Eitan Simon Naftali, MBA Student Speaker 2012 Winter Commencement Address , December 20, 2012 Endurance Good morning. It is truly an honor to be here today to address Smith’s School’s distinguished faculty, proud parents, supportive guests, and most importantly, the class of 2012. I would like to also thank my family who flew in from Chicago for this important event. 28 years ago, my parents moved to the US to raise my brother and me with the countless opportunities that this country can provide. I hope I have made them proud and lived up to my side of the bargain to seize the opportunities they worked so hard to provide me. To the rest of the families, friends, colleagues, and professors, Class of 2012, let us stand up and honor all those that are here this morning for their incredible support over the last few years as we pursued our degree. Several weeks from now, 7 Smith School students and I will be partaking in a 200-­‐mile relay race stretching from Miami to the sunny Florida Keys. Now you’re probably asking yourself 2 questions: 1.) Why on earth would anyone want to run a 200 mile relay race, and 2.) What does this have to do with the festivities of today? I’ll let you all think about the first question, but I will answer the second question with one word. ENDURANCE. Endurance is defined as “the fact or power of enduring a difficult process or situation without giving way.” I can’t help but think of all that it took to get us here in this moment today without “giving way,” or giving up. I think about the months or years of training we took to pass the GMAT in order to apply to schools. I think of all of us who made the tough decision to partake in an extraordinary endurance race, the Smith experience, whether it’s an MBA, a master's degree or a PHD. I think about our cheerleaders who watched us from the sidelines helping us make it through a late night of studying with perhaps an extra bold cup of coffee; a supportive boss who ensured you got to class on time; or an encouraging text or g-­‐chat from a friend before an exam. I think about our colleagues who are sitting next to us this morning, who coached us throughout the semesters on which class to take, or shared notes or books so we were prepared for a lecture. I think about our professors and smith school staff who made sure we had the right tools and information to be successful. My fellow graduates, we are crossing the finish line today, as a result of our strong support system, and because of our ability to work hard and to endure the rigorous challenges of the Smith School experience. Now after today, this race will be over, and the next chapter in our lives will begin. And the important question we now have to answer is, “What will WE do with the Smith School experience starting tomorrow?” My wish for us, the class of 2012, is NOT to be the next Mark Zuckerberg, Warren Buffet or Meg Whitman. My wish for us is NOT to be known as the next millionaire or billionaire, (although it sure would be nice to donate a large sum of money to the school, right Dean Anand). My wish for our class is simple. It is to find the next race in our lives that will challenge us professionally and at the same time provide us with an opportunity to leverage the invaluable experience we are celebrating today. Whether it is to completely make a career change to land your dream job, or improve a difficult business process at work, actively use the concepts and knowledge we gained over the semesters; don’t wait for things to happen. You make it happen! My second wish for our class is also simple, but will nonetheless be challenging. The Smith School brought together a cadre of supportive, diverse, and experienced students to whom I have the privilege of speaking to this morning. Look around fellow graduates. We have spent countless hours sitting in class together, worked on group projects, engaged-­‐in spirited debates, attended school functions, and invited one another into our lives to share in an experience other than our own. It would be a shame to not have each other’s support as we pursue our next race in life. Stay in touch my friends. This network is unique and unbreakable. In closing, this wouldn’t be a decent commencement speech if I didn’t quote someone famous. As we cross the finish line today, and when you wake up tomorrow and decide which endurance race to pursue next, remember the following quote from Buddha: “Endurance is one of the most difficult disciplines, but it is to the one who endures that the final victory comes.” Congratulations Class of 2012!