His valedictory speech follows:

I want to start as these speeches are traditionally begun, by welcoming the faculty, administrators, honored guests, family members, mothers, friends, and, of course, the C.W. Post graduating class of 2007.

However, if you know me personally, you will not be surprised that this is where the traditional part of the speech will end. Oftentimes, the valedictory address is full of advice for the future based on the experiences of the valedictorian himself (or herself), or the guidance of long-dead philosophers like Socrates, Descartes, and Machiavelli – well, maybe not Machiavelli. Since I have yet to live the future, and those other guys have only lived the past, I felt it would be more appropriate to draw inspiration and life lessons from the collective wisdom of the graduating class of 2007 and the experiences we have all lived out here at C. W. Post.

Most of us here will be starting something very new when we leave here today. To prepare for what will feel like starting over, I urge you to recall our very first experiences at Post, even before classes had begun. As scared freshmen at Orientation 2003, whether you were a member of the Honey Bunches of Post, B-Block, the Magic Clique, Too Sexy, or any of the other cleverly named orientation groups, we all had one thing in common: anxiety. Not knowing what lies ahead in life can be a terrifying notion , but when you begin this next endeavor, remember that nothing can be as challenging as finishing that 15 page take-home final exam while simultaneously calming down your roommate after a fight with his girlfriend, listening to a blaring 2am iTunes marathon next door, and holding down five or six instant messages on AOL Instant Messenger, despite having your away message up that says “Take-home final, please do not interrupt!”

As I look back on our time spent around campus, I find that it is the seemingly insignificant moments that ended up teaching us the most important lessons that we can utilize for the future.

Hours, and I mean hours , of time spent lingering in the Speech Lounge, waiting for that next class, has taught us patience.

We learned responsibility after going from having our bathrooms cleaned for us in the Quad Residence Halls to having to clean our own bathrooms in the Suites – well, some of us cleaned them anyway.

As you all likely witnessed today, parking on this campus has oftentimes forcefully reminded us of the importance of punctuality, while walking to class in a Nor'easter without an umbrella has taught us the value of preparation.

Pep Rallies, Pratt After Dark, Midnight Breakfasts, Fashion Shows, and countless Thursday Nights we could never forget – or for some people, could never remember – have showed us that, although we were here to learn and grow, we were also here to have the time of our lives.

When it comes to having the time of our lives, I am almost forced to think of what Ashlyn Giulianelli would say. “Go Ginormous, or Go Home:” undoubtedly a lesson that she learned as a member of the C. W. Post women's lacrosse team. The lacrosse players are currently competing for their first national championship since 2001 and could not make it to the ceremony today. We wish them the best of luck.

Now, I would like to tell you a quick story, and I promise it has a point, so please bear with me. One day in my sophomore year, my suitemates and I acquired a life-sized colonial gentleman mannequin from the Volleyball girls. The mannequin, whose name was either Rupert or Mel , depending upon whom you asked, exchanged hands a number of times, in what you could call a feud of sorts. During one such struggle, Emily Wildermuth brought along her volleyball backpack to carry supplies with her. To make a very long story short, somehow Rupert ended up on the humanities balcony, and I ended up with Emily's backpack.

Now, the lesson here is one of trust, as I've promised that I would one day return this backpack to Emily, and that day is today. Emily, thanks for the three-year loan, I'll come find you after the ceremony is over.

You see, we already possess the necessary skills and inspiration required to succeed in the working world. By utilizing the values of patience, responsibility, punctuality, preparation, going ginormous, trust, and countless others that we have learned here at C. W. Post, I am confident that we are not only ready to join the rest of the world, we are prepared to transform it as well.

When the road to success gets uneven and potholed, think of life as being like those surprise speed bumps that turned up on south campus this semester without any signs posted. Sometimes people put things in your way to slow you down without giving you any warning, but I urge you to remember what you've learned at Post and to keep on driving through it.

I want to conclude by thanking first of all my track and field coaches, Rich Degnan and Kelvin Campbell, as well as the entire athletic department for everything you do for this University. After practically living in the Pratt Recreation Center for four years, I'm afraid of what I will find at the back of my Track locker when I go to clean it out.

I would also like to thank Dr. McRoy and the Symphonic Band. If Dr. McRoy knew about all of the pranks and shenanigans that went on behind those stands, there would probably be nothing left of the saxophone section.

I want to thank my family for always being there for me, and I want to wish my mom a Happy Mother's Day. I thought it would be nice to throw you this big ceremony to celebrate! No, but really, I love you guys very much. Thank you so much for being here.

Thank you to the faculty of the Speech Pathology and Audiology Department. Without all of you, your salutatorian Dana DeBari and I truly would not be here today. As one of my best friends, and one of the smartest girls I know, Dana deserves to be up here every bit as much as me, so I would like you to come up and say a few quick words as well…

Dana Lynn DeBari (Salutatorian) Speaking:

As Derek has said, we have all had experiences at C.W. Post that have shaped us and brought us to this point in our lives.  As we take the next steps into the future, it is important to remember our roots and the lessons we have learned both in and out of the classroom for they are equally important. Congratulations and best of luck in your future endeavors!

On behalf of your salutatorian, Dana DeBari, and myself, I would like to congratulate you all. If we are taking turns holding this world, we are well prepared for our turn. So let's go out and show the world what the C.W. Post Class of 2007 is capable of!