Bohdan Andrashko-Kubini: Don't just make lemonade. Demand the whole lemonade stand.

They say, When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Well, in my life, I received a lot of lemons. If you told me a few years ago that I’d be standing here as a commencement speaker today, I would have never believed it.

I grew up in Ukraine. My dad left when I was one, I was raised by my mom and my older sister, and my grandad was imprisoned in Soviet Concentration camps–Gulags–for speaking Ukrainian. Financial instability was a given. At 18, I dropped out of university in Slovakia. I was in the wrong major, I didn't speak the language, and I couldn’t afford it. So I told myself I would never go back to school. I thought I was smarter than the system.

I spent years chasing a surface-level 'success' in Europe. I worked hostel night shifts, landed a startup job in Budapest, Hungary, and thought I had life figured out—until I lost $20,000 in crypto scams. I wanted to get rich quick; instead, I was humbled. I realized that looking “successful” on Instagram isn't the same as actually being successful in real life, especially as my home country is going through a war.

At 22, I left everything behind to move to the U.S. for a fresh start. But the "American Dream" didn't start with a red carpet. It started with driving broken auction cars in Pennsylvania, selling donations on the streets in Florida, and watching debt pile up. Many in my position gave up and went back to Europe. But I refused.

By 24, and once life became more stable, I started asking deeper questions. What am I doing and where am I going? I have my family that rely on me, my mom in Ukraine that still wants to see her son actually do something meaningful, my nephews and nieces who seek guidance and inspiration from their uncle, and my realization – there’s more to life than just paying bills and trying to survive.

Education started becoming more appealing – but I felt lost and didn’t know how to start. Depression started creeping in. I decided to travel North and move in with my sister’s family in Illinois. Few weeks later I was driving on the highway one day, and saw a sign: “Elgin Community College.” I pulled over and Googled “What are community colleges?”–a concept that doesn’t exist in Europe–and walked in.

Today, 1 year and 4 months later, I’m graduating with a 4.0 GPA and an Associate’s degree. At ECC I used every opportunity given to me: acting in theater, student government officer, Consumers Credit Union student advisory board member, PTK member, speech team member (shout out Tim Anderson!), even a tennis player. I stand here as a nationally recognized DREAM Scholar–1 out of 8 in the nation, an Honors student, and an Ivy League admit. But more importantly, I stand here with a realization: The world is full of bright minds, but it is not always full of opportunities. ECC gave us that opportunity. It transformed me. And I’m sure it transformed so many of you.

The path to this stage wasn't easy for any of us. We’ve all had those moments—feeling lost, sleepless nights studying, lonely hours in your car, multiple jobs... We asked ourselves – was it all even worth it? Some of us faced loss; others faced doubt from the very people who should have always been in our corner. Everyone faced constant financial pressure. But we kept choosing education over and over again.

And now graduates, look around. We did this! Whether you are an adult returning to school, an international student, or someone who simply refused to give up—it was worth it.

You should cherish this moment. Because, maybe, for the first time in your life you proved to yourself – you can finish what you start. You can go through challenges. You can look faith in the eye and say “I dare you!” I dare you to dream big, to not settle for what you think you “deserve” and always know: “life always bends to the will of those who dare to dream.”

Now it’s time to be grateful to our families, friends, and everyone who supported us. Personally, I’d like to thank my older sister Marianna who believed in me from the day I was born. My mom who brought me to this world at 40. And all my relatives–both in America and Ukraine–who kept going no matter how hard it was, especially my grandad Gabriel Kubini.

Thank you, President Heinrich, for your accessible leadership–from joining club meetings to organizing yoga sessions, you were always there. Thank you to the TRiO team–(shout out Emma Neeper), the Foundation, as well as advisors and administrators who work really hard behind the scenes to make our education seamless (shout out John Long!).

And thank you to all of our professors! Especially David Packard, whose motto “Good grades, good major, good school” inspired me to reach further. Kellen Bolt, who made me feel like English is my native language. Catherine Matson, whose psychology group projects made me think like a leader.

It is true, I was selected by multiple Ivy League institutions. So next fall, I’ll continue my studies in economics at Brown University on a full-ride scholarship. I know it was ECC that prepared me for that stage, but more importantly, Elgin Community College prepared me for life.

ECC is not just a school—it’s a powerful launchpad. Spartans, we are about to walk across this stage with a key that can unlock any door in the world.

And you don’t have to go to Ivy League school to be successful and happy – but you do need to use every opportunity available in your next school, whether that’s studying diligently at NIU, getting nursing internships at UIC, or joining business competitions at U of I.

Because now—you don’t just have a degree.

You have proof.

Proof that you can start over.

Proof that you can endure.

Proof that you can win.

So when next time life gives you lemons—and it will—remember this: don’t just make lemonade. Demand the whole lemonade stand.

Congratulations, graduating class of 2026!