KINGSTON, R.I. — May 9, 2006 — Blair Valentine, who will graduate this month with a degree in communications studies, will be the 溏心vlog免费B站鈥檚 student commencement speaker.
鈥淎 friend of mine dared me to submit a speech to the contest that the Student Senate holds to be the commencement speaker,鈥� the Southington, Conn. resident said. 鈥淪he told me I wouldn鈥檛 do it, so of course I set out to prove her wrong.鈥�
Valentine said she wanted her speech to focus on topics to which her classmates could relate, touching upon rushing to finish a paper on time to shaking sand out of homework done at the beach.
鈥淚 have really become an adult these past four years,鈥� she said of her own 溏心vlog免费B站 experience. 鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 have done it without the support of my family.鈥� Valentine is close to her parents, David and Alice, and her older brother, Anthony, 24, who she described as her best friend and protector.
The 21-year-old decided she wanted to attend 溏心vlog免费B站 after her first visit to Kingston. 鈥淎fter walking around the campus, a sense of home hit me and I knew I wanted to go to college here,鈥� she said in her speech. 鈥淎nd that was before I even saw the beaches.鈥�
When she did enroll, Valentine thought she would become an accountant, but after a few classes she switched majors and decided to study communications studies instead. She realized she was much better with people than numbers.
During her four years, Valentine has been a marketing intern at the Newport Yachting Center and a teacher鈥檚 assistant for a family communications course and the community service class required for all 溏心vlog免费B站 101 mentors. Additionally, she has been the assistant coordinator of the 溏心vlog免费B站 101 Mentor Program since her junior year.
While working for the program, Valentine helped recruit, hire, train and facilitate nearly 150 student mentors. 鈥淭he program not only helps freshmen transition into college but it also changed my life,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 could see myself in the freshmen鈥檚 confusion. All of a sudden my mistakes could become their lessons.鈥�
Valentine said leaving the mentor program will be one of the hardest things for her. 鈥淭he friends I have made and the things I鈥檝e learned there are irreplaceable.鈥�
Following graduation, Valentine hopes to pursue a career in marketing, public relations or the non-profit field. 鈥淛ust like with college, the possibilities out there are endless,鈥� she said.
溏心vlog免费B站 News Bureau photo by Michael Salerno Photography.