Ms. Georgia Wallen, World Bank Country Manager for Liberia, in her keynote address at the 99th commencement convocation of Lott Carey Baptist Mission School, urged graduates to embrace bold thinking, ambitious dreams, and the power of documenting their goals.
Speaking on Wednesday, October 2, to a vibrant crowd of students, families, and officials, Wallen's address centered on three guiding principles: think big, dream big, and write it down. Her message, filled with inspiration and optimism, set a hopeful tone for the graduates as they prepare to embark on new journeys.
Wallen began by congratulating the graduates, acknowledging the hard work and dedication that brought them to this milestone. "You are a very special class," she remarked. "Much like your school, you stand at the threshold of a new beginning, shaped by years of diligence and commitment."
She framed the graduation as a moment filled with both reflection and anticipation, urging the students to approach the future with boldness and determination. "This is an important threshold, full of promise and possibility," Wallen emphasized. "It's a time to look back on years of growth and learning, and to look forward with hope and ambition."
Wallen's first piece of advice--think big--focused on the power of the mind to shape one's future. "Our thoughts define the course of our lives," she said, highlighting the importance of maintaining a positive and expansive mindset despite life's challenges.
She encouraged the graduates to look beyond limitations, focusing instead on possibilities. "You have the power to decide how you think about the world and yourself," Wallen explained. "My encouragement to you is to think big."
Wallen also spoke of Liberia's proud legacy, reminding the graduates of their heritage as citizens of Africa's first republic and the home of trailblazers like Nobel Laureates and Africa's first female president. "You are a talented young generation bursting with potential in a country blessed with abundant endowments," she added. "Think big!"
Moving on to her second point--dream big--Wallen distinguished between thinking and dreaming, noting that while thoughts are analytical, dreams fuel ambition. "A dream is a cherished aspiration, ambition, or ideal," she said, encouraging the graduates to nurture their dreams as a driving force for their future.
She reflected on the legacy of Reverend Lott Carey, the school's namesake, who bought his freedom in 1813, came to Liberia, and inspired the founding of the institution. "He surely had a dream, and generations of educators have invested in that dream. You are the fruit of those dreams," she said, reminding the graduates of the power of pursuing their own dreams.
Wallen's message was reinforced by a poignant reading from Maya Angelou's poem, Still I Rise, which speaks to overcoming adversity and rising to greatness. "You are the dream and the hope of the slave," Wallen quoted. "I rise, I rise, I rise."
In her final advice--write it down--Wallen underscored the importance of recording one's thoughts and dreams. "Your dreams are valuable because you are valuable," she told the graduates. "No one sees the world exactly as you do."
She encouraged them to honor their dreams by putting them on paper, as a way to track progress and stay focused on their goals. To drive this point home, she presented each graduate with a journal and assigned them a personal task: to write down their biggest, boldest dreams and revisit them every year on October 2nd.
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"Take the limits off," Wallen advised. "Remind yourself of your dreams and pursue them relentlessly. The sky is the limit."
Wallen concluded her address by sharing her own career path, which began with a humble three-month contract at the World Bank. Years later, she now serves as the Country Manager for Liberia, a role that fulfills her own dreams of making a difference in the world.
"At the World Bank, our dream is a world free from poverty on a livable planet," she said, noting that dreams fuel progress. She drew parallels between her own journey and the limitless potential she saw in the graduates before her. "When I look at you today, I see dreams in the making--future international lawyers, educators, innovators, doctors, and world changers."
As Wallen concluded, she left the graduates with one final thought: "Think big. Dream big. And write it down."
