Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Listen to Robert C. Roeder's Commencement address
Roeder
The text and audio of Roeder's speech follows. You can also listen to the speech while watching a photographic slideshow of Commencement. President Bennett, USI faculty, fellow USI alumni, distinguished guests, USI graduates and their families, friends, and supporters: Good afternoon. To those of you receiving your USI degree today: Congratulations and welcome to the USI alumni family. Let me begin by challenging you on how educated you are with some puns, because puns are the highest form of intellectual humor. No matter how much you push the envelope, it will still be stationery. Two silk worms had a race. They ended up in a tie. I wondered why the baseball kept getting bigger. Then it just hit me. And finally, a dog gave birth to puppies near the road and was cited for, you guessed it, littering. My family would have been disappointed if I did not begin with some humor! Almost 40 years ago, I stood on the campus of USI receiving my degree as part of the first graduating class of what was then called ISUE. However, I always take pride in my graduation from USI, the University that I believe offers the best education in all of Indiana. Today, I want to talk directly to each of the graduates. You are about to embark on a career and a life that will be full of adventure and promise. My message to you today is about commitment to action. About 50 years ago, as a young student in Evansville, I saw President John F. Kennedy challenge everyone in our nation with his famous quote: 'Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.' I believe that quote is even more meaningful today than it was 50 years ago. It is your responsibility as a USI graduate to make a commitment to action. A commitment to action requires three things of you. The first component of commitment to action is that you must become involved in making our country better. Involvement starts with voting every chance you get. But it is much more. Commitment to action means being involved in your community, in politics, in schools in leadership positions, in interest groups that support causes that are important to you. Involvement means just that: not watching from the sidelines and complaining, but rather taking ownership in those activities and organizations that can make a difference in your community, in your city or town, in your state, and in your nation. The second component of commitment to action is taking accountability for yourself. It astounds me how often today′s politicians, community leaders, labor leaders, corporate leaders, education leaders, and even church leaders try to excuse the actions of others rather than to hold those people - and themselves - accountable. Accountability starts on a personal level. You were accountable for fulfilling the requirements of USI to receive your degree. As you graduate today, it is important that you take responsibility for making informed decisions that can make a positive impact. Every successful person I have met in any walk of life has reflected a commitment to taking accountability for their actions. The Gen X and Gen Y members of our community and work force are already being identified as the generation that expects things to be given to them. What a terrible legacy to have attached to your generation. Do me a favor: Prove them wrong! Go out and earn that respect and the rewards associated with those efforts by taking accountability for your actions. When my father died when I was nine years old, I struggled with the issue that life wasn't fair. However, my mom never complained as she raised me and my younger sister and brother and she encouraged me to be accountable for my success or failure. Throughout my life, I could have felt sorry for myself and waited for things to be given to me and for me to be taken care of by someone. Instead I chose to be accountable for my life and be the best at what I could be. I encourage you also to be accountable as part of the USI family. The third important component of commitment to action is staying connected to USI. You may not appreciate until later in life that the faculty and administration at USI are exceptional. USI was established because a number of community and business leaders recognized the need for a state-supported institution of higher education in southwest Indiana. That initial step was the beginning of a family - a USI family that has now grown to over 10,500 students and over 29,000 alumni across the United States and the world. As the USI family grew, it was important that the campus and its educational resources continue to grow. That growth was supported not only by the state, but by community and business leaders â€" and USI alumni. Now that you are part of the USI family, it is important for you to stay connected with the University and your alumni friends and family. As a graduate of the University of Southern Indiana, you are automatically a member of the USI Alumni Association. I encourage you to maintain your membership in the USI Alumni Association and continue to support USI so our family can continue to grow. If you stay connected to USI and the Alumni Association, you will learn that the USI relationships you establish will support you throughout your career and your life. My opportunities in my 40 year career were enhanced by my connections to the University and the relationships I developed through USI. It is not unusual to have someone review my work bio and comment on a son or daughter or niece or nephew who attended or is attending USI. So staying connected is the third component of commitment to action. Given my almost 40 years in the field of Human Resources, I would be remiss if I did not offer some recommendations to you as you begin to leverage your USI diploma as you develop your work career. The three recommendations are: First: Life is about relationships. In your involvement in your home, your community, your church, your city, and your nation, always recognize you are building relationships that can impact your career. Build strong relationships and be committed to making a difference. The relationships I built in my church, at USI, in State government, in the Indianapolis Jaycees, and in many other activities provided my opportunities for career growth. Second: Do the best you can do in every job. You will never know when preparation will cross roads with opportunity. That is why some people talk about how lucky other people are in their career growth and yet they believe they have no luck. Perform at the highest level, the job you have today it may be your opportunity to impress someone and a career opportunity may develop. It did for me on several occasions. Third: Find a job you enjoy. You will spend a significant portion of your life in your job. As you consider job opportunities, don't just think about the location, the money, the company name, or the position title. Think about how much value you can bring to the job and how you will enjoy the responsibilities you are asked to complete. My clients tell me that I bring value to their organization because of the knowledge and experience I bring and the energy with which I share that knowledge and experience â€" all because I love the job I do. In closing, the famous French critic, Andre Gide, essayist and novelist who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1947, which was the year I was born, once said, 'There are admirable potentialities in every human being. Believe in your strength and your youth. Learn to repeat endlessly to yourself, 'It all depends on me.' Thank you again to President Bennett and the Board of Trustees for this honor. |
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