Brad Franz addresses BJCC graduates

 

September 11, 2016

Brad Franz

NWOSU Athletic Director Brad Franz was the commencement speaker for the Sept. 9 GED graduation at the Bill Johnson Correctional Center (BJCC).

Franz told the GED graduates he was honored and proud to speak to the graduates and their families at this exciting moment.

"I know you've had to persevere through some tough times to get where you are today. I hope you will continue by furthering your education." He said his own son obtained his GED, and then went on to obtain a bachelor and master's degree.

Franz provided a few tips that he believed would help in their quest for success.

First, he said each step of the next level of education or employment gets a little bit tougher. He noted that there is no substitute for hard work.

"Hard work is the great equalizer for all of us. I've seen students who had top ACT scores and high school grades struggle at college because of the lack of hard work. I've seen students who had low ACT scores and not so good high school transcripts do quite well because they worked hard.

"If you have the opportunity to continue your education, do so, whether it is at a community college, a technical school, university or college."

He said, "Another thing I'd like to tell you is be persistent. All of us run into road blocks. I'm convinced the big world out there gets harder each day. You'll get knocked down and you'll need to get back up. Whatever you want in life, be persistent and you'll accomplish it.

"Don't lie to yourself. Everyone says, 'Don't lie to another person,' but I agree that the most important person you cannot lie to is yourself. Many people convince themselves they are working hard, and it's someone else's fault they are not making progress. You need to be responsible for your own actions.

"Another tip is don't give in to other people's pressure. Every day, you will face decisions like 'Do I go into work or do I call in sick? Do I do the English assignment for the community college I'm going to, or do I blow it off? Or do I say 'yes' to something that can potentially get me into trouble, or do you make your own decisions? Just because someone else does it, it doesn't make it right."

He would up his speech by urging the graduates to set goals and start working for them now.

"The next couple of years will go by so fast if you set goals. Before you know it, you'll be having to decide what job you want or what degree you want to pursue."

He ended by saying, "Do your best, do what is right, and treat others as you want to be treated."

 

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