At barely 7 a.m. on May 14, under overcast skies, more than 5,000 people snaked their way to the security checkpoint. Anticipation built as we wound our way through cordoned lanes to hear President Obama deliver the commencement speech to the nearly 600 females in the graduating class of Barnard College of Columbia University. A graduate of Columbia University himself, the president exemplified the diversity of the Barnard class and understood overcoming obstacles to achieve success. While his overall speech resonated with everyone in the crowd both graduates and onlooking parents these excerpts really hit home:
“Of course, as young women, you’re also going to grapple with some unique challenges, like whether you’ll be able to earn equal pay for equal work.”
