I'd never thought about it before - the ceremony that marks the end of years of study, homework and exams is called commencement. Not the end, but the beginning...
A little over three years ago, I decided to take the GMAT (Graduat Management Admission Test) and apply to UNC Charlotte's Belk College of Business as an MBA student. I thought an MBA would bring some closure to a thread in my career. After three years of night school, I can say that I've sorted things out, so I do have a sense of closure or completion. But, at the same time, I'm 'commencing' not finishing. Time to get on with things-
Towards the end of my final semester the university issued a call for student commencement speakers; all graduating students (undergraduate, graduate, and PhD candidates) were eligible to submit a draft five minute speech. I took them up on the offer, and made the 'short list', but the panel chose a young undergraduate who was a bit less jaded... She was an excellent speaker; I admit that it was nice to see a young face at the podium, looking out on her horizion as a freshly minted graduate.
But, I did enjoy taking the time to write down a five minute perspective on my journey as an MBA student - my unspoken commencement speech is below:
Today I will receive my Masters Degree in Business Administration from the Belk College of Business. I started the program three years ago in January, as an evening student and working mother of two. My two sons, Alex and Erik, ages nine and seven, and their father Bob are here today so I want to thank them for getting by without Mommy for two nights a week for the past three years. You guys are the best!
I’ve worked in Technology for over 25 years now, beginning my career as a software engineer at IBM, and working for many other companies along the way. Like most people in technology, I like to figure out how things work, and that’s what led me to the MBA program. A little over three years ago, I managed a large IT team for a company that had grown through acquisitions to be third largest in its industry. I was part of the M&A team, and evaluated our acquisitions’ technology assets and contracts. As a result, in early 2006 my husband and I stood on skis at the rim of the back bowls at Aspen, along with a private ski guide provided by our generous hosts, Bear Stearns, to celebrate the close of a successful deal. You may have heard that Bear Stearns is no longer hosting these types of events...
Later that spring, the company’s stock fell 75% in a single day, and let’s just say life got interesting. I was just an IT manager, and even though I managed our operational and financial systems I didn’t really understand the company’s finances. After things got just a little too interesting, I left the company and decided to go back to school and get my MBA to figure out ‘what happened’.
I think that being curious, or in my case, having a desire to ‘figure something out’ and a time based goal are great motivators. I didn’t pursue my MBA because I wanted to ‘be something’, like a financial analyst. I started the program because I wanted to learn something, and figure out how companies manage their finances (or don’t). My success comes from my own knowledge and understanding, and is not dependent on getting a job with a particular title. Believe me, it’s always nice to get a job in your desired field, but having a job doesn’t define me, and not having one doesn’t take away my success.
As for my achievements and activities as a student, I’m thrilled to graduate with highest honors today. For my sons Alex and Erik in the audience, this means I got a lot of A’s! I owe some of that to my goals, which kept me focused. I wrote several of my term papers about the company that inspired me to get my MBA, and I do think I’ve ‘figured things out’. I also have to thank my parents for passing along some of their intelligence; my GMAT scores resulted in merit scholarships, and I am very grateful to UNC Charlotte for those awards. Through the Belk College, I volunteered as a student escort for business leaders who taped a panel discussion with Charlie Rose called ‘Southern Roots, Global Vision’, interviewed Erkine Bowles, and had breakfast with Cynthia Marshall, President of AT&T Carolinas. I took advantage of career coaching, and gained a whole new circle of friends with all sorts of backgrounds, from all sorts of industries. I’ve enjoyed every minute of it all.
In closing, I’m not sure you really need to hear more advice from someone who may be old enough to be your Mother (or who is your Mother, for Erik and Alex), but I can share something that I learned from watching my two sons play online role playing games, one of their favorite pastimes. In their online adventure games, there’s always another quest, and always another level. Sometimes the only thing you need to do is stay in the game, and another quest appears. And, the only way to get to the next level is to stay in the game. I’m now off to my next quest, and hope to see many of you again in my travels. Thank you for your time – thank you UNC Charlotte, and congratulations graduates!
Let the wild rumpus begin!
