Reflections and advice for new graduates
Congratulations to the trainees who graduated from Western University this month.
Marlys Koschinsky, PhD, Susanne Schmid, PhD, and David Litchfield, PhD, share congratulatory messages, and offer advice to graduates as they enter the next phase in their professional careers.
Marlys Koschinsky, PhD, Scientific and Executive Director, Robarts Research Institute
Congratulations graduates on reaching this milestone – what a sense of accomplishment you must feel. And deservedly so.
Graduation is a time to reflect on what you have achieved, but also to ponder what the future will hold in the next phases of your career and your life. As you stand at the crossroads today, it is my hope that you will use your own personal compass to guide you in following your dreams and passions.
Please be true to yourself and never lose sight of who you are as a person in the process of making decisions. And please remember to thoughtfully balance your career choices with all other aspects of your life as you strive for your own personal best in everything you do.
After all, success is a subjective measurement that reflects one’s own values and aspirations – there is no ‘one size fits all’.
These are some thoughts from someone who stood at the same crossroads many decades ago and chose to explore the road less travelled.
Best of luck to you all.
Susanne Schmid, PhD, Associate Dean, Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies
Congratulations to all new graduates. You have achieved an advanced university degree, which opens up a lot of opportunities and sets you up for all kinds of career paths.
It can seem daunting, at times, to make decisions about your future. But things rarely play out the way people plan, and many of us professionals ended up where we are because of coincidences – being at the right place at the right time, networking with the right people, and seeking role models who encouraged our decisions.
Keep an open mind, network, and jump at opportunities that you find interesting. Try to see the uncertainty of your future as something positive, as an abundance of opportunities.
Your degree shows that you are a smart, resilient, hardworking person. You are able to achieve great things if you apply yourself – so find something that you can get passionate about.
All the best for your future.
David Litchfield, PhD, Vice Dean, Research & Innovation
I am delighted to offer my congratulations to all of our graduating students and to emphasize that we all share in the excitement and pride that accompanies Convocation.
For the graduates, Convocation represents the start of the next phase of your life journey – and an opportunity to apply the knowledge, skills and experience you gained during your training at Schulich Medicine & Dentistry.
We look forward to the future successes of all of you, and are confident that you will make important advances to make the world a better place.
