The month of May represents the season of
graduation when TRiO students everywhere walk across stages to receive commencement
honors of completing their course of study.
They wear caps and gowns while taking pictures to capture the jubilant
feelings of completion. This fitting attire dates back to the Catholic Church during
the 12th century when priests adorned themselves during special
occasions. Regardless of where you live, graduation caps and gowns, along with
tassels, hoods, stoles and diploma covers signify the common apparel whenever
you graduate.
Although the meaning of graduation
indicates the completion of ones’ studying, I prefer to see it as a gateway
toward a new beginning. The honors you
received at graduation will increase your chances of advancing your status
whether to improve your ability to earn money or to open doors of
opportunities. Yet, this gateway of opportunities can easily provide you an
opportune to serve. Just think…if each TRiO graduate’s presumption veers
toward service instead of advancing themselves what other doors will open for
them. Usually, I see graduates reaching for employment to promote
themselves instead of seeking opportunities for service. If you think about
your chosen field of study as a service opportunity instead of a job selection
toward richness, the rewards will become intangible instead of tangible. For
instance, people change jobs 10 to 14 times in a career before they really find
the right job. Dissatisfaction of ones’ job comes from the lacking of
intangibles since the majority of work only multiplies the tangibles like
money. So the tangibles must allow you to experience the intangibles to gain
the truly fulfillment from your job. The intangibles keep work from becoming mundane
and routine. When you experience the same routine repeatedly, you become
dissatisfied which causes constant job changing.
Therefore, as TRiO graduates, you have a higher
purpose based on a different perspective. As Luke Graham states in his song 7 Years “that once I was seven years old,
and mama said, ‘go make you some friends or you will be lonely.’” As you listen to this song, think about the
intangibles that you must experience to fulfill that certificate, diploma, or
degree of which money cannot purchase. For this reason alone, I encourage you, TRiO
graduates, to view your accomplishment as a gateway to explore opportunities to
gain these intangibles. The TRiO staff experience these intangibles seeing you
walk across that stage “to get the tassel.” Likewise, you must seek the same intangibles
after graduation while fulfilling your purpose in life.
When you have a chance listen to the lyrics of 7 Years by Luke Graham who I think magnifies
this story of purpose from years 7, 11, 20, 30, and 60. What do you think?
#TRiOWorks
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| Dr. Quintavius Rover, Graduate of College of Osteopathic Medicine |
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| Maria, a HS graduate, bound for Troy. |
