I know I really don’t want to mix my technical blog with personal things, but I thought to share the speech I made at graduation for two reasons: (1) because I need to a place to write it down and (2) because I think the message is important for budding software developers, especially at Neumont.

“Roughly two years ago, all of today’s graduates made a giant leap of faith to commit to Neumont University. The school had had no graduates up to that point, and there were really no assurances that any of us could become sought-after software developers and informatics professional. But we all came to Neumont because we sensed something unique about the program, and it wasn’t until after we started that we actually discovered what that was. The Neumont experience comprised five core concepts which would enable us to succeed in our future careers.

“Those concepts are (1) being able to work in a team environment, (2) being able to communicate and collaborate effectively, (3) being able to understand a business environment, (4) having real-world project experience, and (5) having relevant technical experience. Even from our first quarter we saw how each of these areas fit into the software development field, and over the next two years, we would learn how to develop and apply these skills in every project we encountered. As a result, we stand before you today as graduates with a core foundation of skills that set us up for success in our next giant leap of faith. And that leap of faith is straight into the workplace of today, where many opportunities await us.

“One of those opportunities I’d like to focus on is that of enabling others to outperform themselves. What do I mean by that? Well, most organizations today deliver technical solutions with teams, not with single individuals. So enablers are people in those teams that help others to achieve much more than they could ever dream of doing on their own. Because of the core foundations that each of us have and that Neumont has pushed from the very beginning, I believe that every one of today’s graduates has the capability to enable others to enhance their performance, because in the end, all teams strive to achieve a common goal, but it’s the enablers that ensure that they get there. And so to those who have enabled us—our professors, our friends, and our families—we thank you for your steadfast support and guidance. And to the graduating class of Spring 2007, it’s our turn to be the enablers; it’s our turn to get serious. Thank you very much.”

This probably isn’t exactly what I said, but it’s the message I wanted to get across.