Suzanne Walsh, senior program officer from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, will speak tonight at the commencement for GRCC’s graduating class of 2013. Walsh will offer words of wisdom and encouragement to the students of the college.
Walsh shared the message she hopes to get across to the students:
Suzanne Walsh
“GRCC has prepared you for anything you want to do. It is a great place to learn, figure out life, and get prepared for your future career. Don’t ever forget what you learned at GRCC.”
Walsh continued with more words of wisdom.
“Also, when things get tough in your next adventure, remember the coping strategies you learned to complete your degree,” she said. “Those lessons and strategies apply to almost anything else you do. Take time to help someone else just as the great faculty, staff and tutors have helped you.”
As senior program officer of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Walsh has the honor of visiting and speaking with institutions nationwide and informing grant recipients that have been awarded funding.
Walsh spoke on the most rewarding and also most difficult part of the job.
“The most rewarding thing about my job is that I get to meet with students, faculty, staff and leaders of community colleges all around the country,” Walsh said. “Helping to support the vision that colleges have to help most students complete a degree or certificate is a great job and an honor and a privilege. The most difficult thing is getting people to work together and see each other as partners-in-crime rather than competitors.”
GRCC’s commencement will take place at 6 p.m. tonight in the Ford Feildhouse. There will be 455 students walking.
