A Collective Journey Forward: Ella Juengst’s 2026 Commencement Address

It has been an honor sharing this campus with you over the past four years. You will spend most of this ceremony looking up at the stage, so I thought we could take a few moments to look at each other. Look at your friends, your families, your professors, faculty, and staff.

We are surrounded by countless people who have shaped us into who we have become. On behalf of the entire class of 2026, thank you all for your infinite encouragement, love, and sacrifice. Thank you for believing in us. Please join me in giving your loved ones, mentors, moms, and yourselves a big round of applause.

Now, anyone who has ever received a card from me knows that I love acrostic poems. So, naturally, I have decided to make this speech one long acrostic Rollins-style. Starting off with R for reflection.

I invite you to hearken back with me to freshman orientation. I know, scary times. They told us what liberal arts meant, both its definition and its value.

I have to admit, I had my doubts at first. My RCC adviser explained to me why I was enrolled in cultural anthropology, a course far from either of my intended majors. I have resonated with many over the spooky liberal arts moments when the same novel topic came up multiple times in distinctly different classes within the span of one week. For me, it was the Vitruvian Man and recursive functions.

Ironically, I brought up that first-semester cultural anthropology class in my final-semester theater history course. They were right. It was valuable. Rollins celebrates unique combinations of interests. And without that, this math-loving, high-adventuring theater kid and budding therapist might still be searching for her people. No matter where you spend your time, in the lab or the library, on the field or on stage, know that you too are made up of many facets and many people.

O for opportunity. Sometimes it felt like too much. We were swept up in things to do, pages to read, papers to write, clubs to join, free food to eat, and Rollins t-shirts to collect. I highly recommend a t-shirt blanket, by the way.

But we were taught an essential skill, one I continue to hone. The ability to say a courageous yes and the wisdom to offer a discerning no. Life will be full of choices, so be brave and take a bunch of leaps, but don't forget to rest your legs every once in a while.

L for listening. Our nation and world more than ever need us to start listening to each other. Luckily, our small, discussion-based classes trained us well. But listening isn't always enough. So, we must start feeling. Feeling with people—not just for them. We truly are the future. So, it is up to us to kickstart this empathy revolution.

Lucky for us, our freshman year common read was on empathy. If you start to miss homework, it may be worth cracking back open.

The second L is for leadership, more specifically servant leadership. From SPARC Day to Immersions, Rollins showed us that life is for service. I encourage everyone to be a leader who aims to serve and empower others.

I for imagination. We have been asked our whole lives: “what do you want to be when you grow up?” Well, we're all grown up. What do you want to be? Here's the reality. Forget about the what. Who do you want to be? Your imagination is the limit. Oh, and we're not all grown up. One of my favorite quotes by psychologist Donald Winnicott says, "It is in playing and only in playing that the individual is able to be creative and to use the whole personality. And it is only in being creative that the individual discovers the self. So play, create, discover who you are.

N for neighborhood. Mr. Rogers would be proud of the neighborhood we have built. Actually, I have to thank one of you sitting here today for an anonymous letter you left in my bag in Olin Library sophomore year. I've kept it and I brought it with me today: “Hello, stranger. You've got this. You will graduate with honors. Best wishes, anonymous.” You are valuable and you matter.

S for spirit. From the day I toured campus, I felt surrounded by people who wanted me here. So many people at Rollins made a point to connect with me, help me out, or even just share a warm smile.

Freshman year, it was that smile from a kind spirit at the sushi station that made me feel a little less lonely. All it took was one person saying, "You shine", to remind me that it's true. After we leave Rollins, continue to spread that spirit to others. Meet the world with a smile.

Reflection, opportunity, listening, leadership, imagination, neighborhood, and spirit. No matter what you pursue, always remember who you are. That person is anyone you want them to be. They'll change. Sometimes they may seem dark. Sometimes they may feel totally lost. But that's okay. Go out on that roller coaster, improvise through life, and be the author of your story. And remember, kindness is free. So sprinkle that stuff everywhere.

That reminds me of the time I graduated from Rollins College.