Students, especially today’s graduates, Faculty, Residents, Staff, Alumni, Board Members and Friends,
Good morning! It’s going to be a beautiful day - because it’s GRADUATION DAY!
Graduation should be a time of celebration and pride – for our students, their families, significant others, as well as our faculty and staff. It also should be a time of reflection – on what’s next, how fortunate you all are to be able to help others and finally to thank those who helped get you here. This year’s graduation ceremony will be a bit different from any other we have ever celebrated, but that doesn’t diminish the remarkable and extremely laudable accomplishments of the Class of 2020!
While some things are clearly different, as you reflect on all of this, you will see that the things that matter most actually remain the same. You all chose healthcare as a profession because of your sincere desires to make other’s lives better. That hasn’t changed; it’s actually even more important now. The fact that you’ve all embarked on extremely exciting and rewarding careers that enhance your ability to help people improve their lives remains a real gift; one that must be cherished, honed and continually nurtured throughout your professional lives.
As I’ll remind you in my remarks later today, the technology you’ll be surrounded with to assist you in caring for your patients and clients should never become the primary focus of your attention. Treat your patients and not the technology. While data on each patient must be collected, your primary job is to accurately interpret these data and effectively communicate the implications to your patients, ensuring their welfare remains central to everything you do.
One other thing that hasn’t changed is that when you chose healthcare as a profession you’ve also chosen professions requiring a commitment to life-long learning. Salus will always be your academic home and I want you to think of us that way. Never stop asking questions, challenging your assumptions and sharpening your skills. We will all be there to help you continue your professional journeys.
One of the traditions that I started when I came to Salus almost 8 years ago, was to informally talk with the graduating class the morning of the ceremony, following rehearsal. Since that’s not possible this year, our communications staff has arranged for me to do this via Instagram Live. So, I’m going to give that a try at 9 a.m. this morning. Here’s a link to our commencement site that should help you view commencement at 2 p.m. Additionally, if you’re accessing your social media, you can tag today’s festivities at @SalusUniversity and using #SalusGrad.
Finally, as you prepare to venture beyond our gates, I want to thank you for entrusting your education to us. You all are leaving here SALUS STRONG, ready to help define what the next normal will look like as we overcome the challenges presented to us by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Stay safe, stay healthy, stay strong and keep in touch!
Mike
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