If the Georgia Institute of Technology experiences a sudden surge in applications, and donations, administrators probably have Nicholas Selby to thank.
The energetic mechanical engineering major delivered a rousing welcome speech to freshmen on Sunday that puts William Wallace's stirring oratory from Braveheart to shame. "We chose Georgia Tech because we want to do the impossible," Selby said, and we believe him.
Backed by Strauss' "Also Sprach Zarathustra" (y'know, the theme from 2001: A Space Odyssey), he quotes Sir Isaac Newton -- "If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants" -- before launching into a sermon so fiery, and so wonderful, that the video has gone viral. Not only are Georgia Tech's freshmen now more confident in their choice of schools, but thousands on campuses around the world are now questioning their own.
"Our mission as students is not to follow in the footsteps of astronauts, poet laureates and presidents who graduated before us but to exceed their footsteps, crush the shoulders of the giants on whom we stand," he said, his vocal chords straining. But he was only getting started.
"We here are all such innovative people. So I am telling you: If you want to change the world, you're at Georgia Tech! You can do that! If you want to build the Iron Man suit, you're at Georgia Tech! You can do that! If you want to play theme music during your convocation speech like a bad ass, we're at Georgia Tech, we can do that! I am doing that!"
Now watch the video below, enroll at Georgia Tech and then go out and build that Iron Man suit. You can do that, because Nicholas Selby said you can.