Graduates, please accept my warmest congratulation on accomplishing this milestone in your life, finally receiving your degree!

On reflecting on the most important lessons I have gleaned over the years since my own graduation, I have concluded that there are 3 items that have guided me throughout the years:

1. Building the best reputation possible
2. Making sure that I am differentiated in whatever I do
3. Making sure that I always put my stakeholder's needs first

Building the best reputation:  

The challenge is to everyday do everything to burnish ones' reputation, and do nothing to tarnish it.

Differentiating oneself:

In life, it's easy to be like everybody else, not to persevere, to be tepid and incremental, to think short term, to have undefined standards.  But success is a function of taking the path least trodden, persevering to the finish, being bold, thinking long term, and having high standards.

Stakeholder's needs first:

In an inverse way, the more selfless we are, the more fulfilled a life we will live, so give generously of self, time and resources.

Our education has given us the opportunity to have a voice in the system, and power in the market-place, privileges that are not available to everyone, so steward your blessings earnestly. 

Best wishes in your endeavors.

Dr. Michael Lee-Chin