Runners-Up for Kogod Commencement Impress Judges

As many of you already know, Julie Jones addressed the graduate students and Einar Barr the undergrads this past Saturday, May 12, at Kogod's commencement. Their thoughtful and heart-felt addresses in Bender moved the audience of parents, friends, deans, faculty, staff, and fellow graduates.

The runners-up were also wonderful, however, so much so that the committee--composed of Kogod staff and faculty--struggled to choose among the impressive contenders. (What a great problem to have!)

This is because each runner-up produced a well-crafted speech with a moving and original theme. Many had funny lines and references to their time at Kogod that would have resonated with all the students.

Since BetterBizComm is always on the look-out for great examples of communications, we wanted to spread the joy and share these speeches here.

First up: the graduate runner-ups, Amanda Cardinale and Ari Goldmann.

Amanda Cardinale notes of her fellow graduates, 

"We’ve learned how to say things like ZOPA, MAPE, LIFO, FIFO, and WACC. We know not only what these mean or how to apply them; we can even say them while keeping a straight face."

Charm aside, Amanda's speech tackles a big theme: that of being ready to ride the currents of the job market, and indeed of life, wherever they might take you. She says,

"We can’t spend our lives working toward one job title, or planning for success in one industry. And why is that? Well, remember when scoring a job at Bear Sterns was a big deal? Or when the best career for a foodie was at Gourmet magazine? Or when you actually went into a Blockbuster to rent a video?
"Shifts in the economy might change our priorities. Changes in business models might make our dream jobs disappear. Innovations in technology could dramatically alter our status quo.

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Ari Goldmann's speech (link takes you to the video) also takes on an important theme, of the necessity of keeping the triple bottom line--"a strategic business concern for people, planet, and profit"--in the forefront of one's mind.

He writes,

"This affects all of you, whether you’re a financier, a consultant, or a project manager...When you leave here today, consider how we, emissaries of a new breed of MBA, embody this triple bottom line. We must evaluate people, planet, and profit in everything we do...."

"The Kogod community has empowered us, and I urge you not to take that for granted. We have been empowered to make a better life for ourselves, our families, our communities, our workplaces, and the world around." 

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Check back soon for the fabulous undergraduates!