USU sends off grads

LOGAN — Treat others with respect, be a lifelong learner and remember that life is filled with opportunities, not entitlements. That was the advice given to the Utah State University Class of 2008 Saturday during commencement.

"I urge you to open your eyes and your minds to see the incredible opportunities this world has to offer, and give your very best," said James Quigley, USU alumni and keynote speaker and CEO of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, one of the largest professional services firms in the nation. "Those who give their very best have a much richer set of opportunities than those who simply do the minimum to get by."

He also urged them to move forward with determination but not to the detriment of happiness.

"Go with confidence ... enjoy the journey in front of you, you can accomplish anything you set your mind to," Quigley said.

This spring USU awarded 480 graduate degrees and 1,937 undergraduate degrees, along with awarding an additional 2,000 bachelor's degrees in December.

The graduates hail from 41 different states and 13 different countries. Among them are 936 women and 1,001 men. USU's youngest graduate was 18 years old, while the oldest was 62.

Honorary doctorates were awarded to James Quigley, Clark Giles, Elder L. Tom Perry, W. Eugene Hansen and Beverley T. Sorenson.

USU President Stan Albrecht, during his remarks, encouraged students to choose a "wide-angle view."

"By choosing that wide-angle view, you will, over the course of your lifetimes, be able to envision new and exciting places, and then having made exhilarating discoveries, you will find ways to take yourselves, and us, into that future."

Student speaker Andrew Braithwaite, valedictorian in the College of Natural Resources, abandoned his previously approved speech he had turned into the provost's office last week and started by welcoming the audience to his birthday party.

He noted that though the job market may be less than ideal right now "even the darkest cloud has its silver lining — there is always a market for valedictorians," he joked.

Braithwaite also encouraged grads to commit to lifelong learning.

"If you stop (learning) you will find yourself obsolete in a few years," he said. "We worked hard to develop a solid base of knowledge here, but it's just that, a base."

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