Going Home Again: Be Confident. Be Communicators. Be Kind.

This week, I had the honor of being a keynote speaker at my alma mater Saint Peter's University for the annual Michaelmas Convocation. 
What is Michaelmas?  It's a ceremony following the medieval tradition of convening the faculty and students to start the term and it is celebrated in honor of the feast of the Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. For Saint Peter's, they recognize students' academic achievements, including the top ten seniors who are inducted into the Most Noble Order of the Peacock (yes, it's a thing!!).

I was truly honored by the invitation to share some thoughts with faculty and students who are some of Saint Peter's best and brightest, and I thought I would post my speech here for those who may wonder what wisdom I would bestow on such scholars.  Enjoy!




Saint Peter’s University

Michaelmas Convocation

Sept. 25, 2019

Thank you, Provost Bonato and President Cornacchia.

It’s truly an honor to be here today and to speak with you.

When I got the note from Saint Peter’s asking me to join you today for the keynote, I was actually quite surprised. You see, as the chief communications officer of Zoetis … and over my more than 25-year career in public relations,… I am normally the speech writer, not the speech giver. I usually get to be the coach and critic, not the subject or speaker.  So, hopefully, I have learned a few things over my years of speechwriting, and I can put it into good practice today.

Let me begin with Congratulations to all of you for the awards you are about to receive.

Reading, writing, research, and analysis have all developed your minds and talents in ways that merit the admiration of your professors, your parents, and your peers – and for the lucky ones maybe your siblings, too. Although that may be a stretch on some days.

You have put in the time and hard work that doesn’t show up on scoreboards or SportsCenter. It happens in classrooms, in science labs, and in libraries. You have dedicated yourself to the personal rewards that come from curiosity, classwork, and academic excellence.  And, today is your day. Congratulations again. 

And, while we are in the spirit of congratulations, I would also like to recognize the professors, administrators, and staff who have helped you reach your potential, stretch beyond your limits, and achieve goals that even you may not have thought were possible.  

So as we join together at this celebration of academic excellence, I am left to wonder what meaningful message can I share with you?

• n  You already appreciate the importance and value of a classroom education. That’s evident.
  
• n  Most of you are probably smarter and more well-read than this “old English major” standing before you.
  
• n  And, if you are anything like my Gen Z daughters, you are all anxious to get out of your fancy clothes … get back on your smartphones,… and head off to the nearest Starbucks for coffee.

But, I ask you to indulge me for me for a few more minutes as I share three lessons from my experience at Saint Peter’s….  lessons that I think will complement your academic learning and hopefully strike a chord with your experiences here.

Be Confident

The first lesson is be confident.

Saint Peter’s has certainly grown in prominence and recognition under Dr. Cornacchia’s leadership, making many prestigious “best college” rankings and lists. But, it is still easy to feel like an underdog at Saint Peter’s in Jersey City.  It is part of our DNA. 

There are bigger “name” schools that laud their academic achievements, and there are certainly “larger” stages for receiving awards. But, trust me when I say Saint Peter’s has offered you everything you need for a successful life and career.

At Saint Peter’s you have … An incredible and dedicated faculty… Personal attention for every student… A liberal arts foundation, with creative and demanding opportunities for learning… Rich, real-life experiences through internships and cooperative education… A diverse community in which to grow and challenge one another… And a set of values based on caring for others and contributing to society that will enrich your life for years to come.

Another reason to be confident is that you are becoming part of a proud legacy at Saint Peter’s. Your achievements over four years are amazing and commendable, but where you can go next is limitless.

Look at our alumni. I think of two of my Saint Peter’s classmates. One who is a world-renowned heart surgeon, Dr. Allan Stewart. He is an expert on cardiothoracic surgery,... has been trusted to operate on world leaders like Bill Clinton,… and generously teaches others around the world his life-saving techniques. He’s actually off to Nigeria this week for surgery and teaching.

Another classmate and good friend of mine is Tom Weatherall, the CEO of the Make-A-Wish Foundation in New Jersey. Tom’s daily mission is bringing joy, smiles and relief to children who are suffering from life-threatening illnesses by granting their wishes. Tom is a true expert in fundraising, philanthropy and a fulfilling dreams.   

What fulfilling and special careers these classmates have chosen.

I think of my mentors from Saint Peter’s. Frank D’Amelio, who is the CFO and Executive Vice President of Pfizer, one of the world’s largest healthcare product companies.  Frank grew up in Hoboken where his family ran a local plumbing supply business and where he learned all about hard work and finances. Today, he is one of the most respected CFOs on Wall Street and responsible for investing billions of dollars in the development of Pfizer’s breakthrough biopharmaceutical products and pipeline.

Another very special mentor of mine is Kathy Fitzgerald. Kathy was a student in one of the early graduating classes of women at Saint Peter’s,… and my first boss. Our Saint Peter’s roots bonded us immediately, and she has been a teacher, counselor and friend ever since. Kathy had a storied career, building world-class PR organizations across four companies and three industries.  She became a legend in corporate communications for building reputations, managing  crises and counseling the boards of AT&T, Lucent Technologies, KPMG and PSE&G. And now, retired from the corporate world, she is back at Saint Peter’s sharing her experience as a teacher.

And lastly, I think of a Saint Peter’s student whom I mentored, Mesfin Fekadu. We shared dinners and discussions at Jersey City restaurants when he was an ambitious student looking to work in media. Since then, he has become the lead music editor for the Associated Press. You can read his articles and interviews with everyone from Beyoncé and Taylor Swift to Rihanna and the Rolling Stones. This young man has built an amazing career from humble beginnings in Philadelphia.

Diverse and exceptional legacies in each one. And yours is still to be written. So, again, I say be Confident. You are part of an amazing and talented family at Saint Peter’s,… and you are earning your place every day.

Be Communicators 

My second piece of advice is be Communicators.

You are already gaining the subject matter knowledge and skills you need for your major and the future career you want to pursue. Whether it’s biology, accounting, cyber security or political science, you’ve proven that you can do it.

I would tell you, however, that wherever you go and whatever you do in your careers, your ability to communicate will make a huge difference in your success.  It’s a skill that every recruiter and every employer expects. 

The CEOs and executives I have worked with over my career have had a range of credentials – scientists, engineers, marketing gurus, financial wizards.  But, they were also all good communicators and saw it as an irreplaceable skill as they rose through the ranks.

Communications was not someone else’s job. It was how they influenced customers, colleagues, investors and all sorts of people. Like many of the skills you are learning at Saint Peter’s, it will take effort to be a good communicator.

I can remember sitting in Pope Lecture Hall with other students. We were taking Classical Rhetoric and Public Speaking with Professor James C.G. Conniff.

We came from all sorts of majors – English, Computer Science, Business, Urban Studies, etc.  This was before Saint Peter’s had a formal Communications program. We were all there because we knew Conniff would make us better. He could be a gruff and cranky old man,… but he was also a gifted and brilliant teacher. If you can, picture this,… Professor Conniff was a cross between Yoda from Star Wars … and Oscar the Grouch from Sesame Street. And I say that with love and admiration. 😊

We would all give brief speeches or read monologues,… often on any topic of our choosing. Conniff would interrupt us,… bark at us,… correct us,… and pass us hand-written notes in his cryptic scrawl. These were concise and pointed critiques of your thoughts and delivery.  Illegible pearls of wisdom. His focus was on the spoken word and thoughts, not penmanship. But I am sure he is up there now jotting down notes on my elocution, my pace and my Hudson County accent. 

He was one of many teachers at Saint Peter’s who taught me that the best ideas and greatest talents can be easily ignored without the skill to share them with others. So I say to you all… Be Communicators.

Be Kind

And finally … and most importantly.  Be kind.

You are fortunate to be at a Jesuit school such as Saint Peter’s, where the idea of being a Man or Woman for Others is core to its mission and culture.

Kindness can come in grand works and small gestures. At Saint Peter’s, it can be seen in the school’s commitment to serving others through its Campus Ministry or Peer Educator programs … or it can be seen in simpler ways -- welcoming a new student to campus,… checking on a friend who is struggling … or simply by not having an episode of road rage when you lose the last parking spot in the Armory lot or Yanitelli Center.

Last year, when I had to help my parents sell their home and move out of Jersey City after 45 years on McAdoo Avenue, I reached out to Saint Peter’s for help. I asked if they had any ideas on how to get rid of all the stuff that my parents couldn’t take with them to their new home. It was a daunting task for me and  my sister.

It would have been easy to pass me off to the Salvation Army or ask me to drop things off in one place or another, but Saint Peter’s and Erich Sekel from Campus Ministry went well beyond that. Erich made himself available to me. He visited my parents’ house and offered to help on his own time. He came to their home with other volunteers and packed up donations of clothes and kitchen supplies on a weekend. He went the extra mile for me and my parents, and he showed kindness when none was expected … or required. 

I say this to you because kindness is not always easy … and it can’t always compete with our desire for academic awards or the thrill of exciting careers. … But, it is sooooo, soooo necessary,… so valuable,… and so fundamental to what Saint Peter’s wants to instill in your education outside of the classroom. And it is through your kindness that you’ll have your greatest impact and build your most meaningful legacy.

The academic awards you all receive today are incredibly well-deserved. I appreciate how hard-earned they are and I congratulate you all again,… but I also challenge you all to remember the other lessons that you can take from Saint Peter’s. Those lessons that are found outside your classrooms, books and tablets. 

Remember … to always … Be Confident….  Be Communicators…  And most importantly … Be Kind.

Thank you….

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