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LOGAN — Businessman and entrepreneur L. John Wilkerson told 6,322 graduates at Utah State University to follow their passions when choosing a career at the 124th Undergraduate Commencement Saturday.
Wilkerson began by loosening up the crowd with a joke about a popular pop singer.
You had a tough choice today." began Wilkerson. "You chose between attending the finale of Lady Gaga's Monster Ball Tour at Madison Square Garden versus staying in Cache Valley, sittin' hear listening to John Wilkerson, someone you've never heard of, first time commencement speaker, a Utah State University-educated cowboy from Oakland, Nevada, from flying here to deliver the traditional, obligatory, big, wet kiss speech."
It's not going to guarantee success, but whatever the journey you take it will sure be a lot more enjoyable if you have that passion with you.
–L. John Wilkerson
Wilkerson then delved into his speech and urged he Utah State graduates to follow their passions.
“It’s not going to guarantee success, but whatever the journey you take it will sure be a lot more enjoyable if you have that passion with you,” he said.
Wilkerson said life is an expression of one’s passions, though he said not to confuse passion with enthusiasm or excitement.
“Have you ever heard Mother Teresa described as enthusiastic and excited?” he said. “Passion literally compels you to act a certain way as if you had no choice in the matter.”
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Huntsmans urge strong work ethic to USU Business School grads
The Utah State University's Jon M. Huntsman School of Business got a little more than it expected Saturday when it ended up with two commencement speakers.He said passion is what led him to volunteer to go to Vietnam and why he still goes there just to meet people. He said passion is also what caused him to leave a promising career as a security analyst.
“I simply could not get up one more morning and call my clients and say, ‘Crystal Miers is going to make 67 cents a quarter next quarter, and the consensus is 68.’ I simply did not find that gratifying," he said.
By the same token, Wilkerson said passion is also the reason the medical products industry, the arts and various philanthropies have given him so much gratification.
“Imagine the joy of working with people you just can’t get enough of,” he said.
Wilkerson said when making a job decision to always ask yourself the question, 'By accepting this position, will I expand or reduce my future career options?'
He said by always asking himself this question, he has had a wonderful career and has never felt restricted.
Wilkerson ended his speech by announcing his latest initiative, a student movement called the Global Poverty Project whose goal is to eliminate extreme poverty.
Wilkerson was awarded an honorary doctorate of humane letters along with Mike Dmitrich, Karen Haight Huntsman, Syng-Il Hyun, and C. Hardy Redd who were also awarded honorary degrees. USU president Stan Albrecht issued the degrees and recognized the recipients of this year’s student and faculty awards.
