Lucas Gsellman
May 13th 10am
Commencement Speech
Thank you, President Wilson, and thank you, Mr. Kollman, for your welcome to The University of Akron Alumni Association.
On behalf of the Spring 2017 graduating class, I proudly accept your invitation to continue our relationship with our alma mater by joining the Alumni Association.
“A reputation for putting our heads down and going to work”. Thatis truly something to be proud of.
If it seems that other people don’t want to put in the extra work to do things the right way – that just means our hard work will stand out even more. It takes time but people notice.
If you want proof of that just look around you.
See the grads who spent hours working in research labs – they are getting into the grad school of their dreams.
See the grads who took on additional responsibilities at their co-ops. They’re getting hired full time.
See thosewho spent long nights in the design teamworkshops or doing volunteering work, or making UA clubs thrive.Do you think potential employers won’t recognize initiative or commitment when they see it?
What about the extra effort it takes to be a friend, I mean a real friend? In my own experience, I know that if I was ever in need,I could call up the core group of guys from the UAice hockey team. And they’d be there for me.
If you do the work,people notice.
The billboards on 77 used to readThe University of Akron the Greatest Return on Investment.
So what did we invest? What will be our return?
We have invested our time, our efforts, our dollars. So many of us have worked part-time jobs to pay for college. If you’ve ever made a tuition payment with a stack of cash from tips, you know that money does not leave your hand easily.[Office1]
All of those hours spent balancing jobs, and volunteering, and studying, and family, and friends. Now they are beginning to pay off. This means so much to us because of how much we have invested. But we aren’t the only ones…
Most of us would not be here if people had not invested in us.
Professors who pushed us to our limits…
…friends who were there when we needed a break…
…parents who worked long nights to provide for us…
…mentors who spent hoursdiscussingour futures…
…siblings who had our backs…
…spouses whoendured so much time apart while we finished school.
You all put in the extra effort. And we noticed.
To all of you who recognized our potential and chose to invest in us: thank you. I hope that our efforts have made you proud. We are blessed to have you in our lives and this is as much your day as it is ours.
I’d like to close with a favorite Bible verse: ‘whatever you do, work at it with all your heart as if working for the Lord, and not for human masters.’[LG2][Office3]
Be proud that you now share the UA reputation for “putting you head down and going to work.” Today is proof that the hard work pays off.
People do notice.
Thank you and good luck, Class of 2017!
[Office1]That is a great line!
[LG2]Allusion to Colossians 3:23, one of my favorite Bible verses. I’d like to at least make some reference to faith.
[Office3]Perfectly fine to use. No worries.