Graduation – Bittersweet Outcome

Graduation – Bittersweet Outcome

 

On May 9^th 2015 I attended my grandson’s graduation from Washington State University.  I drove approximately 16 hours roundtrip from my home, and sat through two plus hours of Commencement Ceremony.  I enjoyed every moment of it, and like a good (make that great) supporter of the educational system, happily sat through until all the graduates had their moment in the spotlight.

 

Amongst the many presentations and speeches (every one inspiring) there were so many words of wisdom being shared, that I started taking notes.  In my life I have attended many social events because of a sense of duty or respect for a group or individual.  This was a participation for love plain and simple.  I held that little boy in my arms soon after he was born, and watched him grow, keeping close tabs on his progress as he worked his way through the educational system.  I attended football games, wrestling matches, even graduation from Kindergarten and high school.

So when the time came, nothing short of divine intervention was going to keep me away.  Here are a couple of facts as they relate to the graduating student class of 2015.

• How many students will graduate this year?  The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) projects 1,855,000 students at the bachelor's degree level will graduate as the Class of 2015.

• What are the top personal qualities employers look for in college graduates?  The top 5 personal qualities/skills employers seek, according to NACE's Job Outlook survey, are:
1. Ability to make decisions and solve problems
2. Ability to verbally communicate with persons inside and outside the organization
3. Ability to obtain and process information
4. Ability to plan, organize, and prioritize work
5. Ability to analyze quantitative data ~ National Association of Colleges and Employers

As I mentioned above, much wisdom was shared with the graduating class about going into the real word, but something was lacking.  I just couldn’t figure it out right off the top of my head.  Of the wisdom shared two things stood out foremost:

 

·        If you ever find yourself lost and in need of regaining your bearings, please return to this campus, this will forever, going forward be your home.  You belong here, this will always be your home.  It gave me a special feeling inside, kind of like having your parents tell you once you are ready to move out, that you can always return home.

·        If you ever find that all your objectives and aspiration are being accomplished, please stop and re-analyze your goals and objective, because you are not challenging yourself enough.

 

On Monday May 11^th I woke up with the answer that I was looking for at the Commencement Ceremony (that something that was lacking).  The first thing on my mind was my grandson and what must be going through his mind. I never heard anyone at the graduation address this subject.  I messaged him the following though Facebook Messenger (privately):   Good morning son! Welcome to the first week of the rest of your life. I remember when I got done with school, I had a well-deserved feeling of accomplishment, but I also felt a sense of loss. Something so familiar for so long, was now a thing of the past! Enjoy the summer break, and reset your mind for the challenges ahead! We love you and are very proud of all your accomplishments. Hope to see you next weekend.

 

Medical School is next; the best is yet to come……