BOCA RATON — Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN’s chief medical correspondent, encouraged Lynn University’s 2010 graduating class to seek out the unknowns in life and not to fear life’s uncertainties in his commencement address during Lynn University’s 45th commencement ceremonies.
Brianna Marie DeRose cheers after receiving her bachelor of science in business administration from Lynn University in Boca Raton Saturday
Lynn University President Kevin M. Ross introduced Dr. Gupta by touching on the recent tragic loss of Lynn students Stephanie Crispinelli, Britney Gengel, Christine Gianacaci and Courtney Hayes and faculty members Dr. Patrick Hartwick and Dr. Richard Bruno during the January 2010 Haitian earthquake.
“We have had many shining moments on our campus this past year, but as you all know, it has also been a year marked by tragedy for Lynn University.”
However, President Ross pointed out that people have turned the tragedy into something positive. He outlined the new scholarship funds founded in honor of those lost that will help more students travel to perform similar service work and the Lynn University Memorial Village that Food For The Poor will soon build for the poor of Haiti.
When concluding his discussion of the events surrounding the Haitian earthquake, he said, “Dr. Hartwick, Dr. Bruno, Stephanie, Britney, Christine and Courtney were heroes—they spent the last hours of their lives serving those in need.”
He then introduced Dr. Gupta as another hero from the Haitian earthquake, “and today, in their remembrance, we felt it was appropriate to invite another hero to be this year’s commencement speaker. He was one of the first journalists to arrive in Haiti following the earthquake, and many of you saw him on TV treating some of the younger victims of the tragedy.”
Natalie Gisele Feller, who just received her bachelor of science summa cum laude, hugs Professor Malcolm Asadoorian as she exits the gym at Lynn University on Saturday.
Dr. Gupta began his remarks by stating that he was inspired by what he saw from Lynn’s experience and it is one of the main reasons he came to speak, “One of the reasons I jumped to be here is because of what this place has come to represent, not just here, but certainly across the country and all over the world,” Dr. Gupta said. “The idea that you can engage in service and that an education is something that you complete, but life is something that you experience.”
Gupta encouraged students to embrace the unknowns of life. “In real life it is impossible to know what truly lies around the corner. This inspires you to jump out of bed in the morning and take a peek around the corner. Who knows what you might see: an opportunity, a brand new direction in life, a new love. And, if you stop trying to figure out what’s next, it relieves a lot of anxiety.”
He said he has learned this important lesson through his own life experiences, “When I was growing up, I was never comfortable with uncertainty. I was going to be a brain surgeon. I knew that at a young age. I was a young man in a hurry,” Dr. Gupta said.
Ian Llobregat, right, fields a graduation beach ball during Saturday commencement exercises at Lynn University in Boca Raton.
Life, he said, taught him not to crave the predictable as much as he used to, “But looking back now, I realize it’s OK to be a little uncertain. It’s OK to look around every now and then, and it’s OK to try things that take you off your path. It may provide you the meaning you are seeking.”
He continued exploring this theme when he pointed out that failure often teaches people the most important lessons, “I made mistakes and that was when I learned the most. Certainty is sometimes overrated.”
More than unavoidable, Dr. Gupta said he believes that embracing the uncertainties in life is not only necessary, but can also be a vital part of success, “Your success in life so far has been somewhat predictable. But now the number of ways you can succeed in our society is staggering.”
He followed this statement by recapping some of the amazingly random jobs currently available in America. He told the audience about a friend who earns a living making sure the giant water fountains in Las Vegas are properly timed to various musical scores. He also mentioned odor testers, fortune cookie writers and other odd and interesting jobs that people are paid to perform.
He continued, “In 10 years, a lot of you may have jobs that don’t even exist right now. I had no idea that I’d be shot at in Iraq or that I’d parachute into a tsunami’s aftermath. You can’t imagine where your life is going to take you. The skills you need to succeed are going to change.”
Immediately following his Saturday remarks, Board of Trustees Chairwoman Christine Lynn presented Dr. Gupta with an honorary degree. She read the honorary degree proclamation to the commencement audience, describing the various reasons Dr. Gupta was being honored. The life-saving brain surgeries he performed for Haitian earthquake victims and for troops in Afghanistan were among his many humanitarian acts and professional achievements cited in the proclamation.
Saturday’s ceremony for students receiving undergraduate degrees was the second of two commencement services on the Lynn campus – and the second where Dr. Gupta served as speaker. Together, Lynn awarded more than 500 degrees from five academic colleges. It was the fifth consecutive year that the university hosted separate ceremonies—one for graduate students, held the evening of Friday, May 7, and one for those earning undergraduate degrees, held the morning of Saturday, May 8.