Editor’s note: The following article is a paid notice from the University of Dallas National Alumni Board. It was not written by the editorial staff of The University News.
To the Class of 2020,
On behalf of the National Alumni Board welcome to the alumni community! I wish the circumstances were different to welcome you, but they are not. This past year has been bizarre and surreal, and at the same time illuminating. Illumination comes in many forms. Sometimes it reveals itself through the words and actions of other people, sometimes through our thoughts, and sometimes and most importantly through prayer. It is my hope that each of you has been attentive these last few months. There are a great many lessons to be learned from our mandated solace.
As a fellow alumnus of UD, (and current graduate student), I wanted to share with you what it is like after graduation. First, your first job. This is the most formative part of post-graduation. Your first job will allow you to focus and apply everything you learned at UD. The culture and schedule you followed at UD will help you enormously when entering the workforce. You will quickly realize that you have a distinct advantage over others as you have spent the past four years disciplining yourself in the acquisition of virtue and time management; real freedom. The second thing you will come to understand is that your mastery of language will serve you well. Do not under-estimate the power of being able to clearly express ideas in verbal and written form. Finally, be vigilant in identifying the inter-relatedness of concepts and processes in the workplace. It is no different than our beloved core curriculum and actualizing your knowledge and applying it will build your prestige.
Perhaps the most important thing you should prepare for is your ability to stay connected. Don’t be afraid to reach out to your fellow alumni. There are thousands of UD alumni out in the world doing amazing things who are ready and willing to help. There is an unspoken bond that we all share and it is a powerful weapon in your arsenal. I know many UD alumni who have never written a resume and have lucrative careers. The UD alumni network is real and I encourage you to take advantage of it. Start by connecting with the National Alumni Board Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/University-of-Dallas-National-Alumni-Board/. NAB Directors are there to help, guide, and connect you with the alumni network.
Finally, I wish you all the best. You are starting your careers during the largest demand shock to the economy in our nation’s young history. Economic recessions are opportunities, even among uncertainty. Understanding what is going on will open you to new opportunities. Remember who you are and what UD has prepared you for. There is great demand for people that understand what is happening and how to fix it. And it is fixable. I encourage you to cultivate a sense of gratitude for your education. Not only does UD dive into the deepest mysteries of life, but your formative education will guide you to develop solutions; real solutions that reconcile all accounts. As I age, I become more grateful for my UD education, my professors, my classmates, and the alumni community.
On behalf of the National Alumni Board, I offer you our heartiest congratulations on graduating from UD and we welcome you with open arms to the alumni community!
Andrew Farley
President, National Alumni Board
