05/17/2026
Read Maggie Vittorini's heartwarming speech from communication commencement:
Hi everyone! For those who don't know me, my name is Maggie Vittorini. I'm actually not even a communication major, I am getting my degree in liberal arts. If you are sitting there wondering: Why is a liberal arts major making a speech at the communication graduation? My short answer is: I was voluntold by Professor Forrest. We all know how he loves to do that…Regardless, I am genuinely honored to have the opportunity to speak today. I am equally honored that, to some, I am considered an honorary communication major. I want to share my story here at Atlantic Cape, and express my gratitude for the communication program, as well as the communication awards club. This past academic year has changed me in a significant number of ways and it started with getting involved.
I first started at Atlantic Cape in 2020. Everything was online due to the pandemic, and I hated it. I would log on to Zoom and fall asleep during class, or just skip class altogether. I would turn in assignments late or on time but just with a minimum amount of effort put into them… I just wasn't the best student. Once classes were in person, I was hopeful that I would socialize and start to enjoy school more. I didn't. I was quiet, anxious, and directionless. I started to go through the motions: drive to class, sit in the back silently, observe, and leave. I felt lonely at Atlantic Cape: roaming the halls aimlessly with my head down, refusing to speak or make eye contact with anybody. I took several gap semesters as well, which pushed me further behind. These gap semesters stemmed from my negative feelings about school. I had a major lack of motivation, direction, confidence, and most of all, community.
In the fall of 2024, I began to panic about my future. I impulsively switched my major from liberal arts to health science. I was hoping that this would give me a clearer career path. After a year of classes under this new major, I was more burnt out than ever. It wasn’t the right fit, and I felt even less passionate about school, if that was somehow possible. In the fall of 2025, I changed my major back to liberal arts and discovered I only had a handful of classes left in order to get my degree. This is when I enrolled in my first Forrest class.
I had expected these classes to go the same as they always have: Drive to class, sit in the back silently, observe, and leave. However, this was a Forrest class. It didn't take me long to figure out that simply going through the motions would not work. I remember on the very first day he was going over the syllabus and began to explain the 3 rules of communication. Immediately a majority of the class joined in with him to say it in unison: work hard, support each other, get involved - I thought, “Oh God. What did I get myself into?” What I wasn't aware of at that time was how much I would actually get myself into.
Forrest makes his classes engaging; it's almost impossible NOT to participate or want to participate. I desperately wanted to but I was shy and struggling to speak up. Forrest took note of this, pulling me aside and speaking to me after class one day. We had a long conversation that boiled down to him encouraging me to get involved. He recommended the Communication Awards Club.
I had never joined a club in my entire life. All throughout school, I was never interested in extra curricular activities: I was too introverted for them. But I figured when else am I going to have the chance to be in a club? Maybe this club was just the opportunity I needed to get out of my introverted, self loathing funk.
The Communication Awards Club truly did get out of my shell. I became the Student Government Representative, meaning that I was the line of communication between the student government and our club. I also had the honor of writing the script for the awards show with my now close friend, Maleah Moore. Working alongside Maleah on the script, amongst the other awards show intricacies, was a privilege and I am so glad that this club allowed us to bond and become great friends with one another.
I am grateful that Forrest believed in Maleah and I to handle the daunting task of organizing and writing the awards show. Forrest sees the potential in his students that they don't see in themselves—he saw it in me. Without Forrest, I would have never gotten involved and realized the potential I wasn’t tapping into. It is clear that Forrest wants nothing more than to see his students grow and succeed.
There is no denying that the communication program is a family, and they have welcomed me with open arms. I have made so many friends and acquaintances. It is refreshing to walk through the hallways and wave at people I know, smile at people I pass or even have a conversation with them. I began to look forward to class, not only to see my newfound friends but to actually contribute as well.
This past spring, I was also asked to mentor Women in American History. As the mentor, I served as a teaching assistant. I helped students throughout the course with things such as editing papers, advising about exams, quizzes, and other assignments. This has been such a special and rewarding experience for me that has helped build up my confidence. I enjoyed helping my fellow students…and also making sure Forrest doesn't get too off track in class…as he often does.
In just a short amount of time, I feel I have changed so much. This time last year, I wasn't even planning on attending my graduation— I was just going to wait for my degree to show up in the mailbox. The communication awards club and Forrest’s classes gave me the motivation to push through my final year of school. It has sparked my passion for school again. I have newfound passions for creating and writing. I am socializing more. I am just overall a happier person. I will always be working on my self confidence, but I can say that it is worlds higher than what it was a year ago. I never expected to accomplish as much as I have or be as involved as I was, but it was an incredibly important decision and factor in changing my life and my attitudes. I cherish the skills I have learned over the past year, and I especially cherish the people I have met that have helped me build those skills.
I want to thank my boyfriend, my friends and my family who showed up for me today. Their support and encouragement has helped me immensely over the course of this year, and I couldn’t have accomplished what I have without them either.
Congratulations, 2026 communication graduates! Thank you all for making my final year at ACCC so special.
*Introduce Forrest to podium
