This is an Undergraduate Commencement Speech that I wrote for the President of Manhattan College, May 17, 2024
Good morning. I am honored to be here with you on this both solemn and joyous occasion, and to say some words to conclude the ceremony, which is an important moment for the entire Jasper community.
To Provost Roy and our deans, thank you for leading us through the commencement proceedings and for your service to our students. Faculty, staff and administrators, we are grateful to you for holding our students to the highest standards of academic excellence, while also helping them develop as whole persons. Thank you to our Trustees for being here this morning, and for your guidance and continuous support of Manhattan College.
I also want to take a moment to acknowledge the family members and loved ones who have accompanied our students during their journey from bright, eager first-years to the proud Manhattan College graduates we see before us now: You believed in them. You supported them when they needed you. You modeled the work ethic and the quest for achievement that got them where they are. Today we also celebrate you.
And now: Graduates of the class of 2024, congratulations!
This ceremony is the culmination and crowning moment of many months of hard work, sacrifice, sweat and tears – though I certainly hope you had some fun along the way!
You’ve completed the demanding coursework that’s required of all Manhattan College graduates. You’ve spent hundreds of hours studying for exams and writing papers. You’ve held internships at Fortune 500s, start-ups and non-profits all over New York City, often while taking classes and holding down a job at the same time! You’ve given to the community by tutoring children, serving meals in food kitchens, restoring gardens and rebuilding homes.
I am sure that it must have felt like a lot at times, but you did it.
And now you are about to begin the next major chapter of your lives: You’ll be joining an industry, going to graduate school, or taking some time to volunteer at a secular or faith-based organization.
Take it from me, a proud Jasper of the class of 1981: You have the preparation you need! Not just to succeed in your chosen profession, but also in life!
Manhattan College has taught you to think critically and collaborate with others.
It’s taught you to solve real-world problems.
In addition to learning to develop infrastructures that can meet the needs of the 21st century, those of you who majored in engineering have learned to help communities rebuild after natural disasters and design devices that improve the quality of life of the elderly or those with disabilities.
Business majors have learned to produce that all-important blueprint for anyone who wants to market their dream, or be the next text wizard: A business plan. You’ve learned to use cutting-edge data analysis to predict consumer trends. And of course, you’ve learned sound principles for communicating your values and pricing your products in a competitive field.
Arts and Science majors have learned about the latest technological breakthroughs for satisfying our energy needs in a more sustainable way;
You’ve studied the institutions and transnational power structures that shape our politics;
You’ve prepared to become educators yourselves, so that you can forge the next generation of leaders and world-class citizens.
And I could keep going.
Another reason Manhattan College has prepared you well is that it has given you an opportunity to gain practical experience. Many, if not most of you, have interned at some of the world’s leading firms. These experiences have given you an insider’s view of what it means to be employed by one of the industry giants, but also allowed you to learn work skills that will be useful to any organization.
Many of you have reached out to our 40,000-strong alumni network to ask for advice, mentorship, or an introduction to that first job in the industry you have in your sights.
But that is not all. Career success is not the only measure of excellence that matters to a Jasper.
When I started my address, I stated that we were grateful to our faculty, staff and administrators, for holding our students to the highest standards of academic excellence, while also helping them develop as whole persons.
I know how much the professors at Manhattan College, as well as its staff and administrators have appreciated getting to know you and having conversations about life’s biggest questions and the world’s greatest problems with you, in class and during the many extracurricular events that take place on campus each week … conversations that might have made you, and them, see things from a new perspective and gain a broader outlook …
And of course, our college was founded on a set of core values. While these values are rooted in the Catholic Lasallian faith, they have an ethical, moral message that is quite universal, and very relevant: to have virtue and character, be lifelong learners, to respect the dignity of every individual, to value service, and to serve the broader community.
I trust that having internalized these values, you all will not just go on to lead, but to lead with compassion and moral clarity, in order to make the world better.
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And while I am speaking of leading with compassion and moral clarity, let me say a word about Dr. Gerrard Bushell, who we are proud to have join our ranks as a new Jasper today, and who gave such an inspiring address earlier.
Dr. Bushell directly exemplifies the kind of leader we try to encourage here at Manhattan College. He has had a brilliant career – actually has, it’s far from over — in public service, finance, and managing construction for private and public infrastructure projects. Most recently, he was the Executive Chair, and Chairman & CEO of the New Terminal One project at John F Kennedy Airport, a multi-billion dollar undertaking that will employ an estimated 10,000 people.
Dr. Bushell has not only overseen the completion of the first part of the project very successfully, but he has done so with empathy and a concern for the public good. He has made sure that every effort has been made to hire members of the surrounding community in Queens – upwards of 40% to date. He has also made sure that key contracts have been awarded to women and minority-led firms, so that we can move closer to achieving a just multicultural society.
Dr. Bushell welcome to our university.
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Class of 2024.
This is such a special day.
You are now ready for the next big chapter, and adventure of your lives.
And I have to say, I have a lot of admiration for you: As a cohort, you have already faced and successfully overcome many challenges.
Your senior year of high school and first year of classes here were largely held by Zoom, in the midst of a global health crisis.
But you managed to learn, grow into well-rounded persons, and graduate!
I am sure that even though it was difficult, this experience has had its benefits, and that it has made you stronger, more compassionate, and more able to appreciate the unique joys of sharing and collaborating with others.
Class of 2024, we are counting on you to draw on this experience and your Lasallian roots to help us face the trials of the future – whether it’s finding ways for our elderly to live better and longer lives, adapting to a changing climate, or learning to resolve our disagreements peacefully.
Class of 2024, as you strike out into the greater world — remember that the entire college community is behind you, and rooting for you. And know that you always have a home away from home at Manhattan College!
