Bridget Gilroy ’14, Staff Writer
Hannah Farrell will deliver The First Lecture.
On Tuesday February 25, senior Hannah Farrell will give The First Lecture. The First Lecture presents a student with the opportunity to formally speak about what is important to him or her to the Merrimack community.
How were you selected to give the First Lecture?
I was nominated anonymously, and once I accepted my nomination, I was interviewed by Father Ray (Duglos) and members of SGA. The interview was conversation style, and lasted around fifteen minutes.
What does it mean to you to give the First Lecture?
First and foremost, I am beyond honored to be the student selected to give this year’s First Lecture. It is wonderful to be considered in the same league as those who have spoken in past years as well as the students who received nominations along with myself this year. Other than that, I am also very excited for the opportunity!
What have you done to prepare for it?
To prepare for the First Lecture, I began brainstorming anything and everything I thought I would maybe want to talk about. I have kept either a notepad or a pad of sticky notes on me at all times just in case I thought of something that I wanted to add.
What was the most challenging part?
I would have to say there is a tie for most challenging aspect. For starters, I am one of the world’s biggest procrastinators! Even after four years of college I still have not been able to rid my life of the all night homework sessions. I have worked extremely hard to make sure that I am prepared to give my speech when 7pm rolls around on February 25th. Other than being a procrastinator, I also struggled with making my speech sound like an actual speaking engagement. I am a strong writer, but I have found that there is a huge difference between paper writing and speech writing.
What do you plan on focusing your speech around?
My speech will be focused around my biggest passion in life, which is teaching, and how that passion has permanently ingrained itself into every aspect of my life.
What aspect of the First Lecture are you most excited about?
I am most excited to have the opportunity to not only share my greatest passion, but also to have to opportunity to explain people why it is my greatest passion. It will also be the first time in twenty one years that I will be able to talk at my brothers without interruptions!
What are you hoping the audience will gain from your speech?
I hope the audience can gain some sort of insight from my words. Nothing drastic of course, but if one person walks out of Cascia maybe considering something in a way that he or she never has before, then I will have done my job.
This year’s First Lecture will be given on Tuesday February 25 at 7pm in Cascia Hall.
