Document Type
Presentation
Publication Date
8-2016
Abstract
“One hundred and twelve first-year students make up the Class of 2019. Fourteen of you are entering with advanced standing, some from the far corners of the world. Four of you are part of our second LLM class. Four of you are international exchange students from Germany, Italy and Sweden. Others are from Saudi Arabia, Colombia, Brazil, Spain, South Africa, the Russian Federation, and Poland. No matter where you are from, you are here today due to the sacrifices of those who love you and you are standing on the shoulders of those who came before you and have paved the way for your success.”
“One of your classmates owns a successful internet book store and another won an award for her design and leadership to prove Elon Musk's Hyperloop, a conceptual high speed transport of pods shot through tubes at over 700 mph. I have great admiration for farmers - one of you who worked in swine operations, co owns a farm, and managed a premier meat goat operation. Talk about enterprising and grit - one of you conducted more than 32 funerals, visitations and memorial services within 2 months, closed and secured caskets and led funeral corteges to churches and burial sites - what else could we expect from a former Marine? Think you've had tough jobs? One of you worked on the Honda assembly line and wrote, ‘This is the job that taught me why I wanted to go to into law as I watched numerous co-workers fired because of injury, often with no options to fight back.’ I know you'll want to meet your classmate who speaks only 5 languages, and was CEO of a Power & Energy Company 5 countries including the USA and Canada. Another of you developed strategy to advise Ralph Lauren on menswear design and most recently led a short form film studio and distribution company. The SBA is on notice that amongst you is a woman who has been employed as a bartender in a Professional Bull Riding Bar.”