Sunday, I had the privilege of making remarks at the December graduation ceremonies for the William Allen White School of Journalism & Mass Communications at KU. Dean Ann Brill asked me earlier this year if I could make it and I enthusiastically said yes. Following a very warm introduction by Professor Bob Basow, here is the brief speech I made to the 60 graduates plus their families, friends and faculty gathered in Woodruff Auditorium at the Student Union on the University of Kansas campus in Lawrence.
2007 William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications
December Commencement Address
December 9, 2007
Woodruff Auditorium at the Student Union
University of Kansas
Thank You:
Professor Basow – “Bob”
Dean Ann Brill
Distinguished faculty of the Journalism School
Parents, family and friends of the graduates
And most importantly – the graduates.
To say it is an honor to be standing here today is an understatement for me. I have always been a Jayhawk. And in the 8th grade I decided I wanted to be a broadcast journalist.
So attending the University of Kansas was a foregone conclusion, especially when I realized I would have the opportunity to attend the best Journalism School in the country. There may be others that lay claim to that – but I truly believe it and here’s why.
Today you are graduating from a journalism school that has never simply focused on theory and philosophy. There is plenty of that taught here as it needs to be. But what you have gained from attending KU and the William Allen White School of Journalism is a plethora of practical applications and learnings along with the theory and philosophy.
The advantage you had by being able to apply what you are learning while still in school positions you to be successful more quickly than you might otherwise be.
And for that you have this group of people behind me on the stage to thank. This is a great faculty and you are the representation of their effort and time.
I stand before you today a product of this great school. I came in with my sights set on becoming the best broadcast journalist I could be. What I didn’t realize is that what I was really learning to do was not simply to become a reporter – but instead I was learning how to tell a good story.
I was learning how to research information – how to dig for facts. I was learning how to take those facts and pick out the ones that mattered most to people and deliver that information. Over the years, even though my jobs have changed – I still am doing those same basic things every day.
As William Allen White said once – “If the facts are fairly and honestly presented; the truth will take care of itself.” That philosophy still works today even though the communications profession has changed dramatically from his day.
That is the beauty of the world you are entering. Regardless of what you want to do first – a journalist; a marketer; a public relations professional; a webmaster; or a film maker – you are in the business of telling a good story. A story that needs to be educational; compelling; a story that will inform and perhaps move people to form opinions and even take some sort of action.
That is why I am as excited today about this wide open world of mass communications as I have ever been. And you should be too – because you are now going to help shape its future.
So what would a good graduation speech be without some advice. I have been the beneficiary of some great mentors and advisors over the years. I will try today to give you a little of what I have learned in the hope that something will resonate with you as you head out to begin your careers.
My advice today centers around some of our core philosophies that make Barkley the kind of company it is. These are philosophies that drive our business – philosophies that shape our relationships with each other and with our clients – and finally these are philosophies that form the foundation of our work.
As I thought about this talk today – it became clear to me that they also could form the building blocks for each of you to consider as you head out to begin the next chapter of your lives.
When you walk through our front door at Barkley right now, there is a telephone booth standing right in front of you. I’m wondering right now if any of you have actually made a call from a telephone booth. Next to that phone booth is a sign that espouses our core philosophy at Barkley – Every idea has an expiration date.
Think about that for a minute. By taking the attitude that ideas can expire, it forces you to keep things fresh all the time. What worked yesterday may not work today. And more importantly – what is working today may not work tomorrow. How does this apply to each of you as a new graduate?
When you land that first job – and you will land that first job – be the person who is the most curious. Be the person who is constantly staying abreast of the latest trends. Be the person who seeks out a mentor or two to learn as much as you can as quickly as you can.
In other words -- keep yourself fresh and up to date – and your thinking will be fresh and up to date. Don’t put yourself in a position where you are behind the curve or else you will be left behind in this fast paced world we live in.
My second piece of advice revolves around our brand promise to our clients. We promise our clients that our goal for them is to make them irreplaceable to their customers. It is not enough today for a brand to simply be relevant. The brands that are successful today are the ones that people cannot imagine living their lives without.
That is what you have to do when you land your first job. And Mom and Dad – they will land their first job. Be the person who volunteers to work on the extra project. Be the person who organizes the social activities at work. Be that person who is a sponge for learning the ropes of the business – who asks the extra question that everyone else in the room is afraid to ask.
It is the little things that will make you irreplaceable. Attending to the details will allow you the opportunity to be in the room to help come up with the big ideas that can make a difference.
My final piece of advice is to always give something back to the community around you. As Bob mentioned, we are big into cause branding at Barkley. I’m proud of the work we are doing because it is more than simply selling another product. We are helping to educate, inform and raise money for important causes.
And you need to be the generation that solidifies this emerging trend of corporate and nonprofit partnerships that are not only good for them but are great for society. The beauty of giving back is that it really is up to each of us to take a small step each day to do something good for someone. It is the cumulative impact of each of our small, individual steps that turns into a stampede of giving that makes a difference. Get involved and stay involved as you walk off this campus.
So there you have it. Three pieces of advice. One --Don’t let yourself become an idea that expires.
Two -- Make yourself irreplaceable --- not only in your work – but also to your family and friends --- and
Three -- always, always be giving something back to the rest of society.
I will end with three words. Three words each of you have said many times in the last few years. And three words that tie us all together wherever we go and whatever we do as alumni of the University of Kansas. Some think it is simply a cheer. But we know different. It is our calling card.
Rock Chalk – Jayhawk.
Thank you and good luck.
I attended a great reception Wednesday night with the Kansas City area alumni of the University of Kansas Journalism School. I was the official host since I secured the venue, but that is all I had to do as host. The J-
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