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Motivational
Speaker Stedman Graham Appears at UNCP
by Sheri Sides
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Stedman
Graham (left) with Chancellor and Mrs. Allen Meadors
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In an address on
the campus of The University of North Carolina at Pembroke, motivational
speaker and best-selling author Stedman Graham challenged students to
reach their potential
He spoke as part
of UNCP's continuing Black History Month celebration. He appeared at
the Martin Luther King, Jr. Service Awards Banquet.
Graham presented
awards to student organizations for their service to the community.
The North Carolina Martin Luther King Jr. Commission and the UNCP Office
of Student Activities sponsored the event.
Graham's leadership
development programs are used by major corporations, and his New
York Times best selling book, "You Can Make it Happen,"
explains his nine-step plan for personal success.
"The greatest
gift in the world is being able to be what you want," Graham said.
"In this country, you have the ability to do and be anything, but
the question is do you know how?"
"For a long
time, I let the world define who I was because of where I came from,
or because of my race," Graham said. "You may need to eliminate
all of that junk."
Graham is from nearby
Lake Waccamaw and was raised in New Jersey. He is an adjunct professor
at the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.
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Mike DeCinti,
with WNCP-TV,
interviews Graham
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The tall and athletic-appearing
Graham is also well known as Oprah Winfrey's "significant other."
He lectures around the world about escaping society's labels and making
and rising towards your own.
"Being in a
relationship with a strong woman is tough," Graham said. "I've
got to define myself because all of you already have a preconceived
notion of who I am."
Graham delivered
his message to a gathering of 30 students. He also appeared on WNCP-TV,
UNCP's television stations and signed books at the University Center
following the banquet.
Alpha Phi Alpha
fraternity took first place and $300 for the most hours of community
service at the Maxton Youth Opportunities program. The Interested Ladies
of Lambda Theta Alpha sorority, the university's first Latin sorority
won second and $200 for their work at the Palmer drug prevention program.
The African American Student Organization came in third for their work
with the Reading Rainbow program in Scotland and Robeson counties.
Sheri Sides is
a junior Mass Communications major.
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