'You are heroes,' BYU-Hawaii grads told
E-mail story
It's easy. Send a link to the story you were just reading to a friend. Just fill out the form on this page and we'll send it along.
Your name and e-mail address are transmitted to the recipient. Otherwise, it is considered private information; see Privacy policy.
Young Women General Pres. Janette Hales Beckham encouraged nearly 100 BYU-Hawaii fall graduates recently to let their influence be felt for good.
"You who are graduating today are heroes to me. You have made an investment," she said. "You have invested time, energy and money for future benefit. That's mature! This generation is described in the newspapers as a `here and now' generation - seeking instant gratification. Yet you have been studying, developing talents, and preparing for a better future."Pres. Beckham further emphasized that the graduates are following the advice of President Gordon B. Hinckley when he counseled to not just be good, but "to be good for something that makes the world a better place."
She described three fundamentals of behavior which she believes could shine forth from the graduates as men and women of influence.
"The first fundamental is willingness to recognize the need for ongoing preparation," Pres. Beckham said. "Even as you graduate and leave a formal school setting, take every opportunity to continue learning, developing new skills, and staying aware of the changes taking place in the world around you."
Second, Pres. Beckham asked the graduates to practice the basic fundamentals of good citizenship. "A good citizen is respectful of rules, policies and laws, but we would need far fewer mandates if we, as good citizens, remember the golden rule: `Do unto others as you would have others do unto you,' " she said.
Identifying the third characteristic, Pres. Beckham said, "I have observed in men and women of influence an ability to keep commitments. There is a certain amount of persistence required in seeing tasks through to completion." The graduation exercises, held at the George Q. Cannon Activities Center, also included the bestowal of a Distinguished Service Award to former BYU-Hawaii Pres. J. Elliot Cameron.
