(upbeat classical music) - [Narrator] The 21st President of Michigan State University, Samuel L. Stanley, Junior.

- On behalf of Michigan State University, it is my great pleasure to welcome you to our Spring 2021 commencement ceremony.

Today marks a joyful milestone for our advanced degree recipients, for the families and friends who support them, and for the university itself.

Scholars, you persisted to complete your degrees this year under especially difficult circumstances.

I join others in the MSU community in taking great pride in having supported your preparation to become leaders in your fields of endeavor.

Before we continue, I ask our viewers to join in the singing of "America the Beautiful."

I ask those able to stand to do so, and to remain standing at the conclusion of the song.

("America the Beautiful") ♪ Oh beautiful for spacious skies ♪ ♪ For amber waves of grain ♪ ♪ For purple mountain majesties ♪ ♪ Above the fruited plain ♪ ♪ America, America ♪ ♪ God shed his grace on thee ♪ ♪ And crown thy good with brotherhood ♪ ♪ From sea to shining sea ♪ ♪ Shining sea ♪ - Thank you for remaining standing.

I'd like to pause now to allow you a quiet moment to reflect on your experience at Michigan State University: the opportunities for growth you've enjoyed, and the relationships you've formed.

Please be seated.

I would now like to introduce an accomplished Spartan as our keynote speaker today.

Ray Scott is president and CEO of Southfield-based Lear Corporation, a global automotive technology leader in seating and electrical systems.

He started at Lear in 1988, and earned an executive MBA from Michigan State University's Eli Broad College of Business.

Lear Corporation is among Fortune Magazine's "World's Most Admired Companies."

It has embraced sustainability as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

It also has responded to the pandemic both by working to ensure the safety of its employees, and to support its community.

Mr. Scott serves on the Kettering University Board of Trustees, and the Broad College Alumni Board, among his other commitments.

Welcome back to MSU, Ray Scott.

- President Stanley, distinguished faculty, proud families, special guests, and accomplished graduate students of the Michigan State University class of 2021, it is a true privilege to be part of this commencement, especially as an MBA alum of the Eli Broad School of Business, and as a proud father of two sons who graduated from Michigan State.

I personally know this is one of the nation's leading research and education institutions, as well as a great place to complete your bachelor's or master's degree.

MSU has delivered many outstanding alumni through the auto industry, and at Lear, and I thank you for that.

But before I go on, it's important to first recognize all the mothers involved in this ceremony today, as Mother's Day is Sunday.

Whether you are a student who is a mother, or a proud mother or a grandmother watching today, a very happy Mother's Day to you.

And to the other family members and friends watching today, you should be very proud.

Your graduate's success is also yours.

They did not get here on their own.

As I applaud the graduates, I congratulate you as well.

To all the graduates, first of all, I would like to commend each of you for your commitment to pursuing a higher education.

You have endured so much to get to this very special day: a very difficult pandemic year, tough classes, long nights preparing for exams, and personal and professional and financial sacrifices.

Through all this, you might be asking yourself, "Was it worth it?"

Well, I can promise you it was.

My time in graduate school at MSU provided me with several key lessons which I will share with you today, and those lessons helped shape who I am as a leader, as a colleague, and even as a husband and father.

Today, I have the privilege to lead Lear Corporation, one of the largest automotive suppliers in the world.

Lear has more than 174,000 employees in 38 countries.

Our innovative technologies in seating and e-systems are redefining the future of mobility.

Over 400 vehicle name plates feature a Lear product, and we count every major auto maker as one of our customers.

Yeah, it can be a lot to manage, but my MSU experience helps me navigate the challenges and opportunities I face personally and professionally every day.

My hope is that by sharing these lessons, whether you're a recent undergraduate, or an experienced professional, that might be helpful.

And I'm not naive to think you haven't already learned key lessons along your own path, but my hope is that I can perhaps reinforce these, or give additional insights to my grad school experience at MSU, and how they helped me.

This last year has been a very challenging time, but I believe your biggest challenges are also your biggest opportunities.

In many ways, you have already experienced this by attending school and completing a demanding graduate program during a pandemic, political uncertainty, social challenges, and countless hours of Zoom meetings, conference calls, and other impersonal forms of communication.

What a crazy year.

I cannot imagine what you have been through.

I experienced a challenge during my graduate program too, although certainly nothing as severe as yours.

Halfway through pursuing my MBA, I had to pause my studies for several years for a work assignment over in Europe.

Now I know, going to Europe sounds great, but taking that job at that time of my life was a very difficult decision.

I had to ask my wife, who had a great career and a master's degree in IT, to move overseas to help support my career.

We had to uproot our children, who were two and four at the time, and move them to a foreign country.

And the job I was taking was one that no one else wanted.

It was a big turnaround project for a business unit that was in trouble on another continent, and I had to pause my graduate education, and really wonder would I ever be able to get back and finish it?

And I do remember a lot of nights just staring at the ceiling and wondering, "Did I do the right thing?"

So to shed a little bit more light on my time in my life in Europe, my first assignment was in Sweden.

And my wife, who was absolutely incredible, and my kids, adjusted extremely well and quick.

They met friends, and really enjoyed it, and in a relatively short period of time, I was able to get the business back on track.

So as you could guess, I was asked would I take on another challenge, and move to Germany?

Well, we accepted, and my gang packed up, and we moved again.

And finally, after more than three years living and working overseas, and taking on challenges that others wouldn't, I returned to MSU to complete my MBA.

At that time, everything seemed like a challenge: relocating three times, moving my wife and small children, taking on new jobs, pausing graduate school, and then returning.

But today, those were some of the greatest opportunities for me professionally, to learn about different cultures, and different ways to run the business.

And it was even better from a personal perspective.

Our family grew even closer.

We had incredible experiences that we will never forget, and over time, we realized how fortunate we were.

Needless to say, my experiences as an MSU grad student were certainly not what I expected when I began my studies, and the same can surely be said for yours.

And although what you have been through over these years in grad school may not make sense today, I can assure you that from my experiences, you will look back on these challenges as some of the most formative and important times in your life.

Just like my MBA and work experiences, your life and career will not be a straight line to your ultimate goals.

You will have to make adjustments to grow, embrace and take on challenges that others won't.

But when you accept those challenges, remember, it's not just about getting results, it's about getting results the right way, and that is a core value of Lear.

This past year has been a very challenging time for all of us.

On numerous occasions, I have drawn upon my important lessons I learned in my graduate program, and that's to prioritize and focus on what is important.

When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, yeah, it was overwhelming for our business, but we prioritized our actions by focusing on doing the right thing, and getting results the right way.

We focused on people.

That focus helped build morale.

It provided a compass for the company to navigate the unknown.

I'd like to talk about two examples of how we focused simply on doing the right thing.

And I don't wanna make this a Lear commercial, but this really illustrates how focusing on doing the right thing provides incredible clarity.

Early last year, we began to see demand outpace supply for protective medical equipment around the world, so within a matter of days, we converted some of our automotive textile capacity to producing face masks, and we have made more than 10 million masks for frontline workers, local communities, and our employees as they return back to work.

And as our manufacturing plants prepared to reopen, we created the Safe Work Playbook, to proactively address the unique challenges posed by the operations during the pandemic.

Before then, there was no manual on best practices, or procedures to manage a manufacturing plant or an office location during a pandemic.

We tapped our cross-functional experts from around the world to create an 80-page plus manual: that Safe Work Playbook that provides health and safety protocols and training to help reopen our operations.

We also felt the playbook needed to be available to everyone, specifically with businesses that might not have similar resources as Lear, so we made it accessible on our website last spring, where it has since been downloaded more than 35,000 times by companies, nonprofits, municipal organizations, from around the world.

Within a big challenge, we saw an opportunity to step up and get results the right way.

I have never been more proud of our team.

We put health and safety and people above everything else.

And that's another important lesson that I remember from grad school, is time is so precious.

So prioritize your own mental and physical wellbeing.

You have to be your own advocate.

Speak up, and let other people know what is important to you.

We all know when to take breaks, and what works best for us.

For me, it's spending time and quality time with the people I love, or just a walk with our dogs, or working out.

So take care of yourself.

If you don't, you can't take care of others.

And speaking of loved ones, earlier in my remarks I spoke briefly about Mother's Day and family.

The pursuit of my professional goals never surpassed the personal obligations to my family.

It's family who will make your life journeys truly rewarding.

During good times, they will celebrate with you, during challenging times, they will support you.

And that goes for other important people in your life: friends, classmates, coworkers.

It's a reminder that everything we accomplish is shared.

We are all part of a team, and that team must lean on each other to be successful.

One of my biggest takeaways from my MSU experience was my study group.

It was diverse.

People brought different viewpoints and experiences that improved our efforts, and made the work more enjoyable.

I've built my team at Lear in the same fashion.

A diverse and inclusive team provides fresh perspectives and encourages innovation.

They aren't afraid to ask or be asked tough questions, and they definitely tell me what I need to hear, not just what I want to hear.

The focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion is not just limited to my team.

We have rolled out across Lear Corporation Together We Belong initiative, which is focused on three pillars: drive, educate, and fund.

We are growing our employee resource groups to promote an inclusive workplace, and conduct impactful diversity training, which I've taken along with my fellow coworkers in plants and offices around the world.

More than 125,000 hours have been completed since 2019.

We've also committed to donate a million dollars to support organizations and initiatives to address issues related to racial inequality and injustice.

Through all of this, I can't emphasize enough the importance of listening and learning.

Success is more than just exams and grades and promotions.

Never stop learning and improving your own skills.

Your education should not end after today's graduation program.

I remember when I received my MBA.

I was so excited to be done.

But I really was just starting to learn.

And I hope you feel the same way.

I asked in the beginning whether your sacrifices you made to get here to your graduate degree was worth it, and I believe from my own experiences it absolutely was, and it will be for you too.

Whatever challenges you've had, it cannot take away from you what you've done to get here, and the valuable education you will take forward with you in life.

So let me summarize the advice I've shared with you today.

And it's really a reflection on what I've learned from my experiences in grad school at MSU.

Take on the challenges others will not.

They are the greatest opportunities.

Get results the right way, take care of yourself, be your own advocate, so that you can take care of others.

Surround yourself with a diverse, inclusive, and talented team, and never stop learning.

These are core values that I remind myself of frequently.

They have helped me guide Lear through the pandemic, economic uncertainty, social unrest, and supply shortages, and that's just over the past year.

I hope you find it useful in your own life and careers.

Well, we are at that point where some of you might be saying, "I got it, this was a nice reminder."

Then there are some of you that are just saying, "When's he gonna wrap this up?"

And that's the group that I'm targeting to right now, because if there's one thing I remember about my commencement ceremonies as a student, it was me thinking, "When's this gonna end so I can just go celebrate?"

My sincere thanks for the chance to speak with you on this very special day, and most of all, congratulations to each and every one of you.

Independently and collectively, we are Michigan State, and as Spartans, we share an exceptional opportunity and obligation to make our families and friends proud, to make the world a better place.

Whenever I'm on campus, walking in my neighborhood, or in another town, and I see green and white, I'm filled with pride, because Spartans will advance knowledge and transform lives.

I wish you nothing but the best.

You are bound to win, good luck, and go green.

Thank you.

- Thank you, Mr. Scott.

The Honorable Dianne Byrum, from Onondaga Township, and Chairperson of the MSU Board of Trustees, will now greet graduates and guests.

After Trustee Byrum, Provost and Executive Vice President Teresa Woodruff will present the candidates for conferral of their degrees.

- Thank you, President Stanley.

On behalf of the Michigan State Board of Trustees, I want to welcome our advanced degree candidates, family, and friends that are joining us today.

Under the Michigan Constitution, the Board of Trustees is the governing body by whose authority degrees are awarded.

Today's ceremony represents the culmination of your academic achievement.

It honors those that have supported and encouraged you.

Our wish is that you will use your intelligence and knowledge to improve the lives in your community, and to advance the common good.

Along with our faculty and administrators, MSU's trustees are proud of you.

Please let us add our congratulations.

Thank you, and go green.

- Thank you, Trustee Byrum.

I would like to acknowledge all past and present members of the Council of Graduate Students.

We honor executive board members, department representatives, and all COGS members.

Thank you for your contributions to the university and your fellow graduate students.

Please accept our appreciation.

I ask Thomas Jeitschko, Associate Provost and Dean of the graduate school, and Norman Beauchamp, Executive Vice President for Health Sciences, to join me for announcement of the degree candidates.

- Good morning.

At this time, the deans will present the candidates for conferral of their degrees.

- Will candidates in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources please rise?

Provost Woodruff, President Stanley, Honorable Trustees, on behalf of the faculty and staff of MSU's founding college, the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, I'm pleased to present these candidates to you for the conferral of their degrees.

- Will the amazing students from the College of Arts and Letters please rise, and remain standing?

Provost Woodruff, President Stanley, honorable members of the Board of Trustees, on behalf of the faculty of the College of Arts and Letters, it is my great pleasure to present to you these candidates for the conferral of their degrees.

- Will the outstanding candidates from the one and only Eli Broad College of Business please rise?

Provost Woodruff, President Stanley, Honorable Trustees, on behalf of my faculty and staff in the Broad College, it is my pleasure to present these candidates for the conferral of their degrees.

- Will the candidates from the College of Communication Arts and Sciences please stand?

President Stanley, Provost Woodruff, and Honorable Trustees, on behalf of the faculty and staff of the world class College of Communication Arts and Sciences, I present to you these students for the conferral of their degrees.

- Will the candidates from the College of Education please rise?

Provost Woodruff, President Stanley, Honorable Trustees, on behalf of the faculty and staff from the College of Education, I present these candidates for you for the awarding of their degrees.

- Will the candidates from the College of Engineering please rise?

President Stanley, Provost Woodruff, Honorable Trustees, on behalf of the faculty, staff, students, and alumni of the College of Engineering, it's my great pleasure to present these innovators of the future for the conferral of their degrees.

- Will the candidates from the College of Music please stand?

President Stanley, Provost Woodruff, Honorable Trustees, on behalf of my colleagues, I am delighted to present these candidates from the College of Music, who bring harmony to the world through the power of music.

They have completed all the requirements for their various degrees, and they are ready to roll.

- Would the candidates from the College of Natural Science please rise?

Honorable Trustee, President Stanley, Provost Woodruff, it is a great pleasure to present the candidates from the College of Natural Science for the conferral of their graduate degrees.

Go Nat Sci.

- Will the candidates for degrees in the College of Social Science please stand, and remain standing?

President Stanley, Provost Woodruff, honorable members of the Board of Trustees, on behalf of the College of Social Science, its faculty, and its staff, I am pleased to present these candidates for the conferral of their degrees.

- Will the outstanding candidates of the College of Veterinary Medicine please rise, and remain standing?

President Stanley, Provost Woodruff, Honorable Board of Trustees, it is my great pleasure to present these candidates for conferral of their degrees.

- Good morning.

At this time, I ask the Health Sciences deans to present the candidates for conferral of their degree.

- Will the candidates from the College of Human Medicine please stand?

Honorable Trustees, President Stanley, Provost Woodruff, EVP Beauchamp, on behalf of the faculty of the College of Human Medicine, I certify these students have completed the requirements for their degree, and are ready to advance public health and save lives for all of us.

- Will the candidates for degrees from the College of Nursing please stand, and remain standing?

President Stanley, Provost Woodruff, Executive Vice President Beauchamp, and distinguished members of the Board of Trustees, on behalf of the faculty and staff in the College of Nursing, it is my privilege to present these candidates, who are prepared to advance health transformation, and address the pandemic coronavirus.

They await the conferral of their degrees.

- Will the candidates from the College of Osteopathic Medicine please rise?

Executive Vice President Beauchamp, Provost Woodruff, President Stanley, members of the MSU Board of Trustees, on behalf of the College of Osteopathic Medicine, where the science of medicine has not forgotten the art of medicine, it's my honor to present these candidates for conferral of their degrees to you today.

Thank you very much.

- Thank you, deans.

Spartans, by authority of the state of Michigan, vested in the Board of Trustees, and delegated to me, I confer upon you the degrees for which you have qualified, with all the rights and distinctions to which they entitle you.

As a symbol of your accomplishment, it is traditional to move the tassel from the right side of your cap to the left.

You may do so at this time, and then be seated as our guests applaud your achievement.

May your MSU degree lead to a future filled with outstanding personal and professional achievements.

A great university, and a world class education, are the results of the efforts of many dedicated people.

The contributions of our faculty are essential to the achievements of our scholars, and a source of great pride to us.

I ask that the faculty accept our deep gratitude.

And let us also extend our appreciation to all those who contributed their support to your scholarly journey.

Among the qualities one needs to successfully pursue such a journey, determination is key.

Your resolve to see it through might have been tested, but you made it.

Congratulations.

Your graduate education has demanded the development of other important qualities, including originality and critical thought.

I hope these qualities continue to be among the assets you bring to bear every day in your work and in your lives.

We now ask our viewers to join in the singing of the alma mater, "MSU Shadows."

Following the video, we will list graduates' names, and then go forth, go with confidence, and go green.

♪ MSU, we love thy shadows ♪ ♪ When twilight silence falls ♪ ♪ Flushing deep and softly paling ♪ ♪ O'er ivy colored halls ♪ ♪ Beneath the pines we'll gather ♪ ♪ To give our faith so true ♪ ♪ Sing our love for alma mater ♪ ♪ And thy praises MSU ♪ ♪ When from thy scenes we wander ♪ ♪ And twilight shadows fade ♪ ♪ Our memory still will linger ♪ ♪ Where light and shadows played ♪ ♪ In the evening oft we'll gather ♪ ♪ To pledge our faith anew ♪ ♪ Sing our love for alma mater ♪ ♪ And thy praises MSU ♪ (upbeat classical music)