Graduation Speech: Finding the Good Stuff :: Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

The culmination of a dozen years of formal education is at hand - a just cause for celebration! You have fulfilled a quantifiable set of requirements, but what did you really learn? You have demonstrated your ability to cope with deadlines, social stress, challenging situations, major life changes, and even smelly gym socks. Knowledge is the progeny of struggle. Every challenge and adverse situation you've endured has served to strengthen your adaptability and taught you valuable lessons. All of the events that have been shared with friends, educators and parents in the past four years are experiences that have been infused into each individual's sense of self and will continue to influence your future. You have reached the end of an era, yet that era will remain forever with you. As you venture out, hopefully instilled with the knowledge you have gained, the future will abound with new and challenging opportunities. As you begin a new stage of life, (and the beginning of the end of your life), I want to tell you something someone once told me: "You know, life is like a possum in a trash can." That was a new one on me! "Yeah," I said. "How?" "Well, if the possum just sits in the can, it'll scrounge on the tidbits on top. But if the can gets shaken and rolled around a bit, the possum can get to the really good slop at the bottom." At first it just sounded like one of those "You might be redneck if ..." cartoons, but then I realized that there was a pertinent message underlying the seemingly mundane adage. Don't be contented with the bare minimum - what's given to you, what's comfortable, what's familiar, what's easy - that's just grazing the top. Shake the can! You can be like that lazy possum and nibble on the discarded pudding wrappers, soggy Cheetos and wood shavings of yesterday. Or, you can seize the moment and rattle the can around to get at the licorice, fudge, chocolate truffle ice cream and half-eaten cheesecake of last week. The world holds much more to be experienced than it easily and readily delivers. Often times, school and social pressure condition us to think and act certain ways. Throughout our daily routines young people are pressured by society to think and act certain ways, to settle neatly into a niche that feels comfortable. Over time, we become accustomed to conforming to preconceived notions of what is expected and "normal.

Admission Essay for Johns Hopkins Master in Marketing

Everything that a man wishes to happen in life comes at the right time and with a great purpose. As a promising professional in the field of Business, I aspire for higher educational opportunities which will make me more equip in the future.I want to broaden my knowledge and cultivate more of my skills so that I can land to a better and good paying job in the future. I am confident that the Master’s in marketing degree from Carey School of Business at John Hopkins University will make me another step closer to my dreams. It will enable me to meet all my goals in life and share what I have learned through service to people.My name is Amin Khayat a graduate of University of New Haven, Connecticut in 2004 with a degree in B.S in Marketing and Electronic Commerce. The vast knowledge and experience I gained from both my academic and professional life is not yet sufficient to satisfy my craving for education and success.The nature of my job is really diverse and I was astonished by the fact that there is a program   offered by John Hopkins University that will make my professional life more meaningful and productive. I have learning needs in terms of defining product strategy and road map, gathering and prioritizing product and customer requirement, compiling market data to deliver winning products, setting   product prices, pricing strategy and meeting company revenue and profitability goals.There are also analysis and understanding skills that needs to be developed on my part so that I can battle against market competition in the future and be more available for professional opportunities. A state of the art communication and marketing is greatly needed in the business world. I believe that this is also part of my primary needs which made me more motivated to attend the program at John Hopkins University.I have set career goals both in long term and short term. Securing a med level position with a firm that offers me greener pasture and chances of having more opportunities is part of my short term goal. I believe that the program is designed to make promising students like me to be more equipped in the acquisition, competence and scope of responsibility at any marketing firm. I am determined to find a job at a firm that will guide, advice, inspire and counsel me.After acquiring the right amount of experience, I will pursue my long term goals and that is to establish a firm of my own. Through hard work and dedication, I believe that nothing is impossible for me to do because all the things I will learn from the program will be maximized into full potential.I hope to rise in the corporate hierarchy and attain a level of marketing management that would enable me to use not only my undergraduate and graduate studies, but to make use of my own imagination and my creativity to contribute to the financial success of the firm that employs me. I would find a deep and intense personal and professional satisfaction and gratification from eith er of these two career paths.The MBA program of John Hopkins Carey School of Business will provide me with the adequate knowledge and skills far better than my previous academic and work experience. It is an advantage on my part to have diverse personality because I can meet different people from all walks of life.My ability to communicate in my first language, Arabic, and my second language, English, becomes evident from global communication. All these can also lead me to greater heights in my future profession. I anticipate my future with success. Through the MBA program I will meet both my needs and goals in life because this university recruits only the best and finest students.It has wide array of academic resources and competent professor who will teach me the expertise in Business marketing. I feel truly blessed to find myself free to pursue my immediate academic goals to reach my fullest potential, without undue concern about financial support.   Your school can help me ac hieve my goals of competence as a generalist and a specialist in marketing management.

Effective ways to improve communication Essay

Teenagers and their parents need to increase their communication in order to have a strong relationship. It is very important that they cooperate so that they can reach a common goal. Some tips to improve communication for parents are being there for their teenager children, learning to talk while in motion, risk making a change, being honest, sharing their hopes and dreams, and creating a comfortable environment by listening. Some methods for teenagers are opening up and sharing about their thoughts and feelings with their parents. There are several ways to improve the communication between teenagers and parents. Parents need to find quality time out of their busy schedule to talk with their children. Parents should take advantage of everyday opportunities or plan a simple activity for just themselves and their children, such as watching television. Talking to teenagers is basically the same thing as talking to adults. Most teenagers are overstressed, overworked, preoccupied and, in many cases, just simply distant from their parents. They need lively adults who are present and awake. In this way, parents could spend time with their children, engaging in activities that suit their age and interests. Teenagers always seem to be on the move. Teenagers are action machines because they do not like sitting still. They have the added distraction of being inside bodies pulsing with energy and strength. If parents really want to connect with a teenager, they need to get active with them, such as challenging them to a basketball game. Teenagers know their parents as well as their values, rules and weaknesses. They also know just what to say and how to maneuver around their parents. The problem is that they do not really expect their parents to ever change the way they think or act. Teenagers thrive on surprise and love to think odd thoughts. Parents should try to be a little surprising and do something completely unexpected and unpredictable. Young adults appreciate the opportunity to relate in a way that was completely unpredictable and different for their parents. Young adults deserve honest answers and explanations because this is what  strengthens the children’s ability to trust. By being open and honest, parents can express their values in a caring way. Parents do not often want to show their mistakes and past errors because they are unwilling to seem imperfect. Parents should tell teenagers some of their own secrets and try to be outgoing. They should try and set an example for their teenagers so that the teenagers will learn from their honesty. Although parents should always communicate with their teenagers, they have to remember not to talk too much. Teenagers hate listening to long lectures. Parents need to avoid repetition of lectures which might bore teenagers. Also, parents should not continue on about different subject that the teenagers are not ready to hear. Teenagers don’t have much of a past, and so they live in the future. Parents need to capture what it is that rivets teenagers’ attention the most – their imagination pertaining to the future and what’s important to them. Not many parents will sit down with their children and openly discuss the future without any boundary, agenda or parental rigidity. Teenagers will search until they find someone who will dream with them. They will look forward to the opportunity to explore their future with someone they truly care about and who really wants to hear about their dreams. Parents should always create a climate in which the teenager feels free to discuss anything. In order to create an atmosphere in which teenagers can ask any questions without the fear of consequences, parents need to be encouraging, supportive and positive. This will show teenagers that the parents can be of help in solving problems, and they will not be fearful of speaking out. Parents need to take them away from places and things that can distract them. They have to listen attentively because when parents talk to teenagers after careful listening, they are more informed and aware of the situation. Parents need to remember that young adults need an open mind and some guidance during adolescence more than any other period in their lives. If they fear that their parents will discourage them from being truthful by displaying disappointment and disapproval, they will pull away fast and will not return that easily. Parents have to be curious and ask questions about  teenagers’ ideas and feelings to get to know them and their world. Parents should be prepared to just listen and accept the simple truth that teenagers feel what they feel, no matter how irrational it may sound. It is important for teenagers and their parents to find ways to communicate their point of view, which will encourage the other person to listen. They need to avoid blaming the other person and not be judgmental. They should stay in the present and not refer to the past. They have to look for solutions together and be prepared to compromise. These are some ways to improve communication between parents and teenagers.

Visit us at CIPDs HR conference - Emphasis

Visit us at CIPDs HR conference Visit us at CIPDs HR conference On April 6-7, youll be able to meet the Emphasis team. Its your opportunity to talk to us face-to-face about your business-writing training needs anything from courses for your latest intake of graduates to improving your companys reports, and much more. Come and see us on stand 620 at the HRD conference and exhibition, the latest event organised by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. You can pre-book an appointment with us through our exhibitor profile be sure to let us know the day and time you prefer. Or, if you spot the Emphasis stand as you bounce between discussions, speakers and seminars, then do feel free to drop in.

Force and Functional Setting Essay

Force and Functional Setting Essay Force and Functional Setting Essay There are two major reasons people choose to wear weight belts. The first is to increase performance and the next is to decrease injury. Both of these assumptions, however, are incorrect, and im gonna tell you why. The first point I would like to make is that using a weight belt to increase the weight one can lift only seems like a good idea. A football player might be able to squat 400 pounds with a weight belt, which would strengthen his legs. However, what happens when that is brought to a functional setting? He may be able to fire off the line with 400lbs of force, but his core has not been conditioned to take that force. This is likely going to result in an injury because he has created a weak link. Even in the weight room injuries are more likely to occur The International Journal of Sports Medicine posted an article that measured injuries found among competitive weightlifters. They found that the those who use weight belts have an increased injury rate of the lumbar spine. This is because of the shear forces implied on the spine that has no core to protect it Some people would go so far as to say that the belt even encourages pour technique. And as we all know bad technique fosters injuries Stuart McGill. Author of Ultimate Back Fitness and Performance Low Back Disorders says that the belt helps to add weight by stiffening a curved back. However, if the lift is performed properly with a straight back, then the belt has very little effect. So if

Timber Cruising Equipment and How to Use It

Timber Cruising Equipment and How to Use It Ed. Note: The first essential step toward selling timber or timberland is an inventory. It is a necessary step which enables the seller to set a realistic price on both the wood and the land. The inventory and methods used to determine volumes are also used between sales to make silvicultural and management decisions. Here is the equipment you need, the cruising procedure  and how to calculate the cruise. This report is based on an article written by Ron Wenrich. Ron is a sawmill consultant and has extensive knowledge on how to inventory your forest using the point sampling method. It is written in three parts, this being the first part, and all links included were chosen by the editor. You could measure every tree and do a 100 percent appraisal, but this is very time consuming and costly to do on large forests. But another way is to use a sampling system. A proven system, called point sampling, is used regularly by foresters and can be used by timber owners as well. We will discuss point sampling and the equipment you need here. Point Sampling Point sampling is a method of determining the frequency of occurrence of trees throughout the stand using a fixed point. These points can either be random or systematic. What you will be measuring is the basal area of the trees occurring at that point or plot center. Basal area is the area of the cross-section of tree stems near their base, generally at breast height, and including bark measured over 1 ac. or ha. of land. This basal area (BA) is then used to calculate the volume of a tree. Basal area increases as stand size and site quality increases. Gauges Some sort of gauge is needed to determine which trees are counted and which trees are not. An angle gauge - either prism (the prism is a wedge-shaped piece of glass that will deflect the image when viewed), string, or stick gauge can be used. Several types of angle gauges can be purchased from any forestry supply company. A stick gauge can be constructed by putting a target on the end of a stick and by keeping a 1:33 ratio. A 1-inch site would be put on the end of a 33-inch stick. You then eyeball each target tree with this gauge to find out if it should be included in the sample (more on this in a minute). It has been suggested that a dime can be used as an angle gauge. As long as a 1:33 ratio is maintained, anything can be used. For a dime, the distance held from your eye would be about 23 inches. A quarter would be held 33 inches away. An alternative to buying an angle gauge would be to build one. Build an Angle Gauge Take a 1-inch piece of sturdy material - plastic, metal, etc.- and drill a small hole to attach a string. Kite string will work well, knotting the string at 33 inches from the gauge and attaching it to the sighting device. Now, when using, simply put the knot between the teeth and sight your gauge with the string completely stretched. An alternative is to put a 1-inch notch in the material which creates a kind of sight. Before taking to the woods with one of these, youll need to know how to use one. Using Your Gauge Trees are counted at a point. This point can be random when just checking stocking at a certain point, or they can be located on a grid to get data for volume or other factors. Trees will either be counted or not counted. Counted trees will appear larger than the gauge. Trees appearing smaller than the gauge are not counted. Some trees will be borderline, and distance should be measured from the plot center if accuracy is desired. For most purposes, counting every other tree will yield effective results. It is also necessary to keep the gauge parallel to the tree. If a tree is leaning towards or away from the plot, the gauge should be moved accordingly. Prism Angle Gauges A prism (most foresters use this type gauge) will deflect the image of the tree that is being observed. Trees that are deflected off the main bole are not counted, while those that fall within the main bole are counted. The difference between the prism and the other angle gauges is that the user keeps the prism as the plot center while other gauges use the eye as the plot center. Prism angle gauges come in a number of sizes, known as factors or Basal Area Factors (BAF). For most purposes, a BAF of 10 is used. At your point you simply make a circle counting the trees that fall into your plot. Multiply by 10 and you have the basal area per acre at your plot. You will also notice that larger trees that are further away will be counted, while smaller trees will not. When computing number of trees, larger counted trees represent fewer trees than smaller counted trees.

Occupations that are more dangerous then the building trades Essay

Occupations that are more dangerous then the building trades - Essay Example The freezing waters, unpredictable storms, harsh weather conditions, handling of the heavy fishing machines and attacking by water creatures, are the causes of high fatality rate in the fishing industry. In 2008, fishing industry had an average of 129 deaths in every 100,000 fishermen, and 61 injuries in 100,000 fishermen, hence ranked the most dangerous occupation in the world. Aircraft pilot is among the most dangerous occupations in the world. Its death rate is 57.1 per 100,000 pilots. Bush dusting and crop dusting are the most fatal. This is because flying very close to the ground in small planes can be very fatal. Pilots work for very long hours, and pilots have very limited options in saving their planes when crushing (Cullen). Most farmers and ranchers are over 65 years, and they use tractors, heavy machinery and herbicides. Inhalation of herbicides and other chemicals, long working hours during planting and harvesting causes a great risk to their health. This, therefore, makes farming and ranching among the dangerous occupations. . Truck drivers drive heavy trucks for long hours with no proper rest. Increased traffic, being alert for long hours, heavy vehicles with heavy loads create a challenge in this industry. When driving, the drivers can be attacked by robbers, murdered and even raped. The fatality rate stands at 18.3 per 100,000 (Cullen 67). Garbage collectors also face a great challenge. Hanging on the back of garbage trucks is very dangerous. The toxic materials, acids, blood in the garbage are harmful to the collector. The collector can be seriously injured or even die. The fatality rate is at 41.8 per 100,000 garbage collectors. An occupation is termed as safe by its ability to withstand harsh economic conditions. Health care is one of the occupations that can survive even in economic hardship. This is because; people will still need the health care services despite the economic situation. We cannot do without energy. Even