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This Graduation Speech by a Single Mother Will Probably Make You Cry

2 minute read
By Kelly Conniff

A 34-year-old single mother of two gave a moving and often funny graduation speech after Rollins College recognized her as the 2014’s Outstanding Graduating Senior. After nine years of night classes, this student for whom English is a second language, was graduating with a psychology degree and an impressive 3.96 grade-point average. What’s so special about her? Oh nothing, she just used to be married to Mr. Tiger Woods.

Elin Nordegren, who famously divorced the disgraced golfer in 2010 after a cheating scandal, spoke passionately about the comfort education has brought in her life, calling it the one thing “no one can take away from you.” She also reflected on how crucial her fellow students were to her time at Rollins, especially when controversy in her personal life threatened to overwhelm her progress in school. Getting to see the struggles of her classmates who were also working to earn a degree in night school proved to be a humbling and worthwhile experience for Nordegren:

I was inspired by your passion to reach your goals and you fueled mine. When you told me stories about your full-time day jobs, about coming home to cook dinner for your families and about making sure your children were cared for while attending classes, you inspired me.

The ex-wife of the world’s most famous golfer also couldn’t help but take a few swings at her famous former half:

When I entered my student advisor office in the fall of 2005, I was 25 years old, I had just recently moved to America, I was married without children. Today, nine years later, I’m a proud American, and I have two beautiful children… but I’m no longer married.”

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