Valedictory Address

“Valedictory Address” (20 May 1998): 1-3. (UA Case 68, Box 2)

Good afternoon Your Honour, Mr. Chancellor, Madam President, Members of the Board of Governors, Honoured Guests, Faculty, Family, Friends and Fellow Graduates.

Today marks another milestone in the journey of our lives, one that has been full of experiences and memories that we will carry with us for a lifetime. This is the time when we can look back and reflect on what we have learned from university.
Here are some of the things I have learned:

Sweat pants and a baseball cap can be a student’s best friend,
Coffee can sustain you for a week,
and sleep during finals is nonexistent.

I have also learned that we each have the ability to attain whatever we seek.

As a child I always wanted to be a “business man” just like my Dad. But I did not feel that I had the ability to accomplished this dream. Because, you see, I am an individual with a learning disability. In grade school three separate teachers told me that they would be surprised if I ever graduated from high school. Even at the beginning of my university career I felt I was dreaming the impossible dream. I could have given up. But I chose to persist, I chose to believe in myself.

And today I stand before you with my dream in my hand, a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with distinction.

A widely known motto has helped me along the way, maybe it has also guided some of you.

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change.
The courage to change the things I can.
And the wisdom to know the difference.

I think we have all had the courage to earn our degrees and now we are armed with the wisdom to make a difference. As we head into the next millennium, we realize that although some change will be beyond our control, we have the ability to make small changes that will make a difference.

There is a Chinese proverb that says:
“The man who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.”

Small changes do make a difference. Take the example of Oprah Winfrey’s Angel Network. Then months ago Oprah started by collecting small change and last week she announced that the network had raised 3.5 million dollars for underprivileged children to attain a higher level of education. And it all started with a little bit of change.

As I look around this room today, I believe that every graduate has the ability to make the changes needed to keep our nation and our world healthy.

Graduates from Education have the ability to keep our minds healthy,
Those in Kinesiology have the ability to keep our bodies healthy,
And we in Business Administration have the ability to keep our economy healthy.

William James said, “Act as if you make a difference. It does.”

Let’s take a moment to look back and reflect on some recent accomplishments that demonstrate this. Three women connected to the Kinesiology department brought home the Olympic silver medal from Nagano for women’s hockey.
Our Varsity Reds hockey team won the national championship.
Students from every faculty showed strength at national competitions and brought home awards.
And UNB took a bold new step and launches a new promotional campaign – the Key to Your Success – which not only has attracted new students BUT also let everyone know what a great institution this is.

Ralph Emerson wrote:
Success is to laugh often and much;
To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;
to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;
to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others;
to leave the world a bit better whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition;
to know one life has breathed easier because you have lived.
That is to have succeeded.

Today we are all celebrating our success; we have laughed often and much together. We hope we have won respect and earned appreciation and in turn learned to appreciate others. And we have overcome all sorts of obstacles individually and together. We have overcome family situations, cultural adjustments, not to mention difficult courses and profs.

Now we are at a new crossroad and embarking on new journeys. The words of Susan Polis Schutz can serve as an appropriate guidepost:

This life is yours
TAKE THE POWER to choose what you want to do and do it well
TAKE THE POWER to love what you want in life and love it honestly
TAKE THE POWER to walk in the forest and be a part of nature
TAKE THE POWER to control your own life – no one else can do it for you
Nothing is too good for you; you deserve the best
TAKE THE POWER to make your life healthy, exciting, worthwhile,
and very happy while you reach your dreams.

On a personal note, I would like to thank all the special people in my life that helped me reach my dream. Mom and Dad for the pep talks, my brother Andrew for keeping me grounded, my grandparents for their wisdom, the BBA faculty for accepting me in the first place and all the friends I have made during my years in university.

CONGRATULATIONS to the graduates on OUR graduation.

Thank you.