PROVO, UTAH
The four-and-a half hour drive Mike and Kathy Ziegenfelder made from Pinedale, Wyo., to the BYU campus in Provo, Utah, seemed like a small gesture to cheer on their son, Paul, as he walked across the floor of the Marriott Center during summer commencement exercises on Thursday, Aug. 9.
"It is the cherry on top," the grad's father said of the exercises. "It was worth coming down for, and it is the reward. He's earned it."
The recent graduate — who received a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering — said that it was a great finish to his college career, and a good reminder of what his education means.
"As I was sitting there I realized the impact I can have as a BYU graduate and what I should be shooting for as I represent BYU in my profession," he said.
Those thoughts came to him as David L. Beck, Young Men general president, spoke to the 2,357 graduates and their supporters about their responsibility to be "a standard to the nations."
"Each of you, who have been given so much, has a duty to shine," Brother Beck said. "To do this, you must shun the ungodly influences in the world and maintain high standards. The path of mediocrity can never be yours. To be seen as a standard, your life must be one of distinction and excellence."
Sharing examples of BYU graduates whose lives stand as a standard for the nations, Brother Beck taught the importance of a principled life of goodness and distinction.
One example Brother Beck shared was of a man named Wilford A. Cardon who, after serving as a mission president in Brazil, returned to help others around the world in developing countries gain an education.
"When [Wilford Cardon] returned home from his mission, he was determined to help students in Brazil and other developing countries around the world," Brother Beck said. "He started a sponsorship program at BYU to provide graduate management education for these students. He wanted to prepare participants for leadership roles in their chosen professions, in their communities, and in the Church when they returned to their native countries."
To date, 252 students from 45 countries have participated in Brother Cardon's program and, in addition to successful careers, many have held responsible Church leadership positions in their home countries.
Three of those recipients now serve as General Authorities, and others have served in many capacities within the Church.
A Christ-centered life
Brother Beck looked to the example of the late Stephen R. Covey as a person whose life and service has been a standard for the nations.
"Stephen Covey lived a Christ-centered life," he said. "He humbly sought light and knowledge and God's will through daily prayer and scripture study. He had a keen sense of the mission God had for him to perform and he was true to that mission. Because of that, people everywhere were attracted to the light that radiated from him. He demonstrated the credibility and persuasive power one has when his personal standard is a Christ-centered life."
A city on a hill
The BYU accounting program has set an extraordinary standard of excellence, Brother Beck said. Drawing from the words of a CEO of one of the big four accounting firms and a man not of the LDS faith, Brother Beck recalled his description of BYU graduates.
"'Year in and year out, BYU is one of the top-rated accounting and business programs in the country,'" he said. "'It has been one of [our firm's] top schools in terms of interns and graduates that we employ. It is not a coincidence. We find the values of the BYU students in wonderful alignment with our values and much better developed than students at many other universities. … And we find that the students from BYU are much more globally aware than peers at other schools.'
"What are the results when the common purpose of a faculty includes building character?" he asked. "… The BYU accounting program and its graduates today are like a shining city on the hill — a standard that cannot be attained merely with academic or technical skills. It requires character."
In homes
There is no more important place for you to seek a Christlike standard of
behavior than in your own homes, Brother Beck said. You must never
sacrifice your family for career or other outside interests - you will
influence nations by being family focused.
Looking to the example of his sister, Susan B. Stapley, who earned a
degree from BYU, was musically talented, and could speak four languages,
she chose to pour her talents and energy into the challenging work of
raising her children. But, Brother Beck said, "there were occasions when
the overwhelming demands of raising a family led her to question how much
good she was doing. At times, the loud voices of the world drowned out
the still, small voice that whispered that her job was important.
"Sometimes there were even other voices such as the one that said, 'Mom,
don't you ever feel bad that you went to all the work of getting a college
degree and then didn't do anything with your life?' Twenty years later
that same voice is saying, 'Mom, how did you ever manage to do it all?'
Today, it would be impossible to overstate the influence she has had and
will have. As President Harold B. Lee taught, 'The most important part of
the Lord¹s work that you will do, is the work that you do within the walls
of your own home.' "
"When disappointments come into your life — and they will — you have an important decision to make," he said. "Do you wallow in self-pity, or do you arise and shine forth?"
He spoke of Amanda de Lange, a single woman in her mid-thirties who graduated from BYU and headed to Taiwan, and later China, to teach English. While there, she volunteered at different orphanages and eventually opened her own foster home. In all, Sister de Lange cared for more than 165 foster childen with medical needs, many of whom needed surgeries, while 81 children ended up being adopted into homes around the world. Early this year, she was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of cancer and on July 14, passed away at age 51.
"You may think that these examples I have shared today are so extraordinary that they are beyond your reach — that your influence could never be so dramatic or so far-reaching," he said. "If you have these thoughts, I would say to you: Remember who you are and that you have a great purpose here on earth. Do not underestimate the good you can accomplish with the Lord's help. Living a Christ-centered life will inspire and empower you to arise and shine forth in ways you never imagined before."
President Cecil O. Samuelson, BYU president conducted and shared remarks as did alumni president Michael J. O'Connor and graduate Julianne Long.
INFO BOX
Breakdown of the graduates for the combined June and August graduating class
Total: 2,357
Bachelor's degree: 1927
Master's degree: 384
Doctoral degree: 46
Male: 47.1 percent
Female: 52.9 percent
Graduates come from 48 states, one territory and 50 foreign countries
Oldest student receiving a bachelor's degree is 70 years old.
