change or economic opportunity or the spread of nuclear weapons--these are shared challenges.And no one country can confront them alone.The only way forward is together.That’s why it is so important for young people like you to live and study in each other’s countries, because that’s how you develop that______________ of cooperation.You do it by immersing yourself in one another’s culture, by learning each other’s stories, by getting past the stereotypes and misconceptions that too often ______________ us.That’s how you come to understand how much we all share.That’s how you___________ that we all have a stake in each other’s success--that cures discovered here in Beijing could save lives in America, that clean energy technologies from Silicon Valley in California could improve the environment here in China, that the _______________ of an ancient temple in Xi’an could inspire the design of new buildings in Dallas or Detroit.And that’s when the connections you make as classmates or labmates can blossom into something more.That’s what happened when Abigail Coplin became an American Fulbright Scholar here at Peking University.She and her colleagues published papers together in top science journals, and they built research partnerships that lasted long after they returned to their home countries.And Professor Niu Ke from Peking University was a Fulbright

Scholarship--Scholar in the U.S.last year, and he reported--and this is a quote from him--he said, “The most memorable experiences were with my American friends.”

These lasting bonds _____________ the true value of studying abroad.And I am thrilled that more and more students are getting this opportunity.As you’ve heard, China is currently the fifth most popular destination for Americans studying abroad, and today, the highest number of _______________ students in the U.S.are from China.But still, too many students never have this chance, and some that do are hesitant to take it.They may feel like studying abroad is only for _______________ students or students from certain kinds of universities.Or they may think to themselves, well, that sounds fun but how will it be useful in my life? And believe me, I understand where these young people are coming from because I felt the same way back when I was in college.See, I came from a working-class family, and it never ______________ _________ me to study abroad--never.My parents didn’t get a chance to _____________ college, so I was focused on getting into a university, earning my degree so that I could get a good job to support myself and help my family.And I know for a lot of young people like me who are struggling to ______________ a regular semester of school, paying for plane tickets or living ______________ halfway around the world just isn’t possible.And that’s not ______________, because study abroad shouldn’t just be for students from certain backgrounds.Our hope is to build connections between people of all races and socioeconomic

backgrounds, because it is that diversity that truly will change the face of our relationships.So we believe that diversity makes our country vibrant and strong.And our study abroad programs should _____________ the true spirit of America to the world.And that’s why when my husband visited China back in 2009, he ____________ the

100,000 Strong initiative to increase the number and diversity of American students studying in China.And this year, as we ______________ the 35th anniversary of the normalization of relationships between our two countries, the U.S.government ______________supports more American students in China than in any other country in the world.We are sending high school, college and graduate students here to study Chinese.We’re inviting teachers from China to teach Mandarin in American schools.We’re _____________ free online advising for students in China who want to study in the U.S.And the U.S.-China Fulbright program is still going strong with more than 3,000 alumni.And the private sector is stepping up___________ ____________.For example, Steve Schwarzman, who is the head of an American company called Blackstone, is funding a new

program at Tsinghua University modeled on the Rhodes Scholarship.And today, students from all kinds of backgrounds are studying here in China._________ ___________ ___________ of Royale Nicholson, who’s from Cleveland, Ohio.She attends New York University’s program in Shanghai.Now, like me, Royale is a

first-generation college student.And her mother worked two full-time jobs while her father worked nights to support their family.And of her experience in Shanghai, Royale said--and this is her quote--she said, “This city oozes persistence and inspires me to accomplish all that I can.” And happy birthday, Royale.It was her birthday yesterday.(Laughter.)

And then there’s Philmon Haile from the University of Washington, whose family came to the U.S.as refugees from Eritrea when he was a child.And of his experience studying in

China, he said, “Study abroad is a _______________ vehicle for people-to-people exchange as we move into a new era of citizen diplomacy.”

“A new era of citizen diplomacy.” I could not have said it better myself, because that’s really what I’m talking about.I am talking about ____________citizens reaching out to the world.And as I always tell young people back in America, you don’t need to get on a plane to be a citizen diplomat.I tell them that if you have an Internet connection in your home, school, or library, within seconds you can be transported anywhere in the world and meet people on every continent.And that’s why I’m posting a daily travel blog with videos and photos of my experiences here in China, because I want young people in America to be part of this visit.And that’s really the power of ____________ –-how it can open up the entire world and expose us to ideas and innovations we never could have imagined.And that’s why it’s so important for _____________ and ideas to flow freely over the Internet and through the media, because that’s how we discover the truth.That’s how we learn what’s really happening in our communities and our country and our world.And that’s how we decide which values and ideas we think are best –-by questioning and debating them vigorously, by listening to all sides of an argument, and by judging for ourselves.And believe me, I know how this can be a messy and frustrating process.My husband and I are on the receiving end of plenty of questioning and criticism from our media and our fellow citizens.And it’s not always easy, but we wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.Because time and again, we have seen that countries are stronger and more prosperous when the voices of and opinions of all their citizens can be heard.And as my husband has said, we respect the uniqueness of other cultures and societies, but when it comes to _______________ yourself freely and worshipping as you choose and having open _____________ to information, we believe those universal rights--they are universal rights that are the birthright of every person on this planet.We believe that all people deserve the opportunity to fulfill their highest potential as I was able to do in the United States.And as you learn about new cultures and form new friendships during your time here in China and in the United States, all of you are the living, breathing embodiment of those values.So I guarantee you that in studying abroad, you’re not just changing your own life, you are changing the lives of everyone you meet.And as the great American President John F.Kennedy once said about foreign students studying in the U.S., he said “I think they teach more than they learn.” And that is just as true of young Americans who study abroad.All of you are America’s best face, and China’s best face, to the world--you truly are.Every day, you show the world your countries’ ______________ and creativity and

optimism and unwavering belief in the future.And every day, you ___________ us--and me in particular--of just how much we can ___________ if we reach across borders, and learn to see ourselves in each other, and confront our shared challenges with shared resolve.So I hope you all will keep seeking these kinds of experiences.And I hope you’ll keep teaching each other, and learning from each other, and building bonds of friendship that will __________ your lives and enrich our world for decades to come.You all have so much to ___________, and I cannot wait to see all that you achieve

米歇尔演讲 篇3

MRS.OBAMA:(Applause.)Thank you.Well, ni-hao.(Laughter.)It is such a pleasure and an honor to be here with all of you at this great university, so thank you so much for having me.Now, before I get started today, on behalf of myself and my husband, I just want to say a few very brief words about Malaysia Airlines Flight 370.As my husband has said, the United States is offering as many resources as possible to assist in the search.And please know that we are keeping all of the families and loved ones of those on this flight in our thoughts and prayers at this very difficult time.Now with that, I want to start by recognizing our new Ambassador to China, Ambassador Baucus.President Wang;Chairman Zhu;Vice President Li;Director Cueller;Professor Oi, and the Stanford Center;President Sexton from New York University, which is an excellent study abroad program in Shanghai;and John Thornton, Director of the Global Leadership Program at Tsinghua University.Thank you all for joining us.But most of all, I want to thank all of the students who are here today.And I particularly want to thank Eric Schaefer and Zhu Xuanhao for that extraordinary English and Chinese introduction.That was a powerful symbol of everything that I want to talk with you about today.See, by learning each other’s languages, and by showing such curiosity and respect for each other’s cultures, Mr.Schafer and Ms.Zhu and all of you are building bridges of understanding that will lead to so much more.And I’m here today because I know that our future depends on connections like these among young people like you across the globe.That’s why when my husband and I travel abroad, we don’t just visit palaces and parliaments and meet with heads of state.We also come to schools like this one to meet with students like you, because we believe that relationships between nations aren’t just about relationships between governments or

第1页 leaders--they’re about relationships between people, particularly young people.So we view study abroad programs not just as an educational opportunity for students, but also as a vital part of America’s foreign policy.Through the wonders of modern technology, our world is more connected than ever before.Ideas can cross oceans with the click of a button.Companies can do business and compete with companies across the globe.And we can text, email, Skype with people on every continent.So studying abroad isn’t just a fun way to spend a semester;it is quickly becoming the key to success in our global economy.Because getting ahead in today’s workplaces isn’t just about getting good grades or test scores in school, which are important.It’s also about having real experience with the world beyond your borders –-experience with languages, cultures and societies very different from your own.Or, as the Chinese saying goes: ―It is better to travel ten thousand miles than to read ten thousand books.‖

But let’s be clear, studying abroad is about so much more than improving your own future.It’s also about shaping the future of your countries and of the world we all share.Because when it comes to the defining challenges of our time-– whether it’s climate change or economic opportunity or the spread of nuclear weapons--these are shared challenges.And no one country can confront them alone.The only way forward is together.That’s why it is so important for young people like you to live and study in each other’s countries, because that’s how you develop that habit of cooperation.You do it by immersing yourself in one another’s culture, by learning each other’s stories, by getting past the stereotypes and misconceptions that too often divide us.That’s how you come to understand how much we all share.That’s how you realize that we all have a stake in each other’s success--that cures discovered here in Beijing could save lives in America, that clean energy technologies from Silicon Valley in California could improve the environment

第2页 here in China, that the architecture of an ancient temple in Xi’an could inspire the design of new buildings in Dallas or Detroit.谢谢。你好。很高兴也很荣幸来到这里，在这所伟大的大学和你们共聚一堂。非常感谢你们邀请我。

在我今天开始之前，代表我自己和我的丈夫，我想就马来西亚航空公司的MH370航班简短说两句。如我丈夫所说，美国正提供尽可能多的资源协助搜寻工作。请相信，在这个非常艰难的时刻，我们的心和航班上人员的家属和亲人在一起，我们为他们祈祷。

现在，我们首先来认识一下美国新任驻华大使——博卡斯大使。王校长、朱主席、李副校长、Cuelluer主任、Jean Oi教授和斯坦福中心，纽约大学的塞克顿斯校长(该校在上海开设了一个优秀的海外留学项目)，以及清华大学全球领袖项目主任约翰·桑顿，由衷地感谢大家的到来。

最重要的是，我要感谢今天所有到场的学生们......我要特别感谢埃里克·谢弗和朱宣皓的精彩英文和中文介绍。这绝佳地诠释了我今天要和大家聊的全部话题。

你们看，通过学习彼此的语言，通过展现对彼此文化的好奇心和尊重，谢弗先生、朱女士以及你们大家正在搭建理解的桥梁，这些桥梁带来更多的丰硕成果。我今天来到你们这里是因为我知道，我们的未来取决于全球像你们这样年轻人间的这样的联系。

这也是为什么我们夫妇在国外访问时，不只参观宫殿、议会和会晤国家元首。我们也来到学校，与像你们一样的学生见面。因为我们相信，国与国之间的关系不只是政府或领导人之间的关系，它们是人民间―特别是年轻人之间的关系。因此，我们认为海外留学项目不只是为学生提供的教育机会，还是美国外交政策至关重要的组成部分。

通过现代技术奇迹，我们的世界比以往任何时候都更多地联系在一起。思想可以通过点击按钮跨越海洋。全球各地的公司可以进行业务往来和相互竟争。我们可以与各大洲的人们通过短信、电子邮件和Skype进行沟通。

因此，出国留学不只是以开心的方式度过一个学期——它正迅速成为全球化经济中取得成功的关键。因为要走在当今职场的前沿，只在学校里取得好成绩是

第3页 不够的，还应拥有国境外的真实体验：体验完全不同的语言、文化和社会。正如中国的一句古话所说：―读万卷书，不如行万里路。‖

我想要说的是，出国留学绝不仅是改善你们自己的未来，它也关乎塑造你们的国家、关乎我们共有的世界的未来。因为我们这个时代的决定性挑战一一无论是气侯变化、经济机遇，还是核武器扩散一一这些都是我们共同的挑战。没有任何一个国家能够单独应对它们……唯一的出路就是共同携手。

这就是为什么年轻人到彼此国家学习和生活是如此重要。因为这是你们培养合作习惯的途径一一你们通过融入不同的文化，通过了解彼此的故事，通过跨越常常隔膜我们的成见和误解，来做到这一点。

这是你们了解到我们共享多少东西的途径。这是你们认识到我们的成功惠及彼此的途径。在北京发现的治序方法可以挽救在美国的生命，来自加州硅谷的清洁能源技术可以改善中国的环境，西安一座古老寺庙的架构可激发达拉斯或者底特律新建筑设计的灵感。

米歇尔北大演讲中英文 篇4

当然，我还要感谢名誉校长康先生，他安排的欢迎仪式令人难以相信。同事还要感谢校长尤道夫先生和教务长凯斯·艾利。他们为准备毕业典礼的到来所做的一切，让这一天如此美好。全体毕业生，各位家长，摩塞德社区的所有人们，感谢你们！非常高兴今天能来到这里和你们分享这一刻，我感到无比高兴，无比激动。我知道这里有很多国内记者，而且一些人可能也很想知道：作为第一夫人我为什么会选择在加利福利亚大学摩塞德分校进行我的第一次毕业典礼演讲呢？

那么让我告诉大家，我的答案很简单：是因为你们激发了我，你们感动了我。你们知道，几乎没有什么比看到年轻人认识到他们能够实现自己的梦想更有价值了。你们确实认识到了这一点。你们邀请我来见证这一美好时刻，期间你们所付出的努力充分展示了你们的坚韧和想象力。

那么，让我告诉大家你们都做了什么。各位家长，你们可能不知道，你们中也有一些人参与其中。我收到了上千封学生们的来信，当然还有情人节明星片，每一封信每一张明信片中都充满了期待和热情。这不仅感动了我，还感动了我所有的同事们。他们过来跟我说：“米歇尔，你必须去参加。”“你必须到那里去。”

那些信和明信片都写得棒极了。比如，来自克里斯多夫·卡苏卡的信中写道：“亲爱的奥巴马夫人，请来参加加州大学莫塞德分校毕业典礼吧！我们真的可以使用公众舆论。”那真的触动了我的心灵。

来自吉姆·格林伍德的信中说，他不仅仅是代表他自己给我写信，还代表他的妻子。他的妻子已经是两个孩子的母亲了，她是今天在座的毕业生中的一员。

还有一封来自安德里亚·梅尔卡多的信。我想这是我最喜欢的来信中的一封。安德里亚在信中写道：“第一夫人的角色就是要在政治和理智之间寻求平衡。”谢谢你，安德里亚，谢谢你给我的信任投票。

我收到了所有与这个大学相关的人的来信——不只是学生，还有他们的父母、祖父母、堂表兄妹、姑舅叔姨以及他们的邻居和朋友，所有的人告诉我，你们是多么地努力，而这一天对于你们和整个摩塞德分校有多么重要。

我还收到了一段精彩的视频，名为“我们相信”。那么让我告诉你们，这一切真的很奏效，因为我最终来到了这里。

我要特别感谢萨姆·放和亚莎·萨巴以及所有发起“亲爱的米歇尔”活动的学生们。你们的努力让我感受到了极大的荣耀，我很高兴和你们一起庆祝这一重要时刻。

但是我明白，这种基于社区而写信的活动并不仅仅针对我。这个社区，摩赛德社区用同样的方式使得加利福利亚大学在摩赛德成立了新的分校。这个县城里的每一个学生都给加利福利亚大学董事会寄了一张明信片，以说服他们在这里成立分校。我很高兴因为事实上，今天在座的一些毕业生当时也参与了那次活动，而他们用同样的方式说服我来到了这里。这真是太奇妙了。这说明一点，万众齐心必然能够创造奇迹。而且我也想说明下一年的毕业演讲人，你可要当心了。摩赛德分校的学生可知道如何实现他们的愿望。

这种行动主义和乐观主义不仅诠释； 这儿的学生和教职员工，也是摩赛德个性和历史的体现。摩赛德是由劳动者和来自世界的移民共同建立的县城。早期的拓荒者以及19世纪末淘金热中的一些先驱来到这里建立了学校、商业区和教堂，这些现在依然存在。当时非裔美国人利用沿99号铁路线做卡车司机的机会逃离了南方奴隶制度和种族主义的压迫。墨西哥裔美国人来到北方在这里的农场找工作，成为我们农业生产的支柱。还有亚裔美国人，他们来到旧金山，在这里扎根繁衍，逐渐成为圣华金河谷社区的一部分。过去的这些年，摩赛德的人口结构虽发生了变化，但是它的价值观和品格没有改变——在漫长的炎炎烈日下一代又一代的男男女女辛勤劳作，不分种族，他们像得到的就是为了子孙后代建设美好生活的机会；辛勤劳作的人们相信，接受良好教育就是通往更加美好未来的阶梯。你们知道，我在一个有着相似价值观的社区长大。就像摩赛德一样，芝加哥南部是一个过去人们在经济困境中挣扎的社区，但是那里的人们辛勤工作、彼此照料，以子女为中心。你们1 都知道的，我的父亲是蓝领工人，我的母亲在家里抚养我和哥哥。我们兄妹是我们所有直系亲属中的第一批从大学毕业的成员。

我知道你们中的很多人也是你们家族中第一位获得如此殊荣的成员。但正如你们所了解的那样，成为第一就常常意味着肩负着更大的责任，特别是在一个和当前我们国家的很多其他社区一样面对创纪录的高失业率和高抵押房屋赎回权丧失率的社区，特别是一个家庭是单一收入来源或者家庭只是为了避免无家可归的紧急避难所的社区。

在这样的社区里工作机会很少，你们中的很多人可能会考虑带着你们的学位证书离开城镇。这并非不合理。对于那些来自处于相似经济困境社区的同学而言，你们也许会有疑问：假如我回到了那些社区，我怎么才能过上体面的生活呢？

但是我要鼓励你们拿出过去的让你们取得今日成就的希望和努力，拿出建设加州大学摩赛德校区的乐观和不屈不挠的精神，将其投入到建设摩赛德的美好未来之中，投入到建设分布在全国各地的你们的家乡中去。运用你们在这所大学学到的知识，你们能够帮助那些也许根本看不到出路的孩子们找到通往成功的捷径。我曾经就是那些看不到出路的孩子中的一员。你们中的大多数人也曾经是那些孩子中的一员。我的家乡距离芝加哥大学只有几英里。和大多数学校一样，芝加哥大学就是我邻近地区的一个文化经济中心。我的母亲甚至在那里做了几年的秘书工作。但是那所大学从来没有在我的学业发展中发挥积极的作用。它没做出任何努力来吸引我这样一个有着大好前程的学生，而我也没有任何理由相信在那里有我是一席之地。因此，当到了申请大学的时候，我根本没有考虑选择自己家门口的那所大学。

就像命中注定一样，十多年后我最终接受了芝加哥大学一个负责学生事务的职位。我发现在这所大学工作使得我有机会关注那个问题，即他在周围社区生活中扮演着多么渺小的角色。我当时迫切地想扫除挡在大学校园和社区之间障碍。在不到一年的时间里，我和其他人一起努力建立了芝加哥大学的第一个社区服务办公室。今天，该办公室还在继续为学生们提供机会，让他们帮助重塑大学与周边社区的关系。如今，那里的学生们在当地小学做志愿者，到当地中学做辅导员，组织邻里监督，到当地教堂做礼拜。

你们多少知道一点和你们社区一起工作的事情，不是吗，摩赛德的同学们？加州大学摩赛德分校的教职员工和学生们似乎已经掌握了这种需求，这再次说明了这个社区的特性。随着我对你们多做的事情有更深一步的了解，我就更深刻地体会到学生们、教职员工以及社区居民如何通力合作以保证该社区的每个孩子都能明白，只要他们努力学习，不惹麻烦，在这样一个规模宏大而又美丽的大学里就有他们的一席之地。

本地的一些领导人，比如尼克·纳瓦莱特警官，他协助一个项目，该项目每周会分派大约60名加州大学摩赛德分校的学生到本地小学去辅导家境贫寒的学生。然后尼克会定期把孩子们带到大学校园，以便他们能够做一些特别的事情：看看在大学校园里是什么感觉，并开始塑造梦想。还有我的朋友查理斯·奥格里特里，他以前是法学院的教授，他是摩赛德公立学校的“产品”。现在，他带着自己的技能回到社区，为他人树立了榜样。他的雄心壮志让他远离家乡，但是他从来没有忘记他来自哪里。在他的帮助下，摩赛德中学每年，不但向那些最优秀最有前途的学生提供奖学金，也向很多被贫穷所困、需要别人一臂之力助他们参加竞争的学生们提供。因此，教职工们、学生们、本地领导者、摩赛德的校友们以及这里的每个人都在做自己力所能及的事，来帮助摩赛德的孩子们认识到，只要他们勤奋工作、努力学习，他们就能够接受优质教育。

我们国家需要的正是这种承诺，让国家再次步入正轨，让每个孩子都期盼成功，让每个孩子都有实现梦想所需要的工具。这就是我们的目标。我们需要你们中的每一位，需要所有毕业生，需要你们这一代人，我们需要你们引航带路。现在，让我来告诉你们，那些旨在提高我们社区生活水平的职业——无论是帮助改善陷入困境的学校，还是建立课外项目，还是培训工人从事绿色工作——这些职位常常并不显眼，但是今天我们确实需要这些职业。解决我们国家所面临的最具挑战性的社会问题的方法并不一定单单来自于华盛顿。真正的革新经常始于那些致力于解决他们自己社区问题的个人。最好的主意来自他们。

一些很有创意的社会革新已经由世界各地的青年人发动起来了。

“为美国而教书”就是很棒的一个例子。该口号是文帝·科普1989年在其本科毕业论文里提出来的。由于她当时的努力，现在有超过6200名队员正在我国最贫穷的社区教书，他们2 教授的学生数量大概有40万名。

还有凡·琼斯，他最近也加入了奥巴马政府，成了总统在绿色工作方面的特别顾问。凡开始时是一名民间组织者，后来成了“绿领”工作口号的创始者和倡导者——这种工作不但对环境有利，而且技术工人和非技术工人都会得到不错的工资待遇及职业生涯，这种工作类似于加州大学摩赛德分校随着绿色校园面积的扩大而创造出的工作。

还有我心目中的英雄之一——杰弗瑞·凯那德，他在南布朗克斯长大。在拿到鲍登学院的学士学位和哈佛大学的硕士学位后，他返回纽约，运用所学到的知识，确保下一代能够拥有平等的机会。杰佛瑞创办的“哈雷姆儿童地带”组织获得了全国性的认可，该项目覆盖100个街区，给近1万名儿童提供各种社会服务，以保证所有孩子们都能为接受良好的教育做好准备。

为了使温蒂·柯璞、凡·琼斯以及杰佛瑞·凯那德所建的项目在未来得到投资个鼓励，奥巴马政府最近在白宫设立了“社会革新办公室”。总统已经请求国会拨款5千万美元作为种子资金来资助那些了不起的想法，就像我刚才所说的那些项目。该办公室将会认同那些最有前景、结果明确的非盈利项目，并将扩大它们在全国的业务。这所大学幸运地拥有一些一流的研究人员和专业学者，他们正把研究重点放在解决我们国家最迫切的问题上，例如能源危机、全球变暖、气候变化以及空气污染。而你们——这所学校的大学生们、毕业生们以及教职工们——你们有能力改变这个世界，这是肯定的。你们现在的起点和当年温迪、凡、杰佛瑞毕业的时候的起点并无二致，记住这一点。

你们也能够给摩赛德社区乃至我们整个国家带来同样的转变效应。我们需要你们的想法，毕业生们。我们需要你们的智慧。我们需要你们发明创造的才能。正如曾帮助建设这所大学的学生一样，我请求你们把你们的传统传承下去。要有更远大的梦想，思维要更开阔一些，你们梦想应包含为社区服务。带着让你们取得今日成就的这种辉煌的希望和乐观精神、努力和坚韧，无论选择什么样的事业，让这些品格陪伴着你们的人生。每一天都有一些年轻人在或多或少地改变着世界。但是让我来告诉你们，当你们走向那个广阔开放的世界时，你们就开始了建设自己人生的旅程，你们肯定会面对艰难时刻，当然也会有困惑，因为我在你们这个年龄时，曾经也是如此。将来会有那么一天，你会担心自己是否真的有能力迎接挑战。也许你们中的一些人现在已经有了这种感觉。也许你们要问：我足够聪明吗？我真的能够适应吗？我能不辜负所有人对我的期待吗？

你们肯定会遇到挫折。要想到这一点。你们深思熟虑的计划可能因为挫折而泡汤。你们卓越的想法难免会有瑕疵。当你们的贷款到期、工资低于期望值而且不能满足花费时，你们将会遇到财务紧张的情况。你们难免会犯错误，这将摧毁你们的自信心。你们难免会妥协，这将挑战你们的信念。你们将会发现，几乎没有一条道路会明朗而直接地通向理想。你们将会发现不得不再三调整。也许你们在某些时刻怀疑自己的理想是否有价值。也许在某些时候，你们想放弃。

但是在那些时候，在那些不可避免的时刻，我希望你们回想一下今天。看看你们周围。看看这成千上万为帮助你们走到今天而努力工作的人，还有今天和你们一起庆祝的人，每一天都为你们祈祷的人，以及不管出于什么原因不能来到这里的其他人。我要你们想想那些为你们做过牺牲的人——你们知道——他们就是你们的家人，为了让你们顺利毕业，他们身兼三职；为了让你们顺利毕业，他们加班加点地工作；为了你们能达到今天的成就。他们将自己的大事一拖再拖。

想想那些从来没有机会进入大学但依然为你们的成功出钱出力的朋友们吧——想想那些劝告你们不要辍学的朋友们，想想那些让你们远离麻烦以便你们能够准时毕业的朋友们，想想那些当你们想偷懒时强迫你们去学习的朋友们。但是最重要的，想想世界上还有数百万计的孩子们，他们永远不会像你们一样离机会如此之近——想想纽奥良的那些孩子们，他们的学校遭受了卡特里娜飓风的肆掠，目前还在修复；想想那些将永远没有机会上学的孩子们，他们会被迫在世界各个角落的血汗工厂里做工；想想你们自己社区里的孩子们吧，他们没有这么好的运气，在他们的生命里没有人告诉他们，他们聪明优秀，足以完成他们想象的任何事情；想想那些失去梦想的孩子们吧。这些孩子们迫切想找到可以依赖的人或事物。他们想要从你们那里看到希望的曙光。