Good Afternoon
Thank you for that kind introduction and thanks to all of you for the warm welcome and your hospitality.
A sense of humility brings us together as a fellow technologists linked by common goals and common cause and bonded by shared commitments.
As I look out those of you today, I see me in you. I see the future of America. I see the future of the world.
I am thrilled and honored to be with you students who in the competitions over the past two days have proven that you are among the best and brightest young engineers and technologists on the planet. I am especially pleased to be here because I share a common bond with each of you and that is a passion for engineering and technology.
As you have heard, I was fortunate and was uniquely blessed to be able to convert that passion and entrepreneurial spirit to be successful in the business world. I want to share some of those secrets to that success with you – not so that you can follow in Frank Islam’s footsteps but so that you can carve out your own path and shape the future of the technology world.
Those secrets are:
• Stay in school and get a good education
• Be the best you can be
• Exploit your fullest potentials
• Stay true to you
• Be something special to someone in particular.
• Be a lifelong learner
• Make it your own journey
• Never give in
• Create your own legacy
• Do well but also do good
• Do not think anything is impossible
• Seeing opportunities where others see problems
• When you are successful invest in others by sharing and giving back
Those are my secrets of success. They will not guarantee your success but in combination with your education will establish the trajectory for success.
Thank you for this opportunity to share my thoughts with you. It has been a privilege to be here.
I wish all of you continued success in the future
Now with no further adieu let me turn my attention to the Deans List Award recipients who exemplify FIRST principles. As all of you know, FIRST is an acronym For Inspiration and Recognition in Science and Technology.
These Deans List winners are indeed sources of inspiration and deserve to be recognized for their accomplishments in science and technology.
Thank you again
God bless you all