GRADUATION

It is every student’s dream to gracefully walk to the venue booked for the conferment of degrees, diplomas or certificates- what we commonly refer to as graduation. And as such, it comes with a number of serious preparations- the perfect suit for those who love the professional look; the stylish pair of stilettos for the woman of power and lastly the Haute

Once the first phase of preparations is done, we move on to the second part- the academic wear. This is my all time favorite- the sophistication of this look and respect it commands is overwhelming. It is not every day you wear the academic hat- so when you do; you want to make sure it fits perfectly and couture for the fashion gurus.

Graduation is a highlight for many students, mainly because it is a representation of the long hours we invested; the personal sacrifices many of us made. It is a token of our hard work, the discipline we displayed and the journey many of us travelled together. And it makes sense for it to be rather emotional.

I found myself anxiously waiting for graduation because I knew it was a glorious moment. I knew it was a reflection of my hard work, the sacrifices I made. It was a reminder that when you have a goal and you are prepared to work towards that goal- achieving it was possible.

There was a significant message I took with me from graduation as the guest speaker gave his key note address and he said:

“There are three pillars to what I can success-

1.    you need to work hard, very hard

2.    you need to be ethical, very ethical

3.    You need to have the right attitude, all the time.

This was a message I knew could make a positive contribution to my development as a person. This is the kind of message that could make you the person eligible for that promotion at work; the kind of student that eventually graduates; the kind of leader that could change our country.

The guest speaker further went on to say “if you are not adding value- then you are consuming value.”  This was a reminder to me that where ever you are- and whatever you are doing, it is imperative to make a contribution- that you add value.

As many us go to graduation and eventually go back to our new jobs or honors classes- remember what this guest speaker said. We need to work hard- very hard. We must be people with morals and ethics. Our attitude must be right- the kind that says “I can” and lastly we need to start adding value – to our companies, our families and our communities, because if we are not adding value, then we are consuming value.

Wishing all the graduates a prosperous future and to those working towards it, a successful and fruitful journey.