University of Maine 2008 Commencement Address

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University of Maine  - Doug Hall  
Commencement Address - May 10, 2008

President Kennedy, Faculty and 2008 Graduates, thank you for giving me the honor to speak to you on this special day.           My talk is dedicated to the memory of my mom Jean Hall and my Grandmother Hazel Hall both proud graduates of this great University.   I am sure that somewhere in heaven they are busting with pride at this very moment.  

My talk today is addressed solely and exclusively to the graduates.  I'm going to tell you what I would want my children - Kristyn, Tori and Brad to hear if it were their graduation.

Four years ago at Convocation I challenged you to make the most of your college experience... The University reports that a number of you took that advice - some studied engineering, chemistry and physics to heights that could be described as heroic.  

Others excelled in the arts, humanities and even athletics.   Kevin Mitchel and Issac White pioneered as the first Innovation Engineering graduates.

And, yes, a good number of you found the time to distinguish yourself by living up to the lofty words of the U Maine Stein Song - "Drink to all the happy hours -- Drink to the careless days -- Drink to Maine, our alma mater -- the college of our hearts always."  

For those of you who have achieved educational excellence as indicated by your outstanding Grade Point Average.  I genuinely congratulate you on your diligence and dedication.

Now for the rest of you - the rest of you who are NOT graduating with honors I bring you good news.  One day you could end up like me - a 2 point something speaking at Graduation and receiving an Honorary Doctorate this afternoon.  

I also bring you good news that today is the start of a new day.  College is done. Grades are done. Tomorrow is a day of reboot and restart.  Tomorrow everyone starts fresh with a GPA of 0.0 as you begin the journey of applying your learning to help make the world a better place.

Now despite my lack of academic diligence - the faculty of this great University made sure that I learned how to think and how to compete in the real world.    I recall the day I interviewed with Procter & Gamble - In the waiting area was another student - I asked where he went to school - "Cambridge" he answered -oh -  what school in Cambridge I asked?   The "B School" he answered with a snotty tone (ohhh) - "what b school I asked" - HARVARD he answered.   He then asked where I went to school - I paused for a moment and answered ----- ORONO. Long story short - I saw him at the airport - I got a job offer he didn't.  Thank you Faculty of the University of Maine and in particular the Chemical Engineering department for preparing ME for the real world.

27 years ago I sat where you sit now.  That year the world was in chaos just as it is today.  Senseless violence was everywhere.  President Regan and the Pope were shot, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, was murdered.  Terrorists seized a Pakistani airliner. And about a month after my graduation - we first learned about a new threat called AIDS.

At my Graduation - the Commencement speaker - Governor Kenneth Curtis - challenged us to take charge and lead the country in change.  He spoke of the need for leadership - he also warned about the widening gap between the rich and the poor.

Sadly - when I look back - it's clear that my fellow graduates and I didn't listen very closely to Governor Curtis.   In fact - we've done a pretty lousy job in the leadership department.   The gap between rich and poor has grown - in 1981 CEO's made about 40 times what the average worker made  - today they make over 500 times.

Instead of living a genuinely healthy lifestyle we invented Botox, Viagra and Gastro Bypass surgery.                   And more than 25 million have died of aids.

Reflecting back it's clear that my generation - the last wave of the Baby Boomers - is not a candidate for the Greatest Generation. Then again we have not been really tested as those in 1776, 1861 or 1941 were.  It's not that we've done bad things - it's just that in my opinion  -- we've become distracted - distracted from turning our hopes of youth  --- our dreams for a better world into reality as we've come face to face with the real world.

But for all its problems, America is a nation based on hope that things can change.  Class of 2008, hear me now.  It's time for a change.  A gi-normous change.  It's time for a NEW AMERICAN Revolution.   A Revolution against CONFORMITY - and in particular - a Revolution against the thinking of me and my fellow Baby Boomers.

It's time for you -- for you to step up and lead that revolution.   To do so - you must be bold and brave because as you know, we Baby Boomers and in particular Baby Boomer Bosses tend to be stubborn, cranky sluggards.   You know this because, well, your parents are Baby Boomers, bless their hearts.

To empower and encourage you to make the changes necessary - I've paraphrased a new Declaration of Independence for the U Maine Class of 2008.   With all due respect to Thomas Jefferson - my declaration for you goes like this...

A Declaration of Independence from Baby Boomer Conformity

When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for us to dissolve established patterns of thought a decent respect to the ruminations of mankind - requires us to declare the causes that impel us to separate from the thinking of those old people who carry the branding of Baby Boomers.  

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all University of Maine 2008 graduates are unique individuals ---  that we are endowed by our creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are:
The right to the PURSUIT of MEANING & HAPPINESS.   This means the right to pursue that career, that hobby, that lifestyle that calls to us most deeply and offers us the most personal meaning  - even if it's not the most prestigious, richest or the one our Dad has always wanted us to pursue.

The right to do as Churchill said - to Never, Ever, Ever give up when we feel passionately about a cause.  And to do as state of Maine hero Admiral Robert Peary - discoverer of the North Pole 100 years go said - we shall find a way or make a way.  

The right to true FREEDOM of SPEECH - to tell those in authority the Truth - the Whole Truth and nothing but the Truth.  And if they don't listen - if they really don't listen - to tell them to Take This Job and Shove It.   Now, be polite about it, but tell them nonetheless.   Remember you're from U Maine - we say what we think and do what we believe.

The right to Continual LEARNING.  This means that every 6 months  - on New Years Eve and July 4th we have the right to look up and see if we're smarter than we were 6 months before.  And if we're not - the right to quit and move to a career or job that stimulates our brains.  (The 6 Month rule was my standard at Procter & Gamble -for 10 years I was growing - then one January I wasn't so I retired from corporate life and created my own company.)

The right to demand NO WHINING - NO WHINING from ourselves, our NO WHINING from family and friends and in particular NO WHINING from Baby Boomers when it comes to handling the Reality of Retirement.  The simple facts are 7 out of 10 Boomers haven't saved enough for retirement and frankly we the class of 08 can't afford to cover for them - so they're just going to have to suck it up and keep working forever.

The right to seek TRUE LOVE and when we find it to invest the energy necessary to keep it alive, fresh and wonderful  (I really HOPE you find true LOVE as I have with Debbie - my High School Sweetheart who married me a few months after graduation and who is still supporting me as I support her after all these years).

The right to BE A MAINER FOREVER -  This means that no matter if our mailing address is Portland Oregon, Bangor Ireland or Old Town Poland we can still live the spirit of community, caring and concern for one another that is the Great State of Maine.

Finally, The Right to follow the three pieces of advice that fellow Maine Alumnus Stephen King wrote in 1970 in the Maine Campus Newspaper just before his graduation --- or as he said  --- his birth into the real world.   The great writer offered the following advice to others.
No 1 - Live peace
No 2 - Love a neighbor today
No. 3 - If the establishment doesn't like it, then screw ‘em

That to secure these rights, we must stand against the Conformity of Baby Boomer Thinking. We must take responsibility for thinking for ourselves just at that Band of Radical Revolutionaries - Franklin, Adams and Jefferson did.

We, therefore, the Graduates of U Maine, do solemnly declare that we are free from all unjustified allegiance to Baby Boomer thinking, and that as free and independent thinkers, we have full power to use our brains to create and take action on ideas for a better world. For the support of this Declaration, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.

Fellow Baby Boomers - it's not too late - it's not to late - myself included - to start living the hopes and dreams of our youth.  It's time to get healthy, take responsibility and do something to make our original Earth Day promise reality.

Class of 2008, listen close - having worked with the world's best and brightest at universities and in business - I can tell you that your degree from the University of Maine means you're ready - you're ready to change the world  IF - and here's the big if - IF you invest the energy and enthusiasm required to turn your hopes and dream into reality.   

I'm going to end my talk the same way I did four years ago.  I ended with a quote from Ben Franklin - America's original inventor and entrepreneur - it's a quote so important to me that when I'm laid to rest in Springbrook Prince Edward Island, it will be carved on my tombstone.   

It's how I lead my life - It's my challenge to you the GREAT Class of 2008.

As Franklin said over 200 years ago...
Up Sluggard and Waste Not Life - in the grave will be sleeping enough.
Up Sluggard and Waste Not Life - in the grave will be sleeping enough.

Deep inside all of us is a little voice ---  a little voice that if we listen close tells us what we SHOULD do - what we MUST do.  Class of 2008 - I encourage you to learn to listen to that little voice.  To listen and believe in that little voice.  To believe in YOUR ideas. To believe that everything that YOU do and don't do makes a meaningful difference in the world.

So what are you waiting for?  Get Up. Get Out. And Get Going!

Congratulations everyone.