Oprah Winfrey brings speech, gift to Colorado College graduates Sunday

For the 145th time, students graduated and received their diplomas Sunday at Colorado College in Colorado Springs.

The Sunday morning outdoor ceremony began at 8:30 a.m. on Tava Quad, renamed from Armstrong Quad to honor Native Americans who first settled in the area.

International celebrity Oprah Winfrey delivered the commencement address to an audience estimated at 6,000, including 571 graduates.

Winfrey spoke for 20 minutes and advised the graduates to be optimistic and positive about their futures.

“I had appreciation for the small steps, the seeds that were planted, the map and flow of my life that unfolded because I was paying attention,” she said. “You have to pay attention to your life because it is speaking to you all the time. Be yourself. Don’t let what you do and what you make define you.”

Winfrey said she was demoted from a news anchor to a talk show host at age 28.

“I wasn’t sure I wanted to stay in news and the demotion set me on the path to what I was meant to do. Just keep telling yourself that everything is always working out for you because it is, it has and it will.”

To that end, Winfrey surprised the graduates and faculty with free copies of her book, “The Path Made Clear,” a collection of wise sayings from people she has known.

Winfrey announced the gifts in the style with which she announced, on her TV show in 2004, that everyone in her audience would get a new car.

“You get a book, you get a book and everybody gets a book!” she said, as the audience responded with applause and laughter.

Heidi Lewis, an associate professor at the college, became emotional when thanking Winfrey for her accomplishments.

“You taught us how to be strong, smart and powerful,” she said. “You taught us which bridges to cross and which bridges to burn. You taught little black girls that anything is possible when everyone told us it wasn’t.”

Winfrey gave Lewis a supportive hug.

Graduate Megan Viozzi said she didn’t know much about Winfrey before Sunday.

“I have to admit that I didn’t follow her much at all,” Viozzi said. “But I think her work is incredible. I’m happy to have learned more about her.”

Other graduates said they found something to take away from Winfrey’s address.

“Having her here made the day more exciting but I think even if she wasn’t here, it would still be exciting,” said Lauren Wilmott.

“It was amazing having her here,” said Christopher Watters. “I learned that little things really matter.”

“It’s great that she took time to speak to us,” said Nathan Agarwal. “It shows that she thinks as highly of us as we do of her.”

“Just believe in yourself and have that self-confidence,” said Jordan Vick.

This was Winfrey’s second visit to the campus. She came to graduation in 2017 to support a former student from the academy she founded in South Africa and was asked by officials to speak at this year’s commencement when they learned another academy student graduated this year.