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WGU Graduate Speaker, Randy Potts, Summer 2007

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Title: 
WGU Graduate Speaker, Randy Potts, Summer 2007
Creator: 
Western Governors University
Date: 
2007.07.14
Description: 
<p>Randy Potts earned his Master of Business Administration, Information Technology Management degree. On July 14, 2007 Potts was a graduate speaker at the Summer 2007 WGU Commencement. This WGU Commencement took place at Abravanel Hall in Salt Lake City, Utah. </p> <p>Transcription of video:</p> <p>Randy Potts: Dozen eggs, gallon of milk, a pound of cheese. I take the hint, honey. Administrators, faculty, honored guests, alumni, family and friends, and finally, the graduating class of summer 2007, congratulations. I was contacted by [Inaudible] in the provost's office who asked me, "What would you tell the graduating class of summer 2007?" And I've been contemplating that very question ever since.</p> <p>I first sought advice from my wife on what she thought, and she asked, "Why'd you choose WGU," or, "How did WGU change your life?" She quickly inferred, "Oh, I know. Speak about what I owe my family, and how I will support my wife as she pursues her accounting degree at WGU." [Laughter] That reminds me, Senator Enzi, we need to request some help from your office in navigating the Department of Education. There seems to be a computer glitch in my wife's records.</p> <p>One of my cynical daughters -- I say that very proudly -- "Does not matter what you say. They all have to sit there and listen to you anyways." [Laughter] She went on, "Heck, most of them will be, like, falling asleep, and you should just make repetitive statements to capture the few moments at the time that they're conscious long enough to understand what you said." [Laughter]</p> <p>I told my director I'd been asked to be a student speaker, and he said, "You know, I was really looking forward to coming to commencement, but now I'm not so sure. I think I have something to do on a Saturday afternoon." I suspect that a lot of it had to do with the long list of honey-do's that he had been accumulating himself over the past several months working on all the hours trying to acclimate me to the office environment.</p> <p>I also thought about what were some of my most memorable experiences and memories regarding WGU, and it dawned on me, my most memorable memory has absolutely nothing to do with a traditional college experience. That was one day a job recruiter picked me up at the hotel and drove me in to a Salt Lake City parking lot. And in that parking lot, there stood before me the tallest building with a sign that proudly proclaimed the "Home of Western Governors University." And before that, I never considered where my university even was.</p> <p>A fellow WGU alumnus, Glenn Kennedy, also had something that made me think a little bit deeper. And that was one day he said his fondest desire would be able to root for the WGU football team. Maybe this is what fantasy football really is. I recall my earliest memory, that of Education Without Boundaries -- if you all recall that class -- facilitator Beverly Blaire. When I thanked her following an assignment, I stated that I now believe I had been properly WGU-ified. And she thought that was a great new term.</p> <p>Well, there are several sad experiences for me as well, and I'm sure many of you will share these experiences. First, the withdrawal of not being able to access or even needing to access your AAP anymore. By the way, there's not much to do at 2:00 in the morning. I miss having to call my undergraduate program mentor, Craig Thorsten, and make some cockamamie unusual request for assistance, which somehow he was always able to fulfill. Craig, you truly are incredible. So let's stop single-handedly supporting the local health care profession. I have a job now.</p> <p>Then there's Dr. Wright and the way you always expanded my thinking in directions I never thought I would ever have to consider. Linda, Linda, Linda Gunn, the absolute most passionate student supporter, magician, brain surgeon, mystic extraordinaire, and my graduate mentor. How you always made the impossible possible, and I still can't see your sleight of hand. Travis, Jackie, Kemp, and the wonderful new addition, Sean. Assessment scheduling, financial aid, the bursar's office, and the rest of the entire support staff at WGU. You truly do make the entire WGU experience smooth and effortless, allowing all of us to concentrate on our studies. Thank you.</p> <p>So here it is, graduating class of 2007. If your tomorrows include developing young minds of the future, providing exceptional healthcare to services to your community, supporting technical revolution within your organization, becoming a driving force in the entrepreneurial business world, or challenging yourself to seek higher education, I wish you great success and earnest achievement.</p> <p>By the way, if you're just waking for a moment or falling asleep, I'm almost done. My fellow graduates, never forget we are WGU. Keep us all informed as to your life's milestones and accomplishments. Post them regularly on the community blogs and in your profile on the alumni website. There you go, Sean. Looking for and reading your updates will help my fellow OCD alumni in transitioning from the constant checking every five to ten minutes for updates in Taskstream, or the grading reports of our completed assessments. We truly do require this transitional therapy. Again, congratulations, thank you, and y'all can wake up now.</p> <p>[Applause]</p>
Publisher: 
Western Governors University
Rights: 
© 2017 Western Governors University – WGU. All Rights Reserved.
Original Format: 
Commencement Video
Digital Format: 
MP4 (Moving Picture Experts Group)