Valedictorian speech, 1998

I would like to begin with a quote from a wise philosopher who has been a great 
inspiration to me throughout my years at -----.  Though his large ears and diminutive 
stature can make him appear somewhat comical, his simple words hold timeless 
messages of patience, courage, and determination. What he said was this: “Try not.  Do 
or do not, there is no try.”  Ok, I confess, the wise being of whom I speak is Yoda, the 
small, green-skinned Jedi Master of the Star Wars trilogy.  Now, you may be wondering 
what Star Wars has to do with graduation.  Actually, as students at Notre Dame, we have 
shared many experiences similar to those of Luke Skywalker in Star Wars, and the things 
Yoda taught him apply to us as well.  
For example, just as Luke developed both mind and body with Yoda’s guidance, 
we have grown spiritually as well as physically, developing strength, patience, and 
intelligence with the help of friends, teachers, and coaches.  While Luke had to overcome 
his fears in order to defeat the evil Emperor, we have faced and conquered numerous 
challenges to our beliefs, friendships, and abilities.  As Luke confronted the part of 
himself that was Darth Vader’s son, we too have confronted ourselves and struggled to 
answer the daunting questions of who we are and who we want to be.  And finally, like 
Luke, we have mastered the art of the Force.  In Star Wars, the Force is a mystical power 
that emanates from all life, allowing the Jedi to perform superhuman acts.  For us, the 
Force is the knowledge, self-confidence, and love that we have shared at -----.  The Force 
is the friendships that we have woven into a safety net, binding us together, each knot 
stronger than the one before.  The Force is the fun, laughter, and understanding that have 
pulled us through, helping us to learn from our mistakes and progress through the 
hardships.  These strengths have given us the power to succeed, and will continue to 
sustain us in the years to come.
So now, let us return to Yoda and his graduation message: “Do or do not, there is 
no try.”  This simple phrase holds so much meaning to all of us graduating here today.  
As we head out into the world, each with our own dreams and aspirations, we will face 
many challenges.  To simply “try” implies indifference, caution, or uncertainty, and will 
more often than not result in failure.  To “do,” however, connotes determination, strength, 
and self worth.  We have all proven, by getting to where we are today, that we have the 
ability and the confidence to succeed at whatever we put our minds to.  We will not 
simply try to make the most of life, we will, and the things that we do will be limited only 
by our imaginations.
The reason I say this is because we face a future in which anything is possible.  
What was once science fiction is now reality, and technologies that people only dreamed 
about when Star Wars was first created, are today an accepted part of life.  Cell phones, 
pagers, the internet, genetic engineering, landing on Mars – these are all things that were 
impossible twenty years ago.  Twenty years from now, how many of today’s 
impossibilities will be within reach, and what part will we play in that new reality?  One 
of the most poignant points in the Star Wars trilogy occurs when Luke attempts to lift his 
x-wing starship out of the bog on Dagobah, but is unable to do so because he doubts his 
own ability.  When Yoda calmly closes his eyes, raises his hand, and mentally glides the 
ship safely out of the water, Luke exclaims, “I don’t believe it!”  Yoda responds softly in 
the thick silence, “That is why you fail.”
This moment speaks to me more than any other.  It combines all of Yoda’s 
teachings into one, moving thought.  All that limits us in this swiftly changing world are 
the limits we place on ourselves.  When we do not believe in our ability to do something, 
we can only try, and fail.  Only if we believe in ourselves and in the possibilities open to 
us, will we be able to truly “do” great things.   Our education has given us the power, but 
it is up to us to use it.
Our class is in a unique position – we will enter college in one century, and 
emerge in another. With strength, wit, intelligence, and compassion, it is up to us to 
define the new millenium, to break through the glass ceiling, and to achieve whatever it is 
that we set out to do.  To the class of 1998, always remember that you are special, each 
and every one of you, and that no challenge is too great, no task too difficult.  Go out and 
show the world that you, like Yoda, are more than what you seem.  And remember, the 
Force will be with you, always.

by:  Megan Rible