Paying it Forward 1 of 5

MSU College of Natural Science Graduation Day Speech

The view from my prime spot on the podium during Spring Commencement
For the full panoramic view, see the short video at the end of this post!

This year, Dave Isbell of MSU Alumni Career Services has challenged Spartans to "pay it forward" by helping other Spartans.  To seal the deal, he offered kick off the good deeds by sending Green and White surprise packages to the first five Spartans to respond to his invitation.  I was the first to sign on, and am in process of helping my Brothers and Sisters-in-Sparty!

How many does this count for Dave?
As my first assignment in paying forward my gift from Dave Isbell via Spartans Helping Spartans, I accepted the offer to speak at the College of Natural Science Spring Commencement.  I represented the MSU CNS Alumni Association Board of Directors, and had the privilege of giving a short address right before the turning of the tassels for approximately 700 new alumnus!  It was an exciting event - ok a bit horrifying too, being by far the largest group I have ever spoken too.  The Breslin Center was full of thousands of cheering, happy grads including families and friends.  I got a chance to meet some of the amazing faculty and share the stage with some real superstars.  The people of MSU are by far the friendliest, most helpful, down-to-earth folks I've ever met.  This was an experience I'll never forget.  I can't remember the last time I sang both the fight song and MSU Shadows, and I still knew the words.  Since I did not throw up, trip, or pass out, I'll call it a win!  And Dave, just to show you what a good sport I am, I will only count this as "one".

Since I'm sure you are dying to know what I said to the new grads, here it is:

It is an honor to be speaking to you today representing your Michigan State University Alumni Association.  On behalf of the Board of Directors for the MSU CNS AA, congratulations on your achievement.  We truly appreciate the hard work and sacrifice that has gone into this.

            In a few moments, you will turn your tassels then walk across the stage and hear your name called – a moment you have been waiting for, for years, some of you for more than four years! And now you are here.   Whether or not you believe something magical happens today  when you turn your tassels, at minimum ceremonies mark the important milestones in our lives.   At best, they carry the spark of the Divine and symbolize much greater things.  I believe something magical will happen – you will become something new, a Spartan Alumnus. 

            With that comes great privilege and responsibility.  Your diploma will open doors, and what is beyond those doors is yours to determine. As you carry the Spartan name and reputation out into the world, you carry with you the multitude of alumni worldwide, the current students, and those yet to come.

            When I thought about what I wanted to say to you today, I thought back to my own graduation day from CNS in 1992.  The speaker that day told to watch out for other Spartans in the world – it was our responsibility to do so!  Especially professionally, whenever you have the opportunity to support, mentor, advocate for or help another Spartan, do it.   It is what makes us great.

            The MSU AA world wide has a strong network of Spartans helping Spartans, and is one of the truly great things you have yet to discover about our school.  You may have come here for academics and the culture, but you will leave with something much more than your diploma.  You are part of the Spartan Nation and you have a network for life. 

            Ten or twenty years from now, the Alumni Association will be here to help you connect.  No matter where you go or how much time passes, you can always come back and participate.  The Alumni Association has a lot of great resources for any stage of your career, and local chapters nation and world wide. 

Peace and blessings on your journey!  Go Green!

Paying it Forward

Back in January, there was some social media campaign bouncing around Facebook that was calling for people to “pay it forward”.  There was some twist on the typical meaning, I can’t quite remember what.  It was one of those chain-letter-ish things that works to guilt people into doing nice things.  I am relatively immune to guilt trips, unless they are competitive and there are prizes!  Then I am all in.  At the same time, my MSU Alumni Association career coach, Dave Isbell, picked up on this theme and enhanced it Sparty-style.  On the Spartans Helping Spartans blog,  the challenge was for Spartan Alumni to pay it forward by doing good things for other Spartans.  Specifically, the first five people to comment on his post would be included in a year long effort to do a separate good deed for five other Spartans.   In return, Dave would send out “something green and white” as a paying-it-forward kick off of sorts. 

That was January.  Now in April my package arrived, full of all sorts of goodies from the MSUAA prize closet, including a hand written reminder of the contract.  Well Dave, I have not forgotten!  For the last few months, I have been noodling on all the good things that are within my power to do for other Spartans in the world. 

Not hard, since from the day I graduated, the message from MSU has been to watch out for other alumni and give them a hand whenever possible, especially professionally.  It was preached on graduation day, from then-MSU President John DiBiaggo.   Being helped by another alumnae was how I got my first job, actually.  In the terrible job market of 1992, another Spartan advocated for me at Butterworth Hospital; a complete stranger!  Out of a large pool of applicants, I was singled out to become a lab tech at the fertility clinic.  Now, of course I got the job because of all my great qualities and the fact that I nailed the interview (of course!), but it is always good to have someone on the inside looking out for you.  Since then, I have always pulled for a fellow alumnus when I have had the chance.

Now I have five chances – five ways to make a difference for another Spartan this year.  How will I spend it?  I have some surprises in store for you Dave, and I will be sharing them here as I tick them off my list.  To get a head start, just incase I run out of time at the end of the year, I gave one of the goodies from the package to my son Jacob, who will be attending MSU next year as a freshman.  Is that cheating? Also Dave, there is that coffee date that you and I still have pending, and if I buy the coffee, maybe that could be another spare good deed for insurance….