Mary Carillo, the Emmy Award-winning sportscaster and former professional tennis player, delivered the commencement address at Elon University in May 2014. Known for her sharp wit and storytelling ability on broadcasts from Wimbledon to the Olympics, Carillo brought the same qualities to her speech — mixing humor with heartfelt sincerity. This quote came near the beginning of the address, where Carillo deliberately lowered the stakes. She wasn't asking the graduates to cure cancer or end poverty. She was asking for something simpler and, in her view, more powerful: kindness. If you're kind to one person, and that person is kind to someone else, 'that's how this great spinning world of ours really changes — one gesture at a time.' The modesty of the ask made it more compelling, not less.