Who says you can’t go home? The University of South Carolina holds a special place in my heart, so when I was asked to speak at the hooding ceremony at the Darla Moore School of Business at USC, I didn’t hesitate to say yes.

The Masters Hooding Ceremony is the official ceremony honoring students in Carolina’s world-renowned graduate business programs. The ceremony honors Masters degree recipients from a number of business fields, but of course, the Moore School is best known for its number-one ranked program in International Business. I was particularly personally honored to be the latest in a distinguished list of Moore School Hooding Keynoters, including former U.S. Education Secretary Richard Riley, CEO of Ogilvy & Mather Charlotte Beers, former S.C. Governor James Hodges, and famed football coach Lou Holtz.

I vividly remember graduate school: the long hours, the hard work, and of course the lack of sleep. But it was worth it. I hold my education and experience from the Darla Moore School of Business as some of the best times of my life. My speech focused on mentorship and the importance of understanding the mentoring role in a young person’s career. I outlined to graduates some of the core values that have served me well in my own career, including the importance of having a moral and ethical center to my life and not confusing the ups and downs of a career with the overall trendline of that career.

Anyone who has ever given a speech can tell you that we all know most attendees won’t remember our words after they leave. At a graduation that can be even more so because we, as speakers, are just a small part of a great moment in the lives of others. University President Harris Pastides and Dean Peter Brews, in their opening remarks and introduction, noted that I was speaking from the same site on the historic Carolina Horseshoe from which President John F. Kennedy and Pope John Paul II had previously spoken. In my opening remarks, I pointed out that it was from the same spot that “Hootie and the Blowfish” broadcast an episode of “MTV Live.” It’s good to keep these things in perspective.

I hope my simple words of encouragement and congratulations added to what was an impressive ceremony and a proud day for the graduates and their families. I’m proud to have been part of such a wonderful ceremony.

Thank you to the Darla Moore School of Business and congratulations to all of the graduates. May you all find success and happiness both in your careers and in your personal lives.

Go Gamecocks!

University of South Carolina Horseshoe

University of South Carolina Horseshoe, photo courtesy of Wikimedia user Dfscgt21, CC-BY-SA 3.0.

– John Kilpatrick