I graduated from a small liberal arts college in Connecticut and was essentially unprepared to face the rigors of the graduate school demands at RPI. My most vivid memory is sitting in the Union late one night trying to figure out how to catch up and keep up to the classwork and homework and projects and …. At the same
time, I very seriously
considered quitting—just walking away and finding a job. Luckily, I did not quit and the lessons I learned at RPI have served me well.
First, have a plan. Most of us are winging it. We think that hard work and a first-class diploma will guarantee our success; it won’t. The fact is that most of the successful engineers, businessmen, dot-com millionaires, and entrepreneurs have a pretty good idea what they want to do and then work on the steps they need to accomplish to get them to their ultimate goals. Take the time now to think about what you want in the future; be as specific and as detailed as possible, and write it down on paper.
Be persistent. Winston Churchill was interviewed near the end of his life and was asked what one quality he wanted to be remembered for. His answer—persistence, and he defined it as follows: "never give up, never, never give up." If you want something, be prepared to fight for it and "never give up" until you have been successful.
Learn how to speak and write and listen very well. Despite the technology explosion, most transactions and all relationships are built on trust gained through communication. The best concepts are useless until we can apply the idea to a useful application; that requires human interaction.
Learn how to have some fun along the way. We will all be dead for a very long time and, as I get older, I realize that there is a real danger in being too serious all the time. We often delude ourselves by thinking something is more important than it really is; keep it in perspective and you will be healthier, happier, and more productive.
Finally, there is no such thing as security, only opportunity. Risk is an essential part of life, both professionally and personally. Whenever there is great turmoil and change, there is also great opportunity. Don’t spend your life seeking security; you’re better off being the change agent who initiates and prospers because of the changes.
Rensselaer has been and continues to be a "world class" institution and a fine place to earn an education. But the real value will come from the "life" lesson you will learn along with your formal education and how you continue these in your daily decision making process.
Editor’s Note: Mark Patten ’71 is the owner of Patten, Vergis & McKenna LLC in Albany. Write him at Patten, Vergis & McKenna LLC, 16 The Sage Estate, Albany, NY 12204.
