I got asked to speak at graduation for my aviation degree

[pullup]

Re: I got asked to speak at graduation for my aviation degre

In this economy your speech is easy:

"Get out of aviation. Get a medical degree. Buy a plane. Fly for fun."

Two words: Malpractice Insurance. Buh-bye plane!

 

[flyboywbl]

Re: I got asked to speak at graduation for my aviation degre

I give speeches all the time (and without a teleprompter).

1. Don't focus on how many people you are speaking to. Think of only speaking to a small number of people that are you good friends.
2. Don't be guarded. Be open and share the idea or feeling that you want to convey. This openness, or seeming openness will make you feel you are talking to friends, and make the audience feel like they are listening to a friend.
3. Don't practice to much. In fact, don't even prepare a real speech. I usually prepare an outline of bullet-points that I want to hit and vary my remarks based upon the crowd. (I give lots of speeches though, so I know what I am going to say - perhaps you should prepare a little more than that).
4. Before preparing your outline, think of the "big picture" issues that you want to convey. Why is the school asking you to speak? What ideas do they want you to communicate? What ideas do you want to communicate?
5. Length of the speech and large words will not a great speech make. Obama can talk at length, but none of his speeches are yet considered "great". Abraham Lincoln, who gave short speeches, have two that are considered amongst the greatest oratory ever given...and both speeches are so short they are engraved on walls inside his monument. People have short attention spans. Make concise, powerful points and then move on.
6. If you can make them laugh - awesome. If you can make them cry - awesome as well. If you can make them laugh and cry in the same speech, you own them and will be remembered for a long time.
7. Read some great speeches before you prepare yours. Common sense here, but many don't. When reading the speech, think of what makes it a good speech. Why is it remembered? What does the person do well?
8. Find your own style. Don't try to be Obama/MLK/JFK in your speech - be yourself.
9. Have fun and enjoy it. Giving speeches, particularly when you do it well is a huge ego gratification thing. Nothing better than when speech groupies throw their panties onstage ala a Tom Jones concert, or when people single you out after the speech to tell you that you are the greatest thing since aerosol cheese. Enjoy!

Thanks! Its about five minutes max. I think it can be done. I was thinking with starting with MLK's "I Have a Dream"

-Matt

 

[PeterPilot]

Re: I got asked to speak at graduation for my aviation degre

I guess the teleprompter jab could be considered "partisan", but really...are dems so humorless and brittle that they cannot take a friendly poke?

Yes.

 

[flyboywbl]

Re: I got asked to speak at graduation for my aviation degre

Copy the speech from the movie girl next door. Make sure your lemon is worth the squeeze.

isn't it, "the juice is worth the squeeze"? Don't matter, i would love to squeeze Elisha Cuthbert! :nana2: I would "Fall in love with Sean Avery's sloppy seconds"

Oh and wasn't he on ecstasy during that speech? :buck:

-Matt

 

[flyboywbl]

Re: I got asked to speak at graduation for my aviation degre

Give the WHOLE thing in pig latin and see if anyone has the balls to pull the plug....

The speech that i had to give senior year for 10 minutes in-front of 900 people was a requirement for every senior to graduate. One guy did his whole speech in the passive voice about the "clan" aka the english department.

 

[PeterPilot]

Re: I got asked to speak at graduation for my aviation degre

I had to give one once for 10 minutes in-front of 900 people senior year in high school and i almost puked before hand.

I've seen a study several times about what people fear the most and public speaking is at the top of the list, even above death. Then, there is a Dilbert cartoon that takes off from that premise and asks if one would not be doing a favor by killing anyone who got up to speak so as to save them the additional stress. Hopefully nobody in your audience subscribes to that philosophy.

You cannot prepare and rehearse too much. Also, if you can rehearse in the location where you will speak, you will find you are much more relaxed during the actual presentation.

Good luck, and to use a line from above, "we're all counting on you".

 

[derg]

Re: I got asked to speak at graduation for my aviation degre

Well i said yes but I have no idea what to talk about. Public speaking is not really my thing but i figure it's not every day you get asked to give a speech. I had to give one once for 10 minutes in-front of 900 people senior year in high school and i almost puked before hand.

I think it's gonna be terrible but i have not started writing yet.

As i am an avid hockey player this quote needs to make it in somewhere,

"You miss %100 of the shots you don't take."
-The Great one, #99, Wayne Gretzky


just kidding. But seriously graduation is May 9th and i have no clue what i'm going to talk about.

any ideas? funny, serious, stupid, lame, I'm all ears.

-Matt

Maybe talk about embracing technology AND having a respect for our roots?

You could talk about ADS-B/NextGEN on one side and talk about plain old stick and rudder flying in a Cub without an electrical system.

 

[flyboywbl]

Re: I got asked to speak at graduation for my aviation degre

Maybe talk about embracing technology AND having a respect for our roots?

You could talk about ADS-B/NextGEN on one side and talk about plain old stick and rudder flying in a Cub without an electrical system.

Hmm i really like that idea. Should i talk about how this degree is useless because in 20 years, planes will all fly them selves.
(that is actually what some one told me on this site when i first started flying).

I could maybe talk about how even though the technology improves, the need for the pilot still remains.

and of course it will end with, "I just want to tell you all good luck. We're all counting on you."

-Matt

 

[flyboywbl]

Re: I got asked to speak at graduation for my aviation degre

Speech is all written. My advisor told me it was good. I'm a little nervous but i think i'll do alright. Now i just need to get to bed.

 

[Polar742]

Re: I got asked to speak at graduation for my aviation degre

this whole thread made me think of this:

[YT]9B_RcaHritg[/YT]

 

[Cessnaflyer]

Re: I got asked to speak at graduation for my aviation degre

this whole thread made me think of this:

[YT]9B_RcaHritg[/YT]

I see a Washington State flag

 

[braunpilot]

Re: I got asked to speak at graduation for my aviation degre

I don't care who you are....that is just funny.

 

[Polar742]

Re: I got asked to speak at graduation for my aviation degre

I see a Washington State flag

I believe they went to Gonzaga...

[YT]Z4i2TEEgMHM[/YT]

 

[Cessnaflyer]

Re: I got asked to speak at graduation for my aviation degre

I believe they went to Gonzaga...

That would explain why they are so weird

Speaking of Gonzaga I just loaded this guys bag in a flight this morning.