Michelle Obama’s Commencement address this past Sunday was one of the biggest events in recent memory at Oregon State University.
While many were able to watch in person, if you happened to have missed her speech you can now see the address in its entirety on YouTube.
And by the way, congratulations again to all our graduates (also a major part of commencement, in case anyone forgot). We have a photo album up on Facebook from the event. Please tag yourself if you see any photos of yourself or friends.
As Oregon State College of Business Dean Ilene Kleinsorge addressed the school’s 2012 MBA class for the final time at Thursday’s graduation celebration at the La Sells Stewart Center on campus, she reminded the new graduates they’d earned much more than a degree.
“Some of you will venture far beyond OSU after today,” Kleinsorge said. “Some of you will start new businesses, some of you will seek higher level positions with your current employer and all of you will always be Oregon State University and College of Business alumni.”
Overall OSU saw 51 students graduate, with 11 teams completing an Integrated Business Project, developing business plans for companies such as Intel, Hewlett Packard and for the OSU Office for Commercialization and Corporate Development.
The new Beaver MBAs will be taking many different paths with different goals — documentaries in Central America, restaurants in Thailand and many advancing with employers in Oregon — but each is connected to a network of past and future Oregon State grads, Kleinsorge said.
Bob Mayes, an OSU alumnus and CEO of companies such as DMB realty and the Madison Companies, gave the celebration address Thursday. He stressed that grads need to pay attention to more than just career milestones as they continue on in the business world.
The former Oregon State football player showed the grads a wheel made up of slices not only for job and salary, but family, personal growth and passion.
“If any part of your wheel is too big it won’t roll,” Mayes said.
Jay Killen was presented the Target Leadership Award, recognizing a student who demonstrated outstanding leadership and scholarship during their time at the College of Business and Oregon State University.
MBA Association President Holli Ogle and Vice President Alexander Ritzman gave the evening a little levity, recounting the past year from the prospective of an MBA Integrated Business Plan team member (Hint: Including Photoshops of MBA IBP Director and Thesis Advisor Tom Dowling as Gandalf will get laughs at your next College of Business function).
Congratulations to all the graduates and the family and friends who came out to celebrate Thursday.
The 2012 MBA Graduation Celebration stage.
Bob Mayes speaks at the 2012 MBA Graduation Celebration.
The 2012 MBA class photo on the stage following the MBA Graduation Celebration.
The 2012 MBA class photo on the stage following the MBA Graduation Celebration.
Nancy King (left) talks to MBA Graduation Celebration speaker Bob Mayes (center) following the ceremony.
Reception following the MBA Graduation Celebration.
Grads get photos at the reception following the MBA Graduation Celebration.
Brittney Yeskie (eated, right) sits with her family at the reception following the MBA Graduation Celebration
MBA graduate Corey Bramlet (left) at the reception following the MBA Graduation Celebration
Members of the Oregon State SIFE team mob MBA graduate Jennifer Villalobos at the MBA Graduation Celebration.
Members of the Oregon State SIFE team mob MBA graduate Jennifer Villalobos at the MBA Graduation Celebration.
