My graduations

In 6th grade my class had some kind of ceremony that I barely remember. I remember being on state and reading something, maybe a poem. I do not remember being nervous, but the crowd was literally in the dozens in the school gym.

For high school graduation, I was neither valedictorian nor class president, but I was asked to give a speech as the class treasurer. I always thought they asked the class officers to speak specifically to get me on stage. I was not terribly nervous, more excited really. We were on the grass inside the soccer field facing Mount Beacon. I don't think anyone could hear me very well, the audio quality was not great from my recollection. I also received two awards, one was a small scholarship from the teacher's union (thanks Dad) and another was a scholarship I believe for Rochester University. I'm not entirely sure what the second award was that day.

In college, either before or after the mass graduation ceremony the business school had its own ceremony. The first recognition went to me, which caught me entirely off-guard. I was one of two students to take a global business sequence, which was neither a major/minor concentration nor an award really, but there I was the first to have my name called out to come the stage. Unfortunately I had no idea where to go and I still remember smiling while walking across the entire stage looking for the entrance to claim my certificate. A short while later my mother sat on it in the car. I'm not sure if we kept the paper, since it was badly damage from my mother's posterior.

As the MBA program drew to a close I did a quick review of the likely candidates to be selected to give the class speech. About a month before the end of the program I told a friend I thought I had an outside chance but that he would probably end up the speaker. After people cast their votes I heard several people say things like, "I would have voted for you, but I knew John wanted to give the speech." I think I could have lobbied for and probably won the role, but in the end I was glad to instead finish in the runner-up spot and only had to give a three minute presentation of the faculty award from our class. I helped John write his speech, which was just as fun for me. I was glad with how I performed, but I did get lost on stage at one point after receiving my diploma. There was a photographer we were supposed to see after shaking hands with the dean and I did not know that until several students passed me. Everything worked out in the end.