Valedictory Address

“Valedictory Address” (17 May 2000): 1-10. (UA Case 68, Box 2)

Your honour, Mr. Chancellor, Madame President, honoured guests, family, fellow graduates, faculty and friends: We have made it.

Today marks the end of one journey and the beginning of another. We have completed 4, 5, and maybe even 6 years of our lives and are looking forward to the next 1, 5, or 25 years. Are we ready? Do we have what it takes for the next journey?

Many of us have people in our lives to whom we are grateful for their support and encouragement. For me those people include my mom and my dad. Thank you dad for exemplifying the drive and ambition I need to be successful. And thank you mom for showing me emotional strength to handle tough situations.

Graduation is a time to remember the past but not let the past mould the future. When thinking of your years at university, what do you remember?

Do you remember the hockey team winning the CIAU championship?

Do you remember Frosh week and meeting new friends?

Do you remember sleeping through classes?

Do you remember cramming for midterms and finals?

Do you remember residence food and the Frosh 15 (For those not in residence that’s 15 pounds)?

Do you remember your landlord looking for rent?

Do you remember having a little too much fun at the Social Club?

All of these experiences and many more help us to create our memories of UNB and help us to move forward.

What is truth? Truth is a faith and loyalty in what you believe. Truth is real and genuine. There is nothing surreal about truth. Truth is making a decision and knowing in the deepest part of your heart that it was the right decision. Truth is not looking back. It is easier to be untrue to yourself than to be true to yourself because truth often hurts at first.

What is passion? Passion is how excited we feel when we are doing something we love doing. Passion is doing something for the rest of your life and feeling completed. You have to love what you are doing. Too many people follow the well travelled paths created by others, when in actuality they should be following their own paths, the one that they have created for themselves. Find something, regardless of what it is, that truly makes you happy!

I guarantee that it will lead you to success and happiness. It is when we do not follow our passions are not true to ourselves that we become unhappy and unsuccessful.

If you love the journey, then you will love the final destination. You are investing in your future.

If you do not love the journey, you are hoping that you will enjoy the final destination. This is a gamble. You may or may not enjoy the final destination. What do you love? What do you feel passionate about? Think long and hard about that question. Do not rush!

When I think about people doing what they are truly passionate about, one close friend comes to mind. He began his journey for passion and truth at law school for a future career as a lawyer. Not enjoying this journey he gambled that he would enjoy the final destination as a lawyer. He did not. Eventually, after much thought and renegotiation of what he was passionate about, he began teaching. In inspiring and influencing students to follow their true passion he has found his true passion. Winston, you exemplify passion to me.

Graduation is a day for truths and passions. UNB is our first leap. Everyone who is here today has made the first big leap but we must make many more along the way. Life is a leap. You can take it with your eyes open or your eyes closes. Passion is the leap. We must recognize what it is we are passionate about and not let anything hold us back. If we leap with our eyes open we will know where we want to land, but if we leap with our eyes closed, not knowing what we are passionate about, we may not land where we want to. Truth is how you land. If you make a decision with truth than you will be able to walk down that path, whichever path you have chosen.

We have to have courage to put both passion and truth to use. We have to have the ability to recognize what we love doing and be honest to ourselves. We have to apply what we have learned at UNB to help us make that leap. I challenge each and every one of you to think about what you are doing in the next year. Is it what you want to do? Is it what you are truly passionate about? Think long and hard about your decisions because it is with these decisions that you have to walk down the path. What will you be known for, who will you have touched, what will you have added.........

GOOD LUCK


THANK YOU