Convocation
May 5th was an auspicious day - Convocation at ABU. This was a banner year for the Business program, as both the Valedictorian and the Honours Society Award recipient were graduating with BBA's that day (namely Emily Reid and Daniel Marr - both of whom we are justifiably proud).
In honor of her accomplishment, here's the text of Emily's address:
______________________________________________________
Chancellor Richardson, President McArthur, Dr Evans, members of the administration, faculty, honored guests, family, friends, and fellow graduates:
It is my privilege to address you on this day of our graduation. Thank you for this opportunity.
In this position today, I could quote Shakespeare, I could recite some foreign languages, or I could impart some life changing words of wisdom and philosophy. However, that would not be in character.
At the heart of this valedictorian is a business major and as such in this address I am going to apply the skills I have developed. So, class of 2007, I would like to propose that you be my client and I will be your consultant as we try to analyze this situation of graduation.
The analytical tool that I have chosen to use, as suggested by one of my classmates, is a SWOT analysis. With this tool we can examine the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that we face as we leave here today.
Our graduating class has many strengths. We are young, ambitious, and most of all confident in our new knowledge. Over the past four years many of us have learned what it is like to leave the comforts of home in some capacity and start life on our own. Our learning has been both academic and practical. Think back to some of the life lessons that you have learned. Listening to countless lectures, reading textbooks purchased from Ramona at the book store, developing new friendships, working part time jobs, understanding much like myself that the break pads on your car don’t last forever, and learning to cook like Mom, are but a few of the experiences that have increased our depth of knowledge since our start at ABU.
We also have weakness’ that can, if treated as challenges, be overcome. Our generation is often characterized as one that is more about self.
Impatient
Disloyal
Self Centered
Given this poor reputation where do we begin? It is our challenge with the education we now posses to prove the world wrong, and show that we, the millennia’s, can demonstrate that these popular conceptions are actually misconceptions. We not only have the ability to use this education, but also the ability to continue to learn as we seek to better our society.
We know the opportunities are limitless before our generation.
Our greatest opportunity is to give. If we become a generation of givers we can sway the course of our present culture. Think of the movie “Pay It Forward” and how small acts of kindness were multiplied into something bigger and better.
Jim Elliott captured this thought when he said “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot loose”.
Opportunities are something to be seized. They are not forced upon us. By taking advantage of opportunities to better our world, we will subsequently better ourselves.
Unfortunately our world has always been plagued with threats.
We are threatened with sickness, poverty and loneliness. But this does not mean we retreat. We are threatened by the temptation to be common and ordinary. Yet we need not yield to this temptation. One has suggested that
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
As students of a Christian liberal arts university we have come to understand that while we were created to glorify God, we have inherited a sinful nature that is a threat. Yet we have also been informed as to how to address this threat. This “clear and present danger” can only be overcome in one way, a personal relationship with Jesus. He said “I am the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the father except through me.”
In reviewing our position Class of 2007, the analysis shows there are many strengths and opportunities available to us. There are also weaknesses and threats, but these can be overcome through a personal relationship with Christ.
In conclusion I challenge you with the words of President Teddy Roosevelt form the turn of the last century. He summed his life’s philosophy when he said “ Do all you can, with what your have, where you are! For us this means don’t wait until you are a success. Don’t wait until your have enough. Don’t wait until your circumstances are more convenient. If we are going to make a positive difference on our families, on our community, on our country, on our world, start now.
To my fellow graduates, congratulations and May God Bless
It is my privilege to address you on this day of our graduation. Thank you for this opportunity.
In this position today, I could quote Shakespeare, I could recite some foreign languages, or I could impart some life changing words of wisdom and philosophy. However, that would not be in character.
At the heart of this valedictorian is a business major and as such in this address I am going to apply the skills I have developed. So, class of 2007, I would like to propose that you be my client and I will be your consultant as we try to analyze this situation of graduation.
The analytical tool that I have chosen to use, as suggested by one of my classmates, is a SWOT analysis. With this tool we can examine the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that we face as we leave here today.
Our graduating class has many strengths. We are young, ambitious, and most of all confident in our new knowledge. Over the past four years many of us have learned what it is like to leave the comforts of home in some capacity and start life on our own. Our learning has been both academic and practical. Think back to some of the life lessons that you have learned. Listening to countless lectures, reading textbooks purchased from Ramona at the book store, developing new friendships, working part time jobs, understanding much like myself that the break pads on your car don’t last forever, and learning to cook like Mom, are but a few of the experiences that have increased our depth of knowledge since our start at ABU.
We also have weakness’ that can, if treated as challenges, be overcome. Our generation is often characterized as one that is more about self.
Impatient
Disloyal
Self Centered
Given this poor reputation where do we begin? It is our challenge with the education we now posses to prove the world wrong, and show that we, the millennia’s, can demonstrate that these popular conceptions are actually misconceptions. We not only have the ability to use this education, but also the ability to continue to learn as we seek to better our society.
We know the opportunities are limitless before our generation.
Our greatest opportunity is to give. If we become a generation of givers we can sway the course of our present culture. Think of the movie “Pay It Forward” and how small acts of kindness were multiplied into something bigger and better.
Jim Elliott captured this thought when he said “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot loose”.
Opportunities are something to be seized. They are not forced upon us. By taking advantage of opportunities to better our world, we will subsequently better ourselves.
Unfortunately our world has always been plagued with threats.
We are threatened with sickness, poverty and loneliness. But this does not mean we retreat. We are threatened by the temptation to be common and ordinary. Yet we need not yield to this temptation. One has suggested that
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
As students of a Christian liberal arts university we have come to understand that while we were created to glorify God, we have inherited a sinful nature that is a threat. Yet we have also been informed as to how to address this threat. This “clear and present danger” can only be overcome in one way, a personal relationship with Jesus. He said “I am the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the father except through me.”
In reviewing our position Class of 2007, the analysis shows there are many strengths and opportunities available to us. There are also weaknesses and threats, but these can be overcome through a personal relationship with Christ.
In conclusion I challenge you with the words of President Teddy Roosevelt form the turn of the last century. He summed his life’s philosophy when he said “ Do all you can, with what your have, where you are! For us this means don’t wait until you are a success. Don’t wait until your have enough. Don’t wait until your circumstances are more convenient. If we are going to make a positive difference on our families, on our community, on our country, on our world, start now.
To my fellow graduates, congratulations and May God Bless
posted by Prof Rob @ 5:10 PM
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