Speakers Annabelle Jones and Madeline McCauley Discuss Growth and Moving Forward with Confidence
Now is the time for celebration! BYU’s School of Communications held its convocation ceremony this morning, sending off over 300 communications graduates into the professional world.
Two of those graduates, Annabelle Jones and Madeline McCauley, were asked to speak at the ceremony.
Madeline McCauley
Madeline McCauley, an advertising graduate, spoke about having hope for the future.
McCauley described herself as “deeply uncool in high school” and shared that she often felt lonely and discouraged about a better future.
“After a particularly lonely day of the 10th grade, I remember telling my mom how bad things were and how certain I was that they would never get better,” McCauley said. “She sat with me while I cried. I told her that I had no friends and no community, and I did not believe I ever would.”
Her mom assured her she would find her people one day, and that came to fruition during her time at BYU.
On the first day of her last fall semester, McCauley thought of that promise her mom had made and realized it had come true as she reflected on the community she acquired.
“Even though I could not see a path from 10th grade to happiness, God could,” McCauley said. “Though His work seemed like chaos to me, it was a careful process. Even as I sat alone in a high school in Portland, God was at work assembling my people here. Teenage me had blessings coming her way that had never even occurred to her.”
McCauley's understanding of unforeseen blessings was deepened when she encountered a quote from German philosopher Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, where he states: “Hope is the opinion of a future Good.”
She related that idea to her experiences of paving her own path and looking for the good around her.
“When my mom promised that one day I would find my people, she was opining that I would
one day encounter good,” McCauley said. “I believe part of the reason we live in a hopeless world is so that we can discover the joy of constructing hope. That means the hope that you build will be completely different from mine. Its potency comes in it being yours.”
No matter how much we may doubt that there is good ahead of us, McCauley encourages each individual to curate good in their own lives and find power in cultivating a good future.
“If my teenage self could see how far I have come, she would be astounded,” McCauley said. “So I give you permission to go forth with bold and wild expectations for your life. Assume that you will see and take part in and become incredible things. Now is the time to go into the unknown and find not just your people, but your strength, your purpose and your good future.”
Annabelle Jones
Annabelle Jones, a journalism graduate, spoke next and began her speech by sharing her childhood fear of restaurants.
“Before I even made it to the counter, my palms would start sweating, my heart would start pounding and my mind would freeze,” Jones said. “I would walk away, promising myself I would never ask anyone for anything ever again. Well … I am a journalism major, so you can guess how long that lasted.”
Jones taught the audience three lessons she learned from her studies in communications. First, she talked about confidence.
“Confidence is knowing your worth and owning it,” Jones said. “When we are comfortable with who we are, people around us start to do the same. That is when the best work happens.”
Her second lesson was about listening. Jones used an example of a time she visited a political rally in Salt Lake City, hoping to get an interview with an attendee.
“I met a group of protestors who definitely did not want to talk to me. They were a little hostile, actually.”
Jones did not let that stop her — she asked the “biggest, scariest guy in the group” for an interview, and he said yes. The conversation went well as she listened to his story and unique perspective.
“I was stunned,” Jones said. “In just a few moments, distrust had turned into connection. That is the power of listening.”
The third lesson Jones shared is simple: “You will only go as far as you are willing to grow.”
Jones ended her speech by expressing her gratitude for the opportunity to receive such a wonderful education.
“I am so grateful for the School of Communications and everything it has taught me about the professional world and about myself,” Jones said. “I will always be the girl who once hid behind cash registers, but I am no longer defined by that. Now I know who I am and what I am capable of. I hope each of us walks forward with faith, knowing we are ready for whatever comes next.”
Congratulations to all of the School of Communications graduates!
