Summertime is in the air, and so too are a sea of graduation caps tossed exuberantly by graduates exalting in that priceless joy of having successfully completed their studies. For our UWLA grads, and anyone else who is starting out on their own life’s journey, I applaud you and congratulate you on reaching this day. And I encourage you to continue to think big and push forward in pursuit of your dreams. Your full potential lies ahead of you, and with determination and courage, I am confident you will exceed your own expectations.

It is pretty much a tried-and-true tradition to have the heads of academic institutions offer sage advice to their graduates. And far be it from me to break with tradition. So, I’d like to share a few brief thoughts that I hope will be of value to our graduates and others who are embarking on the next phase of their professional lives. 

1.     Don’t BS a “BSer.”

By this I mean, don’t BS yourself. Being honest with yourself is crucial when deciding how to proceed in any situation. You may receive wise counsel from friends, family and colleagues you respect, but the first and most important voice that should guide you is your own. 

2.     People are either pushed by Pain or pulled by Passion.

Motivation comes in many forms. For some, a deeply rooted pain from the past inspires action and determination to do things differently, or to make a real difference. For others, a genuine passion and conviction fuels an unrelenting drive to succeed and create change. Regardless of what motivates you, be true to yourself and push to achieve your goals.  

3.     Know what you don’t know and don’t assume the rest.

Even the smartest person in the room can’t know everything. At the same time, the wisest person knows what he or she doesn’t know and seeks to gain insight into that with which they are unfamiliar. It is better not to assume one’s own expertise and instead develop a voracious appetite for knowledge and deeper understanding.   

4.     You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice that you have.

Life can always be counted on to test us in ways we can’t anticipate. Some of these tests are small and never push us out of our comfort zone. But other tests will challenge us to summon our inner strength. We all have the capacity within us to overcome the most difficult of odds. All it takes is a belief in oneself and the courage to envision the possibilities.

5.     What you achieve in the journey is not as important as what you become through the journey.

Setting the bar high for yourself is admirable and striving to achieve your professional goals is commendable. But what you make of yourself and the kind of person you become through your journey is what truly matters the most. 

6.     Education is the only investment that no one can take away from you.

Success and personal fortunes can ebb and flow, but the knowledge you have acquired in school, as well as in the classroom of life will always be with you. Your education is a foundation you will build on over a lifetime. It is an investment you have made in yourself that will always appreciate in value. 

7.     Knowing that you planted the flower is reason enough even though you may never yourself see it bloom.

Dreaming big, wanting to make a difference, and pushing the limits are all worthy aspirations. You may not achieve the ultimate change you seek, but your efforts may be instrumental in blazing a trail that others will follow. Let your passion guide you and be assured you are planting seeds that will someday bloom brightly. 

8.     Ensuring Equity is doing what each individual needs to make them feel nurtured and supported and not necessarily making certain that all are treated equally.

A level playing field doesn’t mean that some people get an unfair advantage, it simply means that everyone gets a similar, fair opportunity. But beyond that, creating real equity among a community or population is about fostering truly supported fairness, which means seeing that opportunities and support systems to achieve those opportunities are equally available to everyone. The real challenge can be that those support systems may vary widely from person to person.

To all who have graduated, and all who are ready to embark on the next phase of their professional journey, I want to congratulate you and encourage you to go forward boldly. The future is yours and I am excited to watch what you make of it.