Though age may dim our mem’ry’s store
We’ll think of happy days of yore
True to friend and frank to foe
As sturdy sons of Ohio
If on seas of care we roll
Neath blackened sky or barren shoal
Thoughts of thee bid darkness go
Dear Alma Mater…OHIO!
This third verse of our Alma Mater, Carmen Ohio, is not as well known, but I’ve been drawn to it since moving back to Ohio. It begins to acknowledge that as we get older, our memory will diminish, but we will still hold on to those happy moments from Ohio State. The verse continues about how we should act beyond our years at Ohio State: with loyalty, respect, and resilience. The verse ends with the notion that should darker days come our way, we merely need to think of our times at Ohio State. Even though it would be great if life was that simple, that our mere memories as a Buckeye would chase away all of our issues, there is value on reflecting on our growth while at Ohio State. It’s with that notion that I share these thoughts regarding my hopes for our graduates as you reflect on your time here.
Find a Career Path that is Fulfilling
My first hope is that you are able to take what you’ve learned at Ohio State – both in and out of the classroom – and find a career path that is fulfilling. For some, the path is direct and for others, the path is winding. When a career path is winding, it can be stressful especially to those who appreciate a more linear approach to life. I appreciate linear, but would say my career path has both winding and linear elements. At the beginning of my career, I was not certain I wanted to be an agriculture teacher until after I graduated and was in the middle of my master’s degree program. More recently, I didn’t plan on returning to Ohio State until a bend in the road presented itself unexpectedly. I found joy in both the turns and the straight lengths of my career path and I think you will, too.
Regardless of your career path preference, it is my hope that you are on a path that is fulfilling in ways that are important to you. It’s easy to get caught up in what others think you should do or to fixate on a fantasy of what your career should look like. I tell many individuals aspiring to start a Ph.D. program that it is easy to fall in love with the idea of getting a Ph.D. and being called a doctor, but if you are serious about getting a Ph.D., fall in love with the reality of it (which involves reading, studying, conducting research, then reading more). Find ways to get to know yourself better and I think your career path will become clearer. The process of self-awareness rarely ends after completing a degree – in many ways, it’s just the beginning.
Be Impactful
My second hope is that you are able to take what you’ve learned and be impactful, meaning that you should find ways to enhance the lives of others. Being impactful does not mean you need to lead an industry or field of study (although, that’s cool, too). Being impactful can be a very local act… and it can be as local as your own home. This degree you have earned – one that focuses on working with people – is transferable to so many positions and tasks. When I speak to our Introduction to ACEL course each fall, I share a list of job titles of our ACEL alumni. The list is expansive and includes those in national and state positions and those who are at the local level. The thread they all have in common is the opportunity they have to make an impact on the lives of others.
Being impactful and enhancing the lives of others sounds onerous – and it’s certainly not an easy task. One, I think it takes a sense of service. I don’t think you would be in one of our degree programs that focuses on people if you didn’t have a sense of service to others. You should want to serve to make something better or you should want to serve to provide opportunities or you should want to serve because it’s a calling. Being impactful to others also takes a sense of community. You’re simply not going to “conquer the world” (or your country or your state or your county or your organization or your school) without the help of others. Surround yourself with people who can support you, but will also ask you critical questions. Find people who believe in moving toward the same general destination, yet also see how to get there differently than you. And embrace the fact that you need mentoring your entire career and not from the same person, people or group of people – and find ways to be a mentor yourself.
Remember, You Now Have More than One Home
Our relationship with you is not defined by whether or not you pay tuition. If we do our jobs well as your faculty and staff, our relationship with you is in the understanding that when you show up at our door, you feel at home.
Even during those 14 years when I was not an Ohio resident, the few times I had the opportunity to step on campus were times I treasured. I know I talk a lot about enjoying “coming home” to work at Ohio State, but I mean every word of it. For me, this place was about tremendous growth, finding a new family made of Buckeye friends, and building a network of people who have a similar passion. After all this time, after 20 years of time and change, this place has a special place in my heart. So remember, you are always welcome back home.
Best wishes to our ACEL graduates! We’re proud of what you’ve accomplished and we will be proud of who you will become!