The following is Connor's graduation speech from the University of Michigan.

Good afternoon, everybody.

My name is Connor McMahon, and I am a member of the Secondary Education Social Studies FAMILY.

Now, for those of you who have had the chance to get to know me, you know that I tend to joke around. You would know that my voice tends to “carry,” and you would probably say that I had an “outgoing” or “extroverted” personality.

You were forced to listen to my dad jokes on a daily basis as well as my constant references to Rocky IV, saw my always-changing virtual backgrounds when we switched to online, and more than likely heard the story of when I dressed up as Spider-Man on my first day of full-time student teaching. And yet, I wasn’t always this outgoing. In high school, I was fired from my first job at an electronics shop, a perfect first job for a geek like myself. After just six days of working there, they told me I “was too awkward.” They told me “I did not interact with the customers enough” and “wasn’t a good fit for this job.”

Those words really stuck with me. I’m sure we all have had something we were looking forward to more than anything else. Now let me ask you: how bad does it hurt to have that taken away without any warning whatsoever.

My road to get where I am today was not an easy one. I’m just a kid from Metro Detroit who came from a loving home but has had financial difficulties, especially these last few years. I’m a double transfer, going to three different colleges in three different years, never knowing if I actually “belonged” to any of them. Had it not been for the friends and the FAMILY that I had the absolute blessing of getting to know in just two short years, I probably would not have had the courage to do half the things I am able to do. So, to my interning groups: the Learny Boys and the Dream Team for putting up with my early-morning shenanigans, I thank you. To my amazing cohorts: the Chum Chat, Marta Stans and Teach Squad, for helping me break out of my shell and feel accepted, valued, and appreciated, I thank you. To Mr. Graz for inspiring me to be a teacher, and Mr. Slaughter for reinforcing that passion, I thank you for showing me that I am on the right path. To my Grandparents, Mom, Dad, Carter, Stewart, Sean, Lucus, Mike, Brendan, Maddy, Olivia, and all my other friends who are going to yell at me for not saying their names, thank you for never giving up on me and always telling me that I CAN do all things.

My biggest advice to everyone in this room is to never give up. Persevere no matter the odds. Things will be difficult, but they will always get better if you never give up. There’s a reason why I was able to go from the kid in high school who got fired from his first job for being “too awkward” and was able to become the student teacher who developed a reputation as “Dollar-Tree brand Spider-Man.” We are entering a lifestyle where we are going to have to put ourselves second most of the time, and it is going to get exhausting.

Above my desk, there is a post-it note, written and underlined in Sharpie that simply says, “It’s for the kids” because the bottom line is that the KIDS are the reason why most of us are called to become teachers. Anybody who says, “Education is an easy major” is either lying or just doesn’t know what we go through on a daily basis, the time and effort that goes into creating fun and engaging lesson plans that encourage participation and challenge critical thinking. And yet, thinking about those kids and how we have the ability, the position, and the responsibility to help them with far more in real life than anything we can ever teach in front of a classroom- that’s what gets me out of bed in the morning, knowing that I am making a difference.

That’s why I want to finish up today with a quote from the legend, Stan Lee, “You know, I guess one person really can make a difference... 'Nuff said!” So, if ONE person can make a difference, imagine the impact that all of us can make. That’s my challenge to all of you: find that reason to persevere, and go make a difference. Thank you, and GO BLUE