Ambassador's speech inspires the Class of 2015!

American Ambassador Matthew Barzun told De Montfort University Leicester (DMU)’s graduands to “go forward with all your might” in an inspiring speech to the Class of 2015.



Mr Barzun, pictured above, was invited to make a speech to the hundreds of students graduating from DMU’s Faculty of Business and Law at Leicester’s Curve theatre.

He told them the story of how President Obama came to sing Amazing Grace at the eulogy for those killed in the South Carolina church massacre - and said there were lessons for today’s graduates in that powerful moment.

Mr Barzun, who has been US Ambassador to the UK since 2013, said: “On the journey that day he had said ‘I might sing, in the moment, if it feels right, I might sing’ and he was advised against it.

“In his eulogy he talked about grace and mentions amazing grace, then he pauses for 13 seconds, and then the President starts to sing.

“It is a wonderful, powerful moment. This powerful moment has lessons for us today.

“What sets it all in motion is the courage to say  ‘I might’, and when you’re ready to take the leap know that there is a choir behind you ready to sing along and go forward with all your might.”

Hundreds of students graduated at the ceremony, collecting their hard-earned law degrees from Leicester De Montfort Law School as well as postgraduate qualifications from Leicester Business School.

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Beejal Patel, LLM graduate, said: “My experience at DMU has been a pleasure. It was exactly the course I wanted. I’d thoroughly recommend it.”
 
Imran Hanif, Business Management and Law graduate, said: “I fully enjoyed my time at DMU, it has been a good experience and I worked really hard to get my 2:1.”

DMU’s graduation ceremonies continue throughout the week and finish on Saturday afternoon.