Kira Cunningham

Seminar in Composition

Essay Draft 1

Opening Music

Introduction: A monologue style introduction introducing yourself and your topic (introduction and
central thesis)
In my experience, I have seen the way that people interact with each other. It’s not a matter of what
they can do for another or how they can better someone’s life but rather a task that they’re invested in
that is a part of their own life. My name is Kira Cunningham and I am a freshman at the University of
Pittsburgh. I have seen that there are various opportunities for each one of us to impact those around
us. Through volunteer work with Pitt Serves, leadership opportunities from Student Affairs, and jumping
into classrooms outside of our own for children, the change is right there in front of us.

Segue: Could be musical or a sound effect

Topic 1: Talk for about 1-2 minutes

Each of us have our own specialties and interests that motivate us to act upon them. Sometimes they’re
things that we have never thought ourselves to do or have even known about, but what we do know is
that they can be done now. Pitt Serves is an organization under Student Affairs that provides many
different opportunities of service to the greater community of Pittsburgh. Some programs that are set in
place through Pitt Serves range from planting trees and landscaping on one of the region’s largest days
of service, Make a Difference Day, or remodeling homes and going to younger schools during Alternative
Break. Each October, over 4,000 students, alumni, staff and faculty join to serve our community on Pitt
Make a Difference Day. During Alternative Break, Pitt Serves and other students take trips to local and
Global locations around us to serve others. Not only can students at Pitt make a difference through
service to each other, but they are also given the chance to make a difference within themselves by
reflecting on their individual growth and development through service work, just like you can.

Vocal Segue: “We are going to move on and talk about…”

Topic 2: Talk for about 1-2 minutes

From the time that we were young, we have been told that we are capable of more than we know yet
we set our sights on only the opportunities that are presented to us. This means that we are not aware
of the various other opportunities that are out there. The University of Pittsburgh allows us to explore
our chances to discover what exactly we are capable of. The opportunities here are presented to us but
with goals to further our development in leadership and what it means to be inclusive towards everyone
around us. One of the most prominent programs here at Pitt reaches out to provide leadership
opportunities and offer dynamic programming in the areas of diversity and culture- it is called Cross
Cultural & Leadership Development. Acknowledging diversity and uniqueness is a concept that expands
to many aspects of Pitt and across the Pittsburgh community which is very important because it allows
individuals to open their minds to the acceptance of each person around them.

Musical segue

Topic 3: Talk for about 1 minutes

I have been given first hand the opportunity to be apart of the process to make a difference in others’
lives. Here at Pitt, I am involved in a program called JumpStart that provides support to preschool
children ages 3-5 outside of our own classrooms and in the communities around us in Pittsburgh. Talking
with one of the JumpStart’s Site Managers, Kim Goldstein responded to the question “What is
JumpStart’s mission for young children? What do members set out to do for them?” … (insert
interview)… Not only does this impact children’s lives and our own by working with them, but also
the communities of Pittsburgh as their children are the basis of a hopeful future.

Closing remarks, thank the audience

Closing music

Think of all the different opportunities that college presents to you. The endless amount of students
your age, the helpful professors, and the independence of living on your own. These are the tasks we
invest ourselves to that revolve around us. But why don’t we make more of it and push further out there
to build relationships? We can and we will because not only will the connections we build influence
ourselves, but they will also make an impact on those around us and the community all together. How?
Through the programs presented here at the University of Pittsburgh- volunteer work, leadership roles,
and even educational resources reaching out to others. All right here, waiting to be implicated on to
make that difference between doing something for one’s self and another. I have seen the great
potential to change, and so have you.
Welcome. I am Kira Cunningham speaking of the influential and successful impacts of school programs
on people, internal and external to the University of Pittsburgh. Within the University, organizations
work to spark individuals to reach out to the community of Pittsburgh whether it is volunteer work,
student led events, or even educational opportunities for younger children. All these opportunities are
provided here at Pitt and set a baseline to connect to residents of Pittsburgh.