Convocation Address to College of Business May 10, 2008
Paul A. O’Connor, President, College of Business Alumni Association Board

Thank you Dean DeBrock. On behalf of the College of Business Alumni Association, Congratulations!!  I am honored to be part of this ceremony and to welcome you to the ranks of our proud Alumni. 
As graduates of the College of Business, each of you have received an outstanding education that will provide you with the foundation for the careers upon which you now embark. I have found my education and my continuing relationship with the College to be invaluable.  From here you are about to encounter one of the most significant changes in your life. Embrace that change and the opportunities it presents.
You are probably asking yourselves - What is an alumni association? What does it mean to me? And, most importantly, why should I join? Take a look around you – sitting around you are some of your best friends. The friends that helped you complete that difficult case study, the friends that helped you pass ECON 302 (for those of you who don’t know, that is  Intermediate Microeconomics which requires calculus), and the friends that stood by your side when you had doubts about ever seeing this day.  
These are the same friends that will be your reference for a future job or perhaps the friends with whom you will join forces to start the next YouTube. But how will you stay connected over the next 5 or 10 years?  This is where the College of Business Alumni Association comes in. We, through our extensive database, can help you maintain the relationships that you developed on campus and start new ones with alums that you may meet at the Great Wall of China, The Pyramids of Egypt or the streets of Chicago.  
Whether for business or social reasons, you will find among our membership others with similar interests, job responsibilities, and ideas for your career planning. Please visit our website (the link to the College’s website is listed inside your diploma cover or you can find it on the University’s website). Here you will find out more information on the College of Business Alumni Association, the Young Alumni Committee of the College’s Alumni Association, the MBA Alumni Board, and the EMBA Alumni Board.
The Alumni Association exists for you; I encourage you to take advantage of it. Again, my congratulations and best wishes for your continued success.