U.S. Secretary of Education, Dr. Miguel A. Cardona , delivered his “Vision for Education in America” speech on January 22nd, 2022 to inspire students and adults of all ages to continue their education and reach their full potential while Federal and State governments do everything in their power to help support them. Dr. Cardona's purpose is to help students all across America persevere in their studies. He achieves this by using deductive reasoning throughout the speech, appealing to emotion and credibility by sympathizing with people’s hardships to make sure they are heard and using his position and quotes by others to increase his credibility. He adopts an inspirational and optimistic tone in order to motivate children and adults to keep pushing forward with education through hardships. 

Dr. Miguel A. Cardona begins his speech with a promise to all Americans that the Department of Education and the Departments of Commerce will aid them in pursuing higher education no matter their age and at any point in their career. He further increases his credibility by referring to his credentials as a member of the Department of Education. He states, “At the Department of Education, we will work with our partners in the Departments of Commerce and Labor to develop career preparation programs that will run through our community colleges” (Cardona). By utilizing pronouns such as we and including the Department of Education, Cardona solidifies his credibility with the audience. Through the use of “we”, he ensures that the audience recognizes him as a part of the federal government that manages schools and the education of all students.

 For every new topic, Dr. Cardona effectively uses deductive reasoning to catch the audience’s attention and go in depth about each subject. He starts off with a promise to show that he is a reliant figure during these turbulent times. Cardona assures, “We will continue to invest in colleges that serve underrepresented groups, and we will prioritize and increase grants from the Department of Education that allow any American—at any age or point in their career—to pursue higher education” (Cardona). Dr. Cardona is cognizant of his audience, and knows that they need a leader and reassurance during the Covid-19 pandemic. He is aware that parents worry about their children’s education and his fellow educators are exhausted because of this new change. Cardona aims to bring hope for teachers, parents, students, and more at times when receiving education is strenuous. 

Moreover, Dr. Miguel A. Cardona strives to be a pillar of hope to those in difficult situations. His inspirational tone is undeniable throughout the speech, and he emphasizes the impact that education has on the success of the country. He states, “While we did not sign up to serve during a pandemic, we did sign up to serve students. Your work today will have a greater impact on our country because of the time in which you are serving” (Cardona). It is evident in this quote that Dr. Cardona value’s education for people of all ages and sees it as a way to come together to improve the future of this country. Using an inspirational tone throughout the speech is an effective way to motivate everyone, to receive higher education and to put in effort for themselves and the future. 

U.S Secretary Dr. Cardona is aware of the current struggles of students. There are a plethora of obstacles that prevent or make it difficult for students to learn and for educators to teach. He spoke to empathize and assure everyone that the federal government is doing everything they can to lighten the workload that was put onto them. Cardona shows that he is cognizant of the struggle the people of America are facing and that he is here with them, working together with everyone. He hopes to leave everyone with a new hope and motivation to continue giving students or themselves the education that they deserve.