Jane Lynch described feeling paralyzed with fear when discussing post-graduation plans during her Cornell MFA years in the 1980s. She said she realized she had spoken the quiet truth aloud and then withdrew into a fetal state for the rest of the semester. She later overcame that fear, building a long acting career marked by major awards. In her Senior Convocation address, she urged Cornell’s Class of 2026 not to succumb to fear. She said that getting fear off one’s back and out from underneath it unleashes “awesome power” and supports a satisfying life. The Convocation program also included student performances, remarks, a video of seniors, and a closing rendition of the alma mater.
"“They all had such great hopes and seemed to have such solid ideas of where they were heading, had such confidence. And when it was my turn, I said, 'I don't see myself anywhere doing anything, because I'm paralyzed with fear,'” Lynch, MFA '84, said during her Senior Convocation address on May 21 in Barton Hall. “And there was silence, and I realized that I had said the quiet part out loud. I went into a fetal state the rest of that semester.”"
"“I have found, as an adult standing here before you,” she said, “that if you can get fear off your back, if you can just get out from underneath it, you unleash some awesome power, and you can live such a satisfying life.” Lynch's speech was the main event in a high-energy Convocation program that featured several student performance groups, including Taiko drum ensemble Yamatai and a cappella group The Hangovers; remarks from class members and Cornell administrators; a video featuring seniors looking back on their four years; and a rousing rendition of the alma mater to close."
"“While I can't tell you how to deal with the flurry of emotions that come with graduating, I do hope I can give voice to what you may be feeling and make you feel a little bit less alone as we all say our goodbyes,” said Chinaza Politis '26, an industrial and labor relations major and chair of the Convocation committee, before introducing Lynch."
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