Ilyasah Shabazz Delivers Commencement Speech at North Central University

July 27, 2019

A few weeks ago, Professor Ilyasah Shabazz delivered the 2019 Commencement at North Central University! With her parents’ legacy in mind, Ilyasah emphasized the importance of a lifelong learning experience; that learning is ongoing even after earning a degree.

She quoted her father who stated, “Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.”

Professor Shabazz challenged the graduates to further their learning beyond college. She said, “Graduates, today you have completed a milestone in your education; your passport has been officially stamped. Education is not something that ends with a diploma or a career. We are perpetual students. Our education continues until the day we perish.”

She also emphasized the importance of giving back, “You have spent the last handful of years diligently receiving new knowledge. Now, it is your time to impart this knowledge onto others. Be the person to whom a lost, lonely child can look. Be the person to whom a young man or woman can always come when they are hurt, anxious, or confused.”

The speech was received with enthusiasm by students, faculty, and staff. To view or listen to the speech in its entirety, see the attached video link. (Speech begins at one hour and five minutes.)