Senior Class President Ty’Chell Poindexter: You Belong Here!
Remarks of Senior Class President Ty’Chell Poindexter
On the Occasion of the Cap and Gown Ceremony
October 24, 2026 in Notre Dame Chapel
Good morning, President McGuire, Trinity Washington University, faculty, staff, family, friends, and most importantly my beautiful Gold Class sisters. My name is Ty’Chell Poindexter and I have the honor of serving as the president of the Gold Class of 2027. Wow, it’s hard to believe we have reached this point in our journey and we are on the cusp of graduation and achieving a goal that we have set for ourselves. The great author, poet, and activist, Dr. Maya Angelou, once stated, “I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it.” I will use those words as inspiration to shape my brief greeting to you today.
Gold Class we made it, we are here! Today, as I stand here before you I cannot help but to reflect on our collective journey. In this beautiful chapel many of us received our freshman medal as we signed the honor code and today in this same chapel we are leaving as scholars attaining senior status. Some of us may have begun four years ago, some five, or maybe even longer but regardless of the length of time it took you to get here, you have made it this moment in time. Our journey has not been perfect, and it has not always gone according to plan. But through every challenge we have continued to show up for not only ourselves but our sisters we have gained here at Trinity.
Each of us has a story and I acknowledge that no two are the same. We have experienced illness, stress, burnout, and doubt. Some of us have had to balance school while being caregivers, parents, employees, and students all at the same time. Even after these experiences we still found a way to show up for ourselves, make it to class, completing assignments, and pursue our dreams. But look at us, we are still here giving it our all!
Gold Class we are the true definition of resilience. We are more than just peers, we are women who have uplifted one another, who have witnessed each other’s growth, victories, and challenges. We represent women who have faced barriers but refused to allow those barriers to define their future. Every sacrifice, every tear, every late night, and every moment we doubted ourselves has brought us to this very moment.
As your Class President, I want you to know that I am proud of us as determined women; we have come so far, and even through our challenges we continued, when it was hard and we struggled to see a clear path for ourselves- but most importantly we never gave up. As we continue on this journey to graduation, I want every woman here to know that you earned your place here, you belong here, so yes this journey may have been challenging but keep going you got this because your future is worth fighting for.
In closing, I will leave you with this quote from First Lady Michelle Obama that resonates with me and I hope will inspire you, too. “There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish.” Our strength has carried us this far, so let’s keep pushing, keep believing, and keep showing up- not for only ourselves but for the women beside us. Next stop, graduation! Congratulations to my fellow sisters in the class of 2027!
Thank you.
