2003 Fredericton Encaenia - Ceremony C
Valedictory Address
Delivered by: Hargrove, Levi
Content
“Valedictory address by Levi Hargrove, B.Sc.Eng.”(29 May 2003): 1-2. (UA Case 68, Box 1)
Your honour, Mr. Chancellor, Mr. President, honoured guests and faculty, fellow graduates, friends and family: I am truly honoured to be speaking to you today on behalf of the UNB graduating class of 2003.
For all of us, today is the culmination of four, five, six … or possibly even more … years of hard work. There have been hours upon hours of completing assignments, early morning classes, late nights at the library, full days on the computer, Friday afternoon labs, writing long term paper, and cramming for numerous final exams. But of course, as Mark Twain once said, “I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.”
A great deal of our education also occurred at the College Hill Social Club, the Neville House Bed Push, the Fall Freakout, the Woodsmen competitions, various society pub crawls and random nights cruising downtown Fredericton night spots. All of these experiences have helped to mould us into well-rounded individuals. Never forget those memories.
I would like to take this opportunity to tell you a story which has an important message for all of us.
A philosophy professor once stood before his students with several items in front of him. When the class began, he picked up a large Mason jar and proceeded to fill it to the brim with rocks which were each about three centimeters in diameter. He then placed the cover on the jar and asked the class if it was full. They all agreed that it was. The professor then took off the lid and poured smaller pebbles into the jar. These pebbles filled the spaces in between the larger rocks. He once again asked if the jar was full. The students once again agreed that it was.
Finally, he dumped sand into the jar, which filled all the spaces between the pebbles and the rocks. He then said, “I want you to recognize that this jar symbolizes your life.”
The rocks represent the important things in your life, such as your family, your health, your closest friends – the things that if lost would prove to be devastating. The pebbles represent other things in your life, but those that are secondary and not as important as the rocks – things like your job or your house. The sand represents everything else in your life, all the small and insignificant things.
Remember, if you put the sand or pebbles into the jar first, there is no room left for the rocks. The same is true in life. If you spend all your time and energy concentrating on the small things, the material things, you will not have room for the things that truly matter.
Take care of the most important things in your life first. Look after your health, thank your parents and close friends for all they have done for you. After all, you would never have made it here without their help, right?
Give something back to your community, which has given so much to you. Use what you have learned during your time here at UNB for the benefit of all of society. These are the important things. There will always be time to go to work, clean the house of go shopping.
We should all be very proud of what we have accomplished. The University of New Brunswick is a top-quality institution of higher learning with an outstanding reputation. It draws students not only from around the province but from across Canada and around the world.
UNB challenges each and every one of us to reach our full potential. We are all leaving this place today as skilled, educated people.
As a native New Brunswicker, it is easy to see that many graduating students, such as myself, will be leaving our province to look for educational or career opportunities elsewhere. I challenge the provincial government to improve on incentives in place for retaining graduating students so that New Brunswick will not lose some of our nation’s brightest minds. That is one of the ways our beautiful province will continue to grow.
As I conclude my remarks today, I realize this is probably the last time we will all be together as a group. Remember all the hard work and the good times that led you to this moment. Remember all the friends you have made and the meaningful time you have spent with them. Look around and savour the memories. And above all, enjoy the celebration today and the celebrations tonight!
Thank you.
Your honour, Mr. Chancellor, Mr. President, honoured guests and faculty, fellow graduates, friends and family: I am truly honoured to be speaking to you today on behalf of the UNB graduating class of 2003.
For all of us, today is the culmination of four, five, six … or possibly even more … years of hard work. There have been hours upon hours of completing assignments, early morning classes, late nights at the library, full days on the computer, Friday afternoon labs, writing long term paper, and cramming for numerous final exams. But of course, as Mark Twain once said, “I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.”
A great deal of our education also occurred at the College Hill Social Club, the Neville House Bed Push, the Fall Freakout, the Woodsmen competitions, various society pub crawls and random nights cruising downtown Fredericton night spots. All of these experiences have helped to mould us into well-rounded individuals. Never forget those memories.
I would like to take this opportunity to tell you a story which has an important message for all of us.
A philosophy professor once stood before his students with several items in front of him. When the class began, he picked up a large Mason jar and proceeded to fill it to the brim with rocks which were each about three centimeters in diameter. He then placed the cover on the jar and asked the class if it was full. They all agreed that it was. The professor then took off the lid and poured smaller pebbles into the jar. These pebbles filled the spaces in between the larger rocks. He once again asked if the jar was full. The students once again agreed that it was.
Finally, he dumped sand into the jar, which filled all the spaces between the pebbles and the rocks. He then said, “I want you to recognize that this jar symbolizes your life.”
The rocks represent the important things in your life, such as your family, your health, your closest friends – the things that if lost would prove to be devastating. The pebbles represent other things in your life, but those that are secondary and not as important as the rocks – things like your job or your house. The sand represents everything else in your life, all the small and insignificant things.
Remember, if you put the sand or pebbles into the jar first, there is no room left for the rocks. The same is true in life. If you spend all your time and energy concentrating on the small things, the material things, you will not have room for the things that truly matter.
Take care of the most important things in your life first. Look after your health, thank your parents and close friends for all they have done for you. After all, you would never have made it here without their help, right?
Give something back to your community, which has given so much to you. Use what you have learned during your time here at UNB for the benefit of all of society. These are the important things. There will always be time to go to work, clean the house of go shopping.
We should all be very proud of what we have accomplished. The University of New Brunswick is a top-quality institution of higher learning with an outstanding reputation. It draws students not only from around the province but from across Canada and around the world.
UNB challenges each and every one of us to reach our full potential. We are all leaving this place today as skilled, educated people.
As a native New Brunswicker, it is easy to see that many graduating students, such as myself, will be leaving our province to look for educational or career opportunities elsewhere. I challenge the provincial government to improve on incentives in place for retaining graduating students so that New Brunswick will not lose some of our nation’s brightest minds. That is one of the ways our beautiful province will continue to grow.
As I conclude my remarks today, I realize this is probably the last time we will all be together as a group. Remember all the hard work and the good times that led you to this moment. Remember all the friends you have made and the meaningful time you have spent with them. Look around and savour the memories. And above all, enjoy the celebration today and the celebrations tonight!
Thank you.
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