2003 IT&E Convocation

2003 School of Information Technology and Engineering Convocation
May 15, 2003 *** Patriot Center
Remarks by Convocation Speaker Sudhakar Shenoy, CEO, IMC

Members of the faculty, staff, alumni, family and friends and most of all, members of the class of 2003. It is a huge honor for me to stand before you today and indeed a privilege. I am not one to give you words of wisdom or advise you on what you should and should not do; all I will do is tell you my own experiences and the lessons I have drawn from them.

But before I do all that, I want to congratulate each one of you for this magnificent achievement. It is time for you to enjoy this success. I know it was tough at times but now you should celebrate this achievement. I remember life as it was when I was a student-staying up late, memorizing formulas, sweating the details, and offering that last minute prayer as an insurance policy. That now is behind you and you deserve to be congratulated for your achievement.

First, let me talk to you about technology and innovation.

When IBM first came out with a computer, Thomas Watson Sr., the founder told his board that he saw the worldwide market for computers to be exactly 4. Well, we know what happened to that prediction.

The first head of the patent and trademark office, I believe it was Thomas Jefferson who wrote to then President George Washington suggesting that everything that had to be invented had been invented and hence there was no more use for the patent and trademark office. Needless to say, there have been over 10 million patents and trademarks that have been filed since then.

There is a lesson in what I just said. Technology innovations like time, waits for no one. They will happen whether we like it or not. The last ten years has seen more innovation than the last 50 and the last 50 has seen more than in the last 500! Alvin Toffer, the author of "Future Shock", said the pace of change is ever increasing. This is particularly true when it comes to technology. The technologies we take for granted today are those we found incredible a decade ago.

Everybody probably remembers the Xerox ad where a monk is shown working day and night copying scriptures and then one day he discovers Xerox and he looks up at the heavens and says "it's a miracle".

That being the case, the real challenge for you all is to find ways in which you can keep yourself current and avoid becoming obsolete. This is the surest way to keep climbing that career ladder. Never be satisfied with the status quo!

All the education in the world will do you no good if you do not have the right attitude in life. Charles Swindoll, an enlightened person, said, "attitude is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company, a church, a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change the past. We cannot change the fact that people will act a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it. And so it is with you-we are in charge of our attitudes". In my own company, I always pick people with can-do attitudes rather than those that show a lot of bookish skills.

When I started my company 23 years ago, there were any number of people who told me how risky it was, how I was doomed to fail since 3000 companies were already doing what I was doing and many times that had gone out of business. But you know what, I had an attitude-I was determined to succeed and I found a way to!

You are graduating at a time when the economy is seemingly on a downward trajectory and all you read about in the papers are gloom and doom stories. But do not despair about this. There is an old saying that when "fear knocked on the door, and courage answered it, there was nobody there!" You are fortunately entering the workforce equipped with an education from one of the finest institutions. The education you have gotten here has given you the tools you will need to tackle the job ahead of you. You live in an area that has been recession-proof to a degree. Have the right attitude and you will succeed.

Many of you will some day want to become entrepreneurs. To be successful as entrepreneurs, you will need to be tenacious, learn the skills to run a business and produce the best product for the most reasonable price. But most of all, you must believe in your own ability. Failures to entrepreneurs are really pillars for success, they are learning experiences. Whether you are in a job or you start your own, tenacity and passion will go a long way! Couple this with the right attitude and success will be yours!

Remember, we create our future by what we dream today Whenever I give a talk, I always like to quote my father. Here is some of what he told me over the years:

1. Tell the truth-falsehoods are hard to remember
2. Don't lend money to your friends-you will lose both
3. Don't watch the clock, it will keep on going-you do the same
4. You do not need clean cuffs everyday, but you do need a clean conscience all the time
5. Don't borrow money, unless you positively have the wherewithal to pay it back-and then you don't need it!

Finally, I want to talk about three entities that you as citizens of this community should never forget. One is your alma mater, this university that has equipped you so well for the life ahead. As you become more and more successful in life, try and be more involved with making this an even better place for future generations.

Second, you are all lucky to have either been born or have chosen to live in the greatest country on earth where true democracy, fundamental freedoms and choices are ours to enjoy. This is one country that will let you blossom to your maximum potential and let you succeed and go as far as you want to. This indeed is the cradle of all things good. We may not be perfect but it is indeed the best.
Thirdly, think about all those who have helped you become who you are today. A myriad people have been instrumental in your success to date and you owe it to them to say a special "thank you".

Finally, an unknown philosopher had this to say about wisdom:

"He who knows not, and knows not that he knows not, is a fool-shun him.
He, who knows not and knows that he knows not, is a child-teach him.
He who knows, and knows not that he knows, is asleep-wake him.
He who knows, and knows that he knows, is wise-follow him."

Friends and fellow students, I wish you all the best and I pray that all that is good be yours-

Now that you have patiently heard me, it is time for you to party and I hope you have planned one terrific one.

Good night and thank you.