黑料视频 School of Management celebrates Class of 2019
Over 450 students were awarded their bachelor鈥檚 degrees at the SOM Commencement ceremony
Graduating into a business climate defined by rapid change and disruption, hundreds of 黑料视频 School of Management graduates were offered advice on how to weather what鈥檚 next with confidence and optimism.
鈥淐ommencement is a time for celebration. Today we celebrate your success and your contributions to the School of Management,鈥 said Dean Upinder Dhillon.
Over 450 students were awarded their bachelor鈥檚 degrees at the School of Management (SOM) Commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 19. About 190 master鈥檚 and PhD students received their degrees at the doctoral hooding and Graduate School ceremonies earlier in the week.
Dean Dhillon spoke about the role students and alumni play in bolstering the school鈥檚 reputation and urged students to never stop learning. He also asked students not to forget the role their families played in their achievement.
鈥淵our families have invested time, tolerance and love for your education. In many cases, their hard work and sacrifice have made it possible for you to complete your degree,鈥 he said. 鈥淚t is now time for you to give back to your family, community, profession and alma mater.鈥
Howard Unger 鈥82, an innovative leader in capital investment dedicated to advancing human understanding and world peace, was awarded the Doctor of Humane Letters at the ceremony.
Unger, an SOM alumnus himself, joked that he would be using his remarks as an opportunity to give the graduates one final lecture before they left Binghamton. Titled 鈥淭he top three things they never taught me in the School of Management,鈥 Unger gave his bits of advice in the form of a countdown.
3. Be Binghamton. Be you. Be proud.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a fine line between stupid and scrappy 鈥 and recklessness defines it,鈥 said Unger. 鈥淚鈥檓 talking about the courage and confidence to take controlled, responsible, thoughtful risks when everything is on the line.鈥
Unger said his confidence in being scrappy came from both his upbringing and his Binghamton experience.
鈥淟ike many of you, I鈥檓 a first-generation college student. My father was a Holocaust survivor and my mother was a Bronx girl who taught herself to be a bookkeeper,鈥 he said.
Unger said he came to Binghamton because it was affordable, and he has no regrets about it. Taking pride in his background, he encouraged students to do the same.
鈥淒on鈥檛 forget that. You know things your competitors never will,鈥 he said. 鈥淵our instincts are shaped by circumstance and sharpened by schooling.鈥
2. You鈥檙e entitled to the value you create 鈥 no less and no more.
鈥淭here鈥檚 an iron law in business The bust always comes. And during the boom, people always say it never will,鈥 said Unger.
While it鈥檚 OK to enjoy the benefits of hard work, Unger warned against confusing those benefits with lifelong entitlement.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a reputation for the simple values you learn at a place like Binghamton, values like loyalty and integrity and generosity, that will get you through the tougher days,鈥 he said.
1. Profits follow purpose
鈥淚f all you care about is money, you鈥檒l probably make some money,鈥 Unger said. 鈥淎nd if all you care about is money, then you鈥檒l probably be miserable.鈥
While making a profit isn鈥檛 a bad thing, Unger encouraged students to pursue purposeful ventures and give back when and wherever possible.
鈥淚鈥檓 not suggesting you give it all away. I鈥檓 suggesting you acquire and invest with purpose. Know who you are and what you believe,鈥 he said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what you carry in your hearts from this place.鈥
Like all effective lectures, Unger wrapped his up with a brief recap, reiterating the main takeaways.
鈥淏e authentic. Be decent. And be purposeful. That鈥檚 it. Three lessons, no exam, and now the two words you鈥檙e most eager to hear: Class dismissed!鈥
Sofia Haikin addresses peers
Student speaker Sofia Haikin expressed gratitude for making the most of her time at Binghamton. Originally from Israel, Haikin majored in business administration with concentrations in marketing and management information systems.
鈥淕rowing up, my mom would constantly say to me, 鈥業t is always better to do something rather than living with the regret of potentially missing out on a great opportunity.鈥 I grew up with the idea that as long as you try something, you can decide whether or not it鈥檚 worth it,鈥 she said.
Haikin recalled some of her 鈥淲hat if?鈥 moments that led her to Binghamton, including an admitted-students event at Ernst & Young (EY) that she attended in Manhattan.
鈥淏efore the presentation began, I was talking to someone who I assumed was currently working at EY,鈥 she said. 鈥淚t came as a shock to me when I later realized that I had been talking to Dean Dhillon!鈥
After the event, she recalled telling her mother she鈥檇 be playing the 鈥淲hat if?鈥 game forever if she didn鈥檛 go to Binghamton. And when she arrived on campus, she instantly got involved with a number of activities and organizations.
鈥淓very time I considered picking up a new activity, I asked myself the 鈥榃hat if?鈥 question. I would never know if I didn鈥檛 try. And once I tried, I worked persistently to make sure that I would put my best foot forward and give it my all,鈥 she said.
Haikin said that what binds SOM students together is their willingness to not only take on new opportunities, but to then ask, 鈥淲hat鈥檚 next?鈥
鈥淎s you start on your journey, never let your ambitions and goals fade. Never fall complacent, never stop believing in yourself, and trust your gut feeling when you think of that 鈥榃hat if?鈥 question. Your future awaits and it is your choice to make it memorable,鈥 she said.
鈥淧ersevere and change your 鈥榃hat if?鈥 to 鈥榃hat鈥檚 next?鈥欌