I wrote a speech for my college graduation. A speech I loved but couldn’t yet understand. One year later I have revisited my piece and can finally appreciate it, and most importantly, feel a sense of conviction. Much thought, ideas, non-sense, leave me and enter text. My hopes are this is one of the more remarkable.
Greetings and good afternoon, I would like to thank the President, Provost, Trustees, Staff, Friends and Family for the opportunity to speak on this grand occasion. But most of all, these words are for us, the College Class of 2010.
As you pack up the last of your belongings today, make sure you do not forget anything. Over our four years here we have acquired a great deal of items, from the screwdriver the school gifted us our freshman year, to the free t-shirts, and in a matter of minutes, our diplomas. Look closely and make sure you do not leave anything you might miss. If I can beg anything of you, don’t forget your tools!
The next part of our journey begins with our tool belt; the selection in the belt should be well rounded to optimize your personal success. Well-rounded, how many times have we heard those words? What does it mean to you? Well-rounded to me means having more than one tool in your tool belt. Don’t become Peter Avradopolous. Who is Mr. Peter Avradopolous you ask? Well he was the landlord of my teacher, Alane’s house when she was in undergrad, and more so, a repairman that regardless of the task would show up with his tool belt around his waist, withjust one tool, his hammer. It did not matter if it was the furnace, electric, or leaky pipes that needed attention, he brought the only tool he knew. If the hammer did not suffice, Mr. Avradopolous would conclude he was not doing anything wrong, it simply could not be fixed. We’ll never know for sure if a wrench or screwdriver could have made a difference, but I’m betting it would have. When you leave campus today and approach further growing experiences, be sure to carry multiple tools in your belt.
Everyone here has a unique set of tools acquired over the past years. My International Business tool belt looks a little different than that of a Fine Art major. But upon closer inspection, there are a few tools that we have all been given, and those are the ones that can help us fix the most.
The first tool we were given was an open mind. Look around, are your closest friends exactly who you thought they’d be before you arrived here? Or have you found value in someone with a background very different from yours. Once, four years ago as a young cynical liberal from Cleveland, Ohio, I sat down next to a conservative, Petroleum Engineering major, who loved sunshine and paisley. I thought to myself…this isn’t going to work. But it did, and a valuable friendship and support system blossomed. Push yourself to seek out the different. Go ahead and make yourself a little uncomfortable everyday, you’ll never know what your limits are until you reach them, if there are any limits at all. Conflicts are not resolved by being dogmatic, and progress is made through creative thinking and acceptance.
Put on your engineering hat, as Dr. Lipset, an engineering professor would say. Never hesitate to question and see if there’s a better option. Never settle for okay, when you can achieve remarkable heights. During our time here, I have even heard our class practice using our engineering hats. Why did we have a practice pandemic day freshmen year? How can I attain the intramural champion apparel? What is the best strategy for planning my senior year Doo Dah Day? Critical thinking is crucial. It is constant evaluation that breeds improvement. Question yourself, question others. Hesitate to criticize, do not make your questions accusatory or leading, and you may be surprised what you learn about others, and especially yourself.
Always keep the blue prints of the big picture in your pocket. We are all parts that add up to a whole. We have contributed to the whole of this college with our academic, athletic, and personal involvement. How will you add to the world? Never lose sight of the greater family, organization, or company you are in. Keep the grander picture in your frame, and your values, decisions, and actions will follow. But we have done enough little things to make a big difference. There’s a bridge in the Kroger wetlands now, children at Washington elementary have been mentored, and the westward bound statue at Muskingum Park has been repeatedly cleaned.
In one of your pouches, you will find a globe. We no longer exist in a microcosm; you must consider the macro environment. The world is flat, thanks to workflow software, outsourcing, and digital devices according to Thomas Friedman. It is also hot and crowded now too, he says. At Marietta, it is becoming difficult to teach separate classes for business and international business, as it is practically all the same. I had the opportunity to put my Chinese Language studies to use in Beijing, China this past summer. Going from a school of 1400 to a city of 20 million was, to say the least, a culture shock. The buildings, population and language barrier were overwhelming. I overcame the obstacles I faced by finding comfort in the little things. The beauty of Chinese etiquette, being in a city that never slept, and developing friendships with Chinese students over dumplings made the transition not only bearable, but enjoyable as well. Rather than take away my American ideals, living in China enriched my life and cultural awareness. It a blessing to have international students alongside us in class. When you go out and work alongside someone from a different country, reach out to him or her. Give it the old college try. Learning to respect other cultures with the capacity to work through differences is invaluable.
Next to the globe is your leadership manual. Through our time here we have all developed as leaders. We have all been leaders at some point, whether you were captain of your sports team, leader of your capstone group, or the person who lead your friends down to the Townhouse. Some of us more readily accept leadership positions, are outspoken, and thrive in the spotlight. While others are the unspoken leaders, the ones who bring out the best in others, and at the end of the day the group will say, “we did it on our own” without realizing they have a quiet hero on their hands.
A leader that will always stick out in my mind is my friend Kate. She is an alumna from the class of 2009, a member of Phi Beta Kappa, a former sorority president, and most of all a reverent leader. Through turmoil and stress, I never once heard Kate raise her voice. She chose her words carefully when she spoke, but rather than speak, she listened. Kate lent her ear without judgment. She knew when to just nod and understand, but more so when to offer advice and put things in perspective. She earned everyone’s respect through her actions, never demanded praise, but never hesitated to commend others for their accomplishments no matter how seemingly miniscule. My hope is that the great leaders in our time will embody these characteristics.
Always leave room in your belt for more tools. Remember, you’re not done learning. Constant education is key to success in your life, whether it is work, family, or other personal goals. Continual learning is perhaps the most important tools, as new tools become available, do not be afraid to use them. Who knows, something you might be the greatest at might not even be invented yet. Glade Byron Addams, a thoughtful poet, said, “chase down your passion like it’s the last bus of the night.”
Our tool belts have become heavier in the past four years. With our open minds to see the projects, our engineering hats to analyze with, blueprints of the picture to consider, the globe to reference, leadership skills to guide us, and some empty space to remind us that our collection is never quite complete. With these tools I challenge you to use them everyday, use them to do great things, use them in every little thing you do. Take your tools home with you, take them to your first day of work, or the first day of grad school, just don’t leave them here!
In a show long ago called Boy Meets World, Mr. Feeny told Topanga to “do good” she laughed and replied, “Don’t you mean ‘do well’?” “No” he said to her “I mean do good.”
Class, take your tools with you, and do good.
