Megan Eisenstein has been selected as the 2026 Lawrence University student commencement speaker. A student known for her curiosity, creativity, and commitment to bringing people into civic life, Megan’s academic path was not always clear.
“I didn’t really know where I was going academically,” Eisenstein said. “I just wanted to try everything.”
That openness to discovery ultimately led Eisenstein to a major in Government, where she found her passion, while also exploring dance, data science, and statistics along the way, shaping her studies into a blend of logic and creativity.
“Throughout my time in college I’ve really started to think of my relationship with myself and my surroundings rather than how I relate to other people or what other people think of me,” she said. “Focusing on my own experience actually opened me up to other people further because I really started thinking about my own self.”
Of course, Eisenstein was not on the journey alone. She had a community of Lawrentians cheering her on. She deeply valued her professors and the opportunities they presented to students, she said, as well as the broader community that has been pivotal in shaping her experience.
“Being humble and supportive for other people is not only amazing because you’re helping others, but it also helps you be your best self,” she said. “I’ve found that in every space I’ve been,” adding that just being surrounded by authentic, expressive peers has had a lasting impact on her. “I want to take that with me wherever I go because the world needs more of that.”
Choosing Joy
Eisenstein’s choir director, Dr. Philip Swan, also made a lasting impact when he told the group that ‘joy is a choice.’
Eisenstein initially found that proclamation confusing … how could you choose joy? Upon further reflection, however, the statement began to resonate with her.
“If you notice joy around you and you think about what you're grateful for, you're going to be joyous even when circumstances are difficult,” she said.
If there is one message Eisenstein wants her audience to take away from her remarks at commencement, it is that joy is powerful and can fuel us as we move through our ever-changing world.
“You just notice it around you, and you find things that make you happy,” she said. “Realizing that helps carry you through difficult things.”
As Eisenstein reflects on her time at Lawrence, she sees more than an academic experience, but a personal journey shaped by community, curiosity, and small moments of joy … lessons she will share from the commencement stage and take with her into her life after Lawrence.
