Valedictory Address

"Valedictory Address" (May 1994): 1-4. (UA Case 68, Box 1).

— I would first like to take this opportunity to say congratulations to all of us for making it here today. For some it was a struggle, for others it was a breeze, but the important thing is that we sit here now, poised to leave the institution that has been our home these past years, ready to make our way in the world which lies beyond its gates.

In commenting on universities and the education they provide, the great philosopher Murphy once said "Universities are full of knowledge. The frosh bring a little in and the seniors take none away and knowledge accumulates."

At some point in our lives, we each made a decision that brought us to this institution. The deciding factor took many shapes — finances, closeness to home, family commitments and many others. Like many Fredericton natives, I came to UNB since it was in my hometown. My initial sense of disappointment at not attending a more "prestigious" university quickly vanished as I came to realize that UNB provided a quality education, on par with any other Canadian university.
UNB offers the best of both worlds by combining the quality facilities and faculty of a large institution with the personal attention afforded students who attend small universities and colleges. The personal contact and attention that we received, and that is so often lacking in large universities, was invaluable to our learning experience.

The flexibility in UNB allowed us not only to follow our academic interests but also to become involved in a wide range of extracurricular activities. Although we are here first and foremost to receive an education, there is more to that education than books, class-rooms and exams. UNB offered us myriad opportunities to become involved — whether in faculty clubs and societies, athletics or student government. From our diverse backgrounds and interests, each of us has found a place in the university.

Those diverse backgrounds give UNB the unique cultural and social mix that allow it to claim the highest percentage of international students of any university in Canada. Though the world outside is often marked by strife, students coming to UNB bring with them only the very best aspects of their respective ways of life. Ours is a harmonious and tolerant community that is made stronger by this mix of cultures. No matter where we came from, each of us has come to feel at home in the university community.

Among the groups represented on campus are my fellow New Brunswickers whose mother tongue is French. C'est beau de voir des francophones utilisant leur langue maternelle sans se sentir malawites. L'esprit de communauté qui existe au Nouveau-Brunswick, la seule province officiellement bilingue au Canada, est présent a notre université aussi. J'espère que le reste du Canada peut apprendre de notre exemple.

Although the pressures and obligations of student life frequently result in a great deal of stress, the old cliché will undoubtedly hold true — we will look upon these as some of the best years of our lives. Eventually, we will be reminiscing about these years with the friends we met during them. Although they may take different forms, many of these friendships will last our lifetimes.

Eight months ago, all potential graduates looked out at the world beyond university and saw a none-too-hospitable place. We wondered at what might be and began to make plans for what was to come after the ceremony we are presently attending. For those of us gathered here today, those plans lie scant hours, days or months away. Those lucky enough to have found that special someone head off into that unknown hand in hand with a partner, while others of us do so with the support of family and friends.

After today, we will all go our separate ways, heading off to a job, to graduate or professional schools, not to mention those of us who aren't quite ready for the real world and will rest their tired brains on a well-earned vacation. This obviously begs the question: "What is to come?" In the face of a less than ideal new world order marked by civil unrest and economic hardship, we have more to prove than any generation that has preceded us.

Social pundits lump us into the tail end of the so-called "Generation X", declaring us the first generation in North American history likely to attain a lower standard of living than our parents. The problems we face are numerous, ranging from environmental concerns to political corruption and economic troubles. What these so-called experts fail to realize is the strength of our spirit and our education.

Ours will be the best educated generation the world has yet seen, with a college level education being the norm, not the exception. Many of us will continue on with our studies and face the world armed with multiple degrees and years of experience in our respective fields. In five to ten years time, when the baby boomers succumb to retirement, a new generation will step forth to take their place, ready to face the challenges left to us. I am confident that we will be able to overcome any obstacles we face.

Finally, we must recognize that without the support of those closest to us — parents, families and friends — many of us would not sit here today. For their support and encouragement, we must be thankful. Personally, I would like to thank my father and brother for their love and camaraderie. And to my mother, I would like to say "Dekuju ti za vsechnu lasku a moralni podporu. Bez tebe bych nebyl schopen dosahnout z poloviny toho co se mi podafilo. Tisic pus."

I would like to close by quoting a man of infinite wisdom, Albert Einstein. "Where the world ceases to be the scene of our personal hopes and wishes, where we face it as free beings, admiring, asking and observing, there we enter the realm of Art and Science."
Farewell and good luck!