Valedictory Address

“Valedictory Address 1986” (23 May 1986): 1-4. (UA Case 68, Box 2)

On behalf of the 1986 graduating class of the University of New Brunswick, Saint John Campus, I would like to welcome all of you to this, the 12th Spring Convocation.

I would like to take a moment to thank my fellow graduates for the honour of delivering this valedictory address.

Upon arriving on this campus, we had, what seemed at the time, many long years ahead of us. Well the time has done by and it is hard to believe that we are finally here. All of us have put in a lot of hard work and many long hours to obtain our degrees, and we have received many benefits as a result. Friends and memories have been made and will always be treasured.

During our years on this campus, we have been a part of numerous great developments. We have seen enrollment increased, the new stadium built and today we will witness the official opening of our long awaited Student Union Building.

As a result of these developments, Our campus has received much deserved recognition. In particular, the Canada Games, last summer, exposed our campus to people all across Canada as well as some from the United States. Many people are just beginning to realize that we are here.

This campus is still fairly young and is in a position where it can only move ahead. In the future we can look back on our stay and proudly say we were a part of these developments.

University presents a challenge. It represents an opportunity for each of us to grow both individually and collectively. Today, we can proudly say that we have successfully met the challenge which university has presented.

Life is full of challenges and opportunities. We should look at our success in university not as an end, but rather, as a means to an end. Today is just a stepping stone to help set and achieve further goals in life.

To quote Maurice Chevalier “A person must have their dreams – memory’s dreams of the past and eager dreams of the future, I never want to stop reaching for new goals.”

Today we are being honoured for completing our degrees and we should be proud of our accomplishments. However, we must not forget our families, friends and professors. These people provided us with support and encouragement during the times we needed it the most. Without them, most of us probably would not be here today.

Our families deserve special recognition as they have provided support, love and encouragement not only in our university careers but in every aspect of our lives. They were there for us in both good times and bad. Today is one of the good times and I’m sure I speak for all graduates in saying “thanks for everything”.

Friends play a major role in university life. There are two types of friendships: those that endure and those friends who stuck with us during difficult times, thank you for being there.

This is a small university, which allows professors to get to know each student. Here, each student is a person not just a number. This is a major advantage of this campus and one which, I for one, would not want to see changed. It allows professors to recognize each student’s abilities and offer advice when needed.

As we set out into an uncertain world, plagued by high unemployment and inflation, we should look upon our problems as opportunities for growth. Keeping this perspective, we can derive satisfaction from knowing that we have done our best, even when things did not work out the way we had hoped. Keep a positive attitude. Look at problems not as failures, but as minor setbacks to achieving your goals. To quote Bernard Shaw “People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don’t believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want and, if they can’t find them, make them.”

I would like to leave you with a thought from Roger Hull:

“Some people treat life like a slot machine, trying to put in as little as possible and hoping to hit the jackpot. Wise people think of life as a solid investment from which they receive in terms of what they put in.”

We have all proven that we possess the determination to reach our goals. Best of luck in the future. May all of your goals be achieved and all of your dreams come true.