Maja Tepeh

Honourable Rector,

Dear Class of 2015,

Dear faculty,

Dear families and friends,

Distinguished guests,

It is an honor to address you here today.

Graduation is one of those bittersweet moments in our lives when we are torn between the joy of our memories and excitement about the future. Should we look back on what were the greatest two years of our lives or should we instead focus on what future unfolds?

For some of us, it seems just like yesterday we found ourselves arriving on campus for the first time, thousands of miles away from home, with a minor heartache for our loved ones who we left behind, with a slightly bigger fear of the unknown and with a huge hunger for success. As the months passed and we matured, we learnt how to adjust to an unfamiliar environment and not to let it defeat the one thing we all had in common- our drive for success. As we made our way through our studies, for many of us the University of Nicosia became a home away from home.

Here we stand tonight, the greatest class of University of Nicosia’s postgraduates so far! We are ready for the next chapter in our lives. As we enter the real world, let us not be too intimidated by the challenges ahead as the University of Nicosia has given us knowledge and tools to succeed. The University of Nicosia has provided us with a place to foster our intelligence and acknowledge the world outside the classroom. The University of Nicosia has provided many of us with skills and experiences we otherwise may not have encountered. The qualities we have gained over the past two years and the well rounded people we have become, offer us an advantage after we toss our caps in the air tonight.

Here I stand. I am not standing here as a valedictorian by myself. I was inspired by my environment, by my professors and by all of you dear graduates who are sitting here listening to me. I could not have accomplished this without my peers who set the bar high and motivated me to perform better. It was you who were my competition and as such, my backbone. In this way, we are all valedictorians tonight.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the people who have contributed to my success here at the University of Nicosia. First and foremost, I would like to express my deepest gratitude and admiration to the entire Department of Communications and especially to Dr. Tao Papaioannou who has been an infinite source of inspiration ever since I first entered her class.

I cannot leave this podium tonight without expressing special thanks to Mr. Anthos Shekeris and Ms. Elisa Bosio from the Research & Innovation Office who have, by offering me a position in their department, and with their constant encouragement, guidance and mentorship took that extra mile in shaping me into the young professional I am today.

My gratitude also goes to the entire Student Affairs Department without whom my experience as an international student here at the University of Nicosia would not have been the same.

Last but not least, I would like to thank my boyfriend Kenneth Brendan Inyang, who has supported me unconditionally on this journey and who continuously inspires me to believe that I was not born to be mediocre.

I dedicate this achievement to my lovely parents Boris and Romana who have sacrificed everything to give me the opportunity they never had. As I become the first graduate in the family, it is my greatest joy to make you, dear mom and dad, the proudest parents tonight.

Dear graduates, we all have the capacity of achieving something great. We have already proven that through our being here tonight. Don’t ever underestimate the power of success and don’t ever take for granted the opportunities that will present themselves to you along the way. Class of 2015, let’s show the world what it means to be unique!