Convocation Address Fall 2023

Good afternoon … and thank you, Dr. Prakash.

Let me also express my admiration and thanks to the student musicians performing live today.  [Lead applause] They are terrific examples of our university’s commitment to the arts.

To the returning students, my colleagues on stage and in the audience … welcome back!

And to our incoming new students, I am honored to welcome you to UT Dallas.

Over the next few weeks, we have a range of events planned for you. And we will also mark some milestones, including 25 years of college athletics at UTD.

Next month, we will salute the Harry W. Bass Jr. School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology with a special ceremony.  It has been 10 years since we last named one of our schools. 

Then in October, we will officially dedicate the new Texas Instruments Biomedical Engineering and Sciences Building.  

It’s a state-of-the-art building on the East Campus of UT Southwestern Medical Center and will be a home for the biomedical engineering programs of both UTD and UT Southwestern.

By the way, our keynote speaker today, Dr. Shalini Prasad, is one of our bioengineering faculty members, and head of the department.

Also, in October, our campus will be in the path of an annular solar eclipse.  As someone who enjoys astronomy and photography, I am particularly excited about this.  It should be a great solar show and a nice lead up for the total eclipse on April 8, 2024.

Our goal at UT Dallas is to give you great learning opportunities beyond the classrooms and research labs. We want you to have a variety of experiences … through clubs … study abroad … internships … and volunteer service … to name but a few.

Your presence enriches our community, and your university has great things in store for you during your time here. 

“Your time here….”

That phrase leads me to ask one of the age-old questions:  what is time?

In my college years, I studied physics so I naturally turn to that discipline for my answer.  Don’t worry… I don’t plan to deliver a physics lecture this afternoon.

Time, as defined in physics, is the progression of events from the past to the present into the future.

You could approach your time here solely as a means to an end.  When I get that degree …  or … When I get that job … Then my life gets underway.”

After all, it is frequently said that the purpose of  a college education is to prepare you for a future life.

And while I agree with that to some extent, I challenge you to consider this: Your time at UT Dallas is life.

Physics also tells us that it is essentially impossible to know that time has passed unless something changes.

You will change.  That is inevitable.  How you change is up to you.

Here is my annual list of tips, selected to help you succeed as you grow and evolve:

  • Draw on the unique strengths that only you bring;
  • Embrace new experiences and opportunities;
  • Cultivate meaningful relationships with people who are different from you; and … this last one is inspired by the hit movie “Barbie,” …
  • Once you see the box, break out of it.

Comets, your future is bright.

To quote Abraham Lincoln, “The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time.”

So, make the most of today – and every day at UTD.

Whoosh!