Name: Sandeep Mulgund | Program: Engineering Science | Graduation Year: 8T9 |
Congratulations U of T graduates! All of you are graduating amid circumstances rather different than anything you could have imagined when you first became a part of the U of T community.
As I reflect back on the three decades since I graduated, I think that the biggest lesson I’ve learned is that you never know when circumstance will come along that changes your life, personally or professionally. It’s said that luck is when preparation meets opportunity. You never know when the opportunity will arise, but you can do your best to be prepared. Your education at U of T has given you a fantastic foundation for life-long learning. Where you end up many years from now will be very different than where you started, and most likely very different than you could have imagined yourself doing.
But you’ll find that when you look back your own road traveled, you’ll identify key moments when you made a decision to go right instead of left to try a new thing, and a whole new set of opportunities opened up for you. Embrace them all. Sometimes it’ll be a bit scary getting yourself into something outside your comfort zone. When you find yourself giving advice to the class of 2050, you’ll be glad you did.
Good luck to you all, graduates!