Business school undergraduates learned at their commencement celebration Thursday that ambition and selflessness are cornerstones of business success.
Dean of the School of Business Linda Livingstone, guest speakers and student speakers all highlighted important lessons from their collegiate and professional careers to guide graduates to stay connected to the GW community.
Here are the most inspirational pieces of advice given to the graduates:
1. Wear your hats proudly
Mitch Blasér, the chief operating officer of Ironshore, began his address describing the kind of hats graduates will have to wear.
“I see a lot of graduation caps out here today, and I thought it was important for you all to know that when you leave here, you’ll have to wear many, many hats,” he said.
Blasér pulled out several caps at the beginning of his address, including the NIT Colonials cap and his GW alumni hat.
He urged graduates to be proud to wear their alumni hat, because “this one might actually get you a job.” He said that the more the community helped each other, the more influential the community would become.
Livingstone also said graduates have a responsibility to their alma mater, and that they should “build on the legacy.”
2. Raise your hands
Blasér also noted the importance of taking initiative in the business world. He said that in business, people like to work with people who “get things done.”
“Be known as a go-to person, and people will go to you,” he said.
He urged graduates to not get caught in “it’s not my job” syndrome. He said that it’s important to not care about immediate gratification.
“Life is about choices, and we don’t have many,” he said.
Wade also pushed his peers to look past their setbacks and “non-believers.”
“To everyone that has haters, know this: one day you’ll be up on a stage in front of 3,000 people, and they’ll have no choice but to listen to you,” he said.
3. Look ahead and make history
Student speaker Tywan Wade, who was the youngest student to run for Student Association president as a freshman in 2013, emphasized the importance of peer support.
“Why do we support the dreams of our celebrities, but not our peers? I think if we did, the world would be a better place,” he said.
Wade told his fellow graduates that their accomplishments inspired him. He reminded them to look to the future, citing his failed run for SA president.
“The past doesn’t define us, so promise me you won’t be afraid of the future,” he said.
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