A message to current and former students

Good morning current and former students,

 I never imagined that I would be having a conversation with you without seeing you in person. Our industry has been greatly affected by the pandemic, but I am relentless optimist. As the semester comes to a close and many of you are going to be graduating, I can tell you that there are signs of a recovery as the vaccine implementation commences.

You are not alone in having a feeling of uncertainty and there are many students around the world wondering what happened and what is next. I am enclosing an article by one of my favorite educators and writers, Arthur Brooks. Mr. Brooks took a similar path as mine. I had no intention of advancing my credentials after finishing my degree but after a successful life in business, I felt a calling to education and academia. Brooks was also a late comer to education and like him, I felt that I could bring a different perspective to what it means to be happy.

In this article, Brooks quotes a satirical poet Alexander Pope, who in 1727 gave his friend a piece of advice, which I have modernized “…Blessed is she or he who expects nothing, for she or he should never be disappointed...”

The article, which I hope you will read, focuses on the value of intrinsic goals. As the concept applies to you, the idea is to focus on short-term goals like finishing your final assignments and getting your diploma or degree, rather than extrinsic goals of acquiring money, power, and prestige. If you also focus on getting that first foot in the door to a job, you will find that this is only the beginning of a long journey that I hope will be rewarding and lead to future opportunities. 

During a recent faculty meeting, we took a break and started lamenting over the closing of the Four Season’s Hotel Vancouver. The owners of the hotel decided that it was time to start something new. Most of us knew someone who had worked for this company and the long-term and loyal employees were soon to be unemployed. One of our instructors told a story where the Hotel General Manager summoned every employee to the lobby and handed out down filled pillows for what turned out to be the largest “pillow fight” in Vancouver. The pillows had been slightly altered (cut) and as you can imagine, there were goose feathers everywhere. The hotel general manager was able to create a moment of joy and laughter during a somber occasion.

I tell this story as told by a colleague because we are all going to find happiness and although uncertainty at present, it will not last, and you will recover. 

Congratulations to all of you and enjoy! 

Article by Arthur Brooks: 

https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2021/03/how-follow-your-dreams-and-get-happier/618384/

 Regards,

 Willy