Suze Orman, internationally acclaimed personal finance expert, addressed nearly 1,100 Bentley Undergraduates at the 91st commencement ceremony on May 15, 2010. Orman urged graduates to use personal power to survive and stand out in the face of challenging economic times.
“You will get a job, not just because maybe you were a great student, and maybe you graduated from one of the best universities around, which you have, but because you will be able to go into that office and, if you feel powerful with who you are, whoever is interviewing you will feel that power and that is what they will hire,” Orman said. “They’re not going to hire your grades; they’re not going to hire what you look like; they are going to hire how they feel in your presence.”
She encouraged graduates to look beyond salary. “If you go after the money first, you are dooming yourself because you are acting like every other graduate…All you should care about is that you get a job that you want to have.”
Orman continued: “Money alone will never make you happy…I can tell you, however, that lack of money sure will make you miserable. So it is very important that as you go out into this world and you start getting a paycheck, that you really think twice about everything you do with every penny that you have.”
Noting the value of her own staff members, she offered on-the-job advice. “Your goal is going to be this: You are going to make those you are dependent on for a paycheck, dependent upon you ...come to work with vitality, power, and wanting to do it all. You will get their attention and you will be in the driver’s seat.”
She encouraged graduates to follow their dreams even when others don’t believe. “Keep good company…If somebody tells you that you can’t, that is somebody you don’t want to be friends with. If somebody encourages you to do things with your money or with your life that you don’t feel is right for you, I ask you to turn your back on that person.”
She cited her own professional journey, beginning as a waitress with a degree in Social Work. “If I can become who I have become in this world, there’s not one of you who has an excuse to be what you want to be.”
Orman underscored the importance of staying empowered during a career search. “The economy may be down…employment isn’t that great, but you can make it if you walk in and stay powerful…If you live a life of financial integrity you will be able to be the masters of your financial destiny, rather than financial puppets having to do something simply so you can pay the bills.”
She concluded: “Graduating class of 2010 of Bentley University, you go out there and you make the magic and you show them what can be. You show them for your own selves, for your life, and most importantly for what this great university gave you.”
Orman received an honorary Doctor of Commercial Science degree at the ceremony.
MCCALLUM GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
At the 35th annual commencement ceremony, Jack Cumming, chairman of the board and executive officer at Hologic, Inc., addressed more than 600 graduate students during the McCallum Graduate School of Business ceremony, “Bentley has prepared you to fly, so you can soar to great heights; there are no limits, as long as you believe in yourself.”
Cumming began by recalling a detour he took during his own career, when he ventured out as an entrepreneur in healthcare. “When you have your own company, the highs are so high they’re wonderful, but the lows are lower than you could ever imagine…with all the twists, turns and potholes. What I did find out is that there is no substitute for hard work…the harder you work, the luckier you get.”
He emphasized the need to stay positive during challenging times. “You have to keep telling yourself to set your goals high – go for what seems unreachable. Do not give in to the naysayers…follow those dreams,” he continued. “If you fall a bit short, you’re still going to be very satisfied where you come out.”
Having recently completed the Boston marathon, Cumming compared faith and the ability to believe in yourself to running a marathon -- emphasizing training, focus, energy, a bit of insanity, and the ability to block out pain and negative thoughts.
“You have to finish what you start…especially in the face of adversity. Anybody can give up… but to hold it together when everyone else understands if you fell apart, that is what true strength is.”
“I have no proven formula for winning the race,” he continued. “Everyone runs at his or her own pace. But I do know where the power comes from to see the race to the end. The power comes from within, and each and every one of you has control over the power.”
He concluded, “Find your passion and follow it. If you are true to it, you will find great satisfaction and great success. And more importantly, you will make a difference.”
Cumming received an honorary Doctor of Commercial Science degree at the ceremony.
ABOUT THE GRADUATES
At the undergraduate ceremony, 1,029 Bachelor of Science degrees, 21 Bachelor of Arts degrees, and three Associate in Science degrees were awarded to 1,053 students.
At the McCallum Graduate School of Business ceremony, 344 Master of Science degrees, 239 Master of Business Administration degrees, and 69 certificates were granted to 652 graduate students.
FACULTY AND STUDENT AWARDS
The Gregory H. Adamian Excellence in Teaching Award was presented to Jennifer Cook, assistant professor of English and to Jack Dempsey, assistant professor of English. Juliet Gainsborough, assistant professor of Global Studies, received the Bentley University Award for Excellence in Scholarship. The Joseph M. Cronin Award for Excellence in Academic Advising was given to Michael Quinn, associate professor of Economics.
Student honorees included Danielle A. Bacon ‘10 and Ryan A. Hosie ‘10, winners of the Professor Robert J. Weafer Award for Undergraduate Academic Excellence. The Professor William E. Dandes Award for Graduate Academic Excellence went to Kristyn L. Desjardins ’10 MBA, Michael D. Lorion ’10 MSF, Lei Ma ’10 MSA, Renita R. Patel ’10 MBA, and Guiyuan Zeng ’10 MSA. John Parillo was recognized as the Outstanding Evening Student.
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
Suze Orman
Undergraduate Speaker
Suze Orman has been called “a force in the world of personal finance” and a “one-woman financial advice powerhouse” by USA Today. She is also a two-time Emmy Award-winning television host, New York Times bestselling author, magazine and online columnist, writer/producer, and one of the top motivational speakers in the world today.
Orman is the contributing editor to “O” The Oprah Magazine, the Costco Connection Magazine and for the last nine years, host of the award winning Suze Orman Show, which airs Saturday nights on CNBC. Over her television career, Orman has become the single most successful fundraiser in the history of public television. She has also earned an unprecedented six Gracie awards, more than anyone in the 34-year history of this prestigious award. The Gracies recognize the nation's best radio, television, and cable programming for, by, and about women.
In October 2009, Orman was the recipient of a Visionary Award from the Council for Economic Education for being a champion on economic empowerment. In July 2009, Forbes named her 18th on their list of The Most Influential Women in Media. In May 2009 and May 2008, Time Magazine named Orman one of the TIME 100, The World’s Most Influential People. In 2008, she was the recipient of the National Equality Award from the Human Rights Campaign and was also presented with the Amelia Earhart Award for her message of financial empowerment for women. Saturday Night Live spoofed Orman three times during 2008.
Orman, who grew up on the South Side of Chicago, earned a bachelor’s degree in Social Work at the University of Illinois and at the age of 30 was still a waitress making $400 a month.
Jack W. Cumming
Graduate Speaker
Jack Cumming is the chairman and executive officer of the Board of Hologic Inc., founded in 1986. Hologic has grown to become a leading developer, manufacturer and supplier of premium diagnostic products, medical imaging systems, and surgical products created specifically to address the healthcare needs of women throughout the world. The company’s focus and concentration on breast cancer is unparalleled. No other major healthcare company devotes a higher percentage of its resources to the development and deployment of screening, diagnostic and therapeutic technologies to meet the diverse challenges of this disease.
Cumming served as the company’s chairman and chief executive officer from 2001 until 2009, as well as serving as a company director continuously since July 2001. Previously he was senior vice president and president of Lorad, a Hologic subsidiary.
Under Cumming's leadership beginning in 2001, Hologic’s revenues increased from $100 million to more than $1.6 billion and from a market capitalization of $90 million to more than $4.0 billion. In 2007, he was named CEO of the Year by Frost & Sullivan. In 2002, he was recognized as Medical Imaging CEO of the Year.
Prior to joining Hologic, Cumming served as president and managing director of HealthCare Markets Group (HCMG), a strategic advisory and investment-banking firm he founded in 1984, which exclusively served the healthcare industry. During his career with HCMG, Cumming worked closely with many of the industry's leading healthcare companies to improve performance, enhance shareholder value, formulate and implement restructuring initiatives, transform corporate cultures, and establish worldwide distribution networks.
During his career in the healthcare industry, Cumming has been a featured spokesperson at industry and corporate symposiums discussing market dynamics and future trends of the healthcare industry. His analysis and commentary have appeared in leading industry and financial publications.
Cumming currently serves as a member of the Massachusetts Life Science Collaborative Leadership Council, serves on the Advisory Board of the Corporate Board Resource Committee of The Boston Club, and is a member of the Luther Rice Society of The George Washington University, and serves as an advisor to the Microfinance Group of Bentley University.
Cumming and his wife Pam, Hologic’s vice president for marketing, have supported many initiatives to empower young women. These include launching a Distinguished Women in International Affairs series at George Washington University, which their eldest daughter attends, and a generous gift to Bentley University, where their daughter is a sophomore, that is focused on building leadership skills in young women. In addition, Cumming supports Boston’s Inner City Scholarship Fund to help young children in Boston advance their educational pursuits, and is actively involved with children’s charities in Latin America that promote education.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Further details on Commencement 2010 can be found on the Bentley University commencement web site at: http://commencement.bentley.edu/