God wants us to know that life is a series of beginnings, not endings. Just as graduations are not terminations, but commencements. Creation is an ongoing process, and when we create a perfect world where love and compassion are shared by all, suffering will cease.
Bernie Siegel
Graduation is a new page in a new chapter of our life’s book. It should not be accompanied with sad emotions, but overwhelmed with positive energy, encouraging supportive words, and concrete steps in the real life that help envision the future.
Students leave their caring university community, Professors’ wisdom, friends and colleagues to an extremely complex world. They have to deal with this world and face challenges smartly and bravely in order to search for themselves rather than for competitive jobs. This will need curiosity, passion, nonstop search for a vision, and continuous learning, especially from their mistakes. This requires a specialized office that follows up graduates and provides them with long-term support, advisory and leadership programs.
At graduation ceremonies, students usually listen to speeches with inspirational touching words and precious advice. They remind us of Tom Brokaw‘s advice – the American journalist – in his book “The Greatest Generation”:
You are educated. Your certification is in your degree. You may think of it as the ticket to the good life. Let me ask you to think of an alternative. Think of it as your ticket to change the world.
Brokaw knew that it is easy to get money and live in luxury, but it is extremely difficult to change and make a difference. The philosopher and poet, Ralph Emerson also said “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where no path is and leave a trail.” So, if less crowded roads better than crowded ones, paving new roads is no doubt the best.
Some people who have experienced life told us about the secrets related to achieving success and making the needed change. Rob Siltanen is a great example when he said: “The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the one who do.” Also, Henry Ford told us that “Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off you goal“. While Eleanor Roosevelt believed that: “The Future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”
Others such as Robert Orben, the comedy writer highlighted a paradox when he said:” A graduation ceremony is an event where the commencement speaker tells thousands of students dressed in identical caps and gowns that ‘individuality’ is the key to success.”
Let’s Get Closer to our Alumni!
