Virginia P. Ruesterholz ‘83, President, Verizon Telecom: Remarks made during the 136th Commencement of Stevens Institute of Technology, May 22, 2008

HOBOKEN, N.J. ― Thank you, President Raveché, Chairman of the Board Babbio, trustees, faculty, alumni, family and friends – and especially the 900 graduate students who are being recognized this afternoon.

I’m extremely proud to receive this distinguished degree. And I’m truly honored to be with you at your commencement from one of the oldest and finest technological universities in the world.

I’d like to congratulate all of the men and women of this year’s graduate class. Today is your day to shine. I know that your parents, family members and friends are extremely proud of what you’ve accomplished.

You’ve worked hard, and now you begin an exciting new adventure. And I’m confident that the faculty at Stevens prepared you to tackle whatever challenges you may face.

I know this as a fact, because the education I received at Stevens helped me take advantage of some wonderful opportunities.

Of course, things were a little different when I went to school here 25 years ago. Back then, women made up only 20% of the student body.

But I immediately felt comfortable with the campus and the people I met here. I remember how thrilling it was to visit Stevens as a high school senior, and see all these smart guys everywhere I went.

And I’ll never forget the words of encouragement I received from my mother, who told me, “Well, at least you should come out with a husband.”

One of my fondest memories as a Stevens student was working with my brilliant chem lab partner, Kevin, who taught me so much. And I’m proud to tell you that today Kevin is my husband of 24 years.

So if you only remember one thing I tell you today, it’s that your mother is always right!

I was thrilled when President Raveché invited me to speak at today’s commencement. But I have to confess – I was a bit apprehensive about what I would say to this well-educated group that you wouldn’t already know.

So as I reflected on my years at Stevens and looked back on all the twists and turns in my career, I realized that I could offer you something that none of you have: a glimpse of the future.

You see, when I graduated from Stevens, I never envisioned that I’d be a president at one of the world’s leading communications companies. But my life took some very interesting turns, and I found ways to take advantage of those opportunities.

And I know that the same thing can happen to you, if you’re motivated to succeed.

So before you head out into the world with your Stevens degree in hand, I’d like to share five important lessons that have helped guide me on my journey.

Lesson #1: Focus on your strengths.

This lesson actually dates back to my senior year of high school at St. John Vianney in Holmdel, New Jersey. I was trying to figure out what to do with my life when my calculus teacher, Sister Margaret Mary, gave me some life-changing advice. She suggested I use my strengths in math and science to become an engineer.

I had never considered that before, and in fact, I wasn’t completely sure what being an engineer involved. But her advice led me to Stevens, where I discovered that my talents were a perfect fit.

After graduating, I continued to use my strengths to develop myself and those around me.

Throughout my career in communications, I’ve used my engineering strengths to look at problems from a different perspective.

I’m a big believer in using technology to relieve employees from menial and repetitive tasks. This enables them to be more proficient at using their personal strengths to better serve our customers. My problem-solving skills are a major advantage to me and my teams.

By focusing on your personal strengths, you’ll be more productive, enjoy your work, and find exciting new ways to enhance your life and the lives of those around you.

This brings me to lesson #2…

Lesson #2: Your Stevens degree is your trump card.

Looking back at the past 25 years, I can honestly say that my chemical engineering degree opened doors for me that otherwise might have stayed closed. For example, I’m convinced that New York Telephone – a predecessor of Verizon – selected me because my degree set me apart from the other candidates.

In today’s fast-paced technology world, your Stevens degree is even more relevant and valuable. U.S. corporations have a significant business interest in attracting techies like you. Plus there’s growing evidence of an impending shortage of home-grown talent in this area, which makes you even more valuable.

And since technology plays a strong role in just about every aspect of business, you’re not limited to a few industries. Technology is a major part of all major companies, including medicine, fashion, manufacturing and aerospace, just to name a few.

So look outside the box. Your Stevens degree can take you places you never imagined in the years ahead. You’ll be exposed to a world of opportunities, and that brings me to my next lesson…

Lesson #3: Approach your work with enthusiasm.

I’ve always looked for jobs where I can feel enthusiastic about coming to work.

Your career will take up one-third of your life over the next three or four decades. So you owe it to yourself to find a place where you’ll enjoy working and can make a meaningful contribution.

I’ve had as much fun being a supervisor in a telephone company garage as I do now as president of Verizon Telecom. That’s because I approach each assignment as an opportunity to learn and grow, and I value the contributions of my team every day.

Remember that you are in charge of your life, and if something isn’t working, then try to make it better. But if that fails and you’re ultimately not happy, you should take your talents to a place where you can thrive.

Bringing passion and optimism to your work is not something that happens when you become successful. It’s how you become successful. After all, happiness is a journey, not a destination.

Lesson #4: Opportunity is always knocking.

I’m proud to say that I’ve never said “no” to a new opportunity, even if I was concerned that it might not work out.

After spending a year in the nuclear industry, I had an opportunity to work at New York Telephone. I was offered a job as a foreman in a facility that tested special telephone circuits.

I was a woman in her twenties with no telecom background, and I would be in charge of a team of well-experienced men who were twice my age. I was extremely anxious when I accepted the position, but I ended up loving the job.

Later in my career I accepted positions that sometimes seemed out of my league, or required extremely long commutes. And as I rose in the ranks at New York Telephone and Bell Atlantic, I accepted director and vice presidential positions in the traditionally male-dominated executive ranks.

It’s been challenging for me sometimes, but it’s always been worth it.

By stretching yourself, you’ll learn new skills, expose yourself to even greater opportunities, and best of all – you’ll surprise yourself at how much you’re actually capable of achieving.

And now for my final lesson…

Lesson #5: You can’t do it alone.

Having a challenging career has been extremely rewarding, but it has also been pretty scary at times. Stepping outside of my comfort zone required me to quickly learn new things, and I discovered early on that you can’t do it alone.

I’m where I am today thanks to a long list of mentors I’ve relied on over the years.

My first mentor was a gentleman named Walter Jarvis. When I took that first position at New York Telephone, I didn’t know everything that my job entailed, and I had no clue about my team’s responsibilities. Even though I was Walter’s boss, he took me under his wing and taught me what the group was all about.

He knew what I needed to know, and I gladly accepted his guidance. I was willing to be mentored by someone who reported to me, and it was the best thing I could have done.

Mentors come in all shapes and sizes, and can fill a number of different roles in your life. But they all have the same goal: to help you achieve your potential by guiding you along your path.

And if you’re like me, you’ll discover that your most important advisers are the people who are closest to you. Throughout my career, I relied on my parents, my husband and my children to keep me grounded and remind me of what’s really important in life.

When you’ve had a hard day at work, your friends and family are always there to support you and cheer you on. Tell them how much you appreciate their help, and let them know you love them.

Which reminds me…Kevin, Katie and Scott…thank you for your support over the years and for being here for me today. I love you.

Now I’d like to close with one final piece of advice. Stay in touch with your classmates. The person sitting next to you may turn out to be a valuable mentor, a sounding board for new ideas, or just a good friend.

Don’t hesitate to reach out for their support when you need it, or lend a hand if they ask for help. Your life, and theirs, will be far richer if you do.

There’s an old saying that says, “If you want to be successful, surround yourself with successful people.” I’d like to modify that. “If you want to be successful, surround yourself with Stevens graduates.”

Thank you for sharing this momentous occasion with me, and I wish you success with whatever the future may have in store.

About Stevens Institute of Technology

Founded in 1870, Stevens Institute of Technology is one of the leading technological universities in the world dedicated to learning and research. Through its broad-based curricula, nurturing of creative inventiveness, and cross disciplinary research, the Institute is at the forefront of global challenges in engineering, science, and technology management. Partnerships and collaboration between, and among, business, industry, government and other universities contribute to the enriched environment of the Institute. A new model for technology commercialization in academe, known as Technogenesis®, involves external partners in launching business enterprises to create broad opportunities and shared value.

Stevens offers baccalaureates, master’s and doctoral degrees in engineering, science, computer science and management, in addition to a baccalaureate degree in the humanities and liberal arts, and in business and technology. The university has a total enrollment of 2,040 undergraduate and 3,085 graduate students, and a worldwide online enrollment of 2,250, with a full-time tenured/tenure-track faculty of 140 and more than 200 full-time special faculty. Stevens’ graduate programs have attracted international participation from China, India, Southeast Asia, Europe and Latin America. Additional information may be obtained from its web page at www.stevens.edu.  

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