Valedictorians

Valedictorians               Tue, June 18 2013   2:00 PM                        

As many of you know, Lake Forest Graduate School of Management selects one Valedictorian who speaks at graduation. This year we had an exceptional group of Valedictorians submit speeches for consideration. Kaitlin Browman was chosen to speak and the other speeches were left unsaid. To remedy the loss of so many great concepts, I have invited our Valedictorians to share their insights on the Student Services Blog.

 

Here is the first, written by Bill Nevler, Valedictorian Class of 2013:

During our MBA journeys, we’ve watched each other evolve at Lake Forest.  Many of us changed jobs, many got promotions.  We shared so many experiences with each other.   Some of these changes were more personal, introspective changes. Perhaps we’ve become more self-aware? Many– if not all of us –are much more open to constructive feedback. Maybe we’ve become more in tune with managing our relationships?  I know I have.  And, yet…I admit… there are times that I regress. Even though I’m getting my MBA, and I’m an upstanding leader in-the-making, I sometimes lose it and go ballistic….  But now that I’m more emotionally intelligent, I’m completely aware when I’ve lost it and gone ballistic.  It’s great!   (Keep in mind, this only happens ….tops … once…maybe twice a day).

 As I look upon you, my fellow classmates, and I’m sure I’m speaking for us all, I want to say that my experience at Lake Forest would not have been the same without you.  Most of what I learned was from you, so… thank you so much.  

 Thank you Adriana for teaching me how to ask for more out of a negotiation; thank you Sidney for sticking with me through most of our classes and showing me what “High-I” is all about…oh, yeah…and Sidney, thanks for showing me what happens when you punch a laptop monitor while struggling with a final presentation the night before it’s due…you kind of see that there’s black liquid inside the fractured display….pretty cool stuff…and a teensy bit scary having been there when you did it….; thank you Madhavi for being one of the kindest, charismatic, hardest-working classmates I’ve met; thank you Tim, Mike, Chris, and Sai for being the best team ever–I learned SO much from each of you…and I think of you whenever I stop at Taco Bell (inside joke).

To our dear teachers and staff, thank you.  I don’t exaggerate when I say:  you were the experience.  Not only did you educate us but you also served as leaders for us to aspire to become. Now…did you sometimes tell us the same anecdote twice?  Yeah…. Three times?…Rarely…but yeah… you did!   The great thing about Lake Forest is that most of us, students and teachers, have had our fair share of senior moments.  But the teachings came through with passion. Thank you so much, our teachers.

 And lastly, how can I possibly stand here without thanking you, our family and friends….our support systems.  We love you dearly and appreciate the sacrifices you’ve made for us the past several years. You’re the true reason behind our success.  

And so, we close our Lake Forest chapter…in my case 2 jobs, 4 therapists, and 30 pounds later… with the world waiting at our doorsteps.  I wish you all the best as we continue our personal journeys.

 Thank you, Congratulations, and Keep in Touch!

 – Bill Nevler