Valedictory Address

"Valedictory Address" (18 May 2006): 1-3. (UA Case 68, Box 3).

Dr. McLaughlin, honored guests, professors and teachers, family and friends, and last but certainly not least, fellow graduates, good afternoon and welcome. It is with great honor and pleasure that I stand (and yes I am standing) here on behalf of the graduating class of 2006.

At long last, we are able to concur with the individual who once stated that "the tassel’s worth the hassle." Seeing as we all are seated, or standing, as the case may be, in a sea of tassels, without a doubt, we may agree that this diploma we now hold has been worth the hassle. Every assignment, tutorial, midterm, exam and research and term paper have finally paid off. Gone are the headaches, the sleepless nights (all-nighter), the coffee induced mornings and endless hours at the library -- unless of course professional or graduate school lies ahead.

First of all, I'd like to take a moment to acknowledge and extend a heartfelt thank you to our many family and friends, many of who have traveled far in order to be here today. Your encouragement and support towards each one of us has been greatly appreciated. Over the past four years, many of you have shared our disappointments and we are thrilled to have you here to share our success as well. For everything you have done for us and for all you have meant to us, today, we honor you.

To the faculty and staff of UNB, thank you for teaching us. For your patience, your willingness to share your work and knowledge and for the opportunities you presented to us, we thank you.

In September of 2002, I came to UNB, 18 and incredibly overwhelmed. By 2006,I wanted to accomplish two things: graduate and reach five feet tall. Suffice it to say, one of out two isn't so bad. On a more serious note, despite the intense desire to drop everything and return home after the first semester, I stayed. And I haven't any regrets.

Undoubtedly, these past four years have been unforgettable. I have learned far more than textbooks, theories or the dreaded scientific pathways could teach me. Here at UNB, I was, as we all were, a student of science, but even more than that, a student of life. I have discovered a great deal about myself that I never knew prior to university, developing a greater determination to pursue my ambitions in order to see them realized. Truthfully, if I, or any of us, were asked to reiterate what we have learned in terms of knowledge, we'd fall dreadfully short of being able to tell you all that we have learned. Much of what we have learned cannot be found in our textbooks.

University life has taught me how to think for myself and even more importantly, how to think openly and objectively. We were given opportunities to explore, to learn, to open our minds and to challenge ourselves. As a result, we have grown and matured into more knowledgeable and more responsible, confident adults.

In preparation for today, I asked a few of my friends to elaborate about their time at UNB. One memorable thing we all agreed upon is the friendships that we have sown and grown. As I was browsing through the Internet the other day, I found a quote on the subject of friendship that could be readily applied to today: "You meet people who forget you. You forget people you meet. But sometimes you meet those people you can't forget. Those are your friends." It is here at UNB that I have made some of my greatest and dearest friends and I will always remember our time here. Yet, as this ceremony comes to a close and I congratulate my fellow graduates on this great accomplishment, I am anxious to leave because although leaving may be bittersweet, I want to remind us all that the best is yet to come.

Although many individuals claim that these years are the best years of our lives, I beg to differ. In fact, I want to emphasize that the best is yet to come. Please don't get me wrong, the past four years at UNB have contained some of the most memorable moments and days of my life, along with some of the most horrid, stressful days I've known, but they have all helped me grow into the person standing before you. We have all learned science and while for me, it was biology in particular, far beyond all the academic education, I will remember the people I have met and the opportunities UNB has created.

I will look back at these years fondly, as good days, even great days, but not the best days. They are yet ahead for each of us. UNB has been instrumental in preparing us for our future. As much as we appreciate the education in our selected fields, it is those things that often remain unspoken, those things which tuition did not pay for that will leave an indelible mark on our future. Here at UNB, we have met future colleagues and made connections that may open doors for us in the future.

As we move ahead, we will look behind us and take a glimpse at what used to be while we were at UNB, but a glimpse is just a glance, it lasts but for a moment. However, life is not to be lived in those moments where we look back. Let us leave and go forward from UNB with our heads held high. I challenge both myself and fellow graduates to always move forward with our heads held high looking far ahead. To pursue every hope and dream with enthusiasm, confident in who we are and what we know, from where we've come and how much we've grown. We will at times fail but failure is not final. When the day comes where you face failure, take it, learn from it and move on.

We are graduating, but our education is not complete by any means, for Newton Baker stated that "the man [or woman] who graduates today and stops learning tomorrow is uneducated the day after." I encourage each and every one of us to pursue education even as we leave UNB. Let "life be your college" as Louisa May Alcott claimed. And I follow her lead in saying "may you graduate well and earn some honors."

And as I come to a close, I wish to leave my fellow graduates with a quote by one of the greatest writers, Dr. Seuss: "You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. You are the guy who'll decide where to go."

To the class of 2006, I wish you all the best. Thank you.