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Priority Interrupt Archive

October 2004, Issue 171

Priority Interrupt by Steve Ciarcia The Collegiate Challenge

I received an interesting e-mail this week from Eric Soulsby, Special Assistant to the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education at the University of Connecticut, asking about an editorial I wrote a long time ago. He had heard someplace that I am a UCONN engineering graduate. (And, yes, there is more than basketball there.) He said he likes to give a speech to engineering students that when effectively translated says, “You can spend your time being jerks, or you can make something out of yourselves.” Apparently, I had written something to the same effect a while back.

It’s somewhat embarrassing to feel that I’m being used as an example of engineering success, but I appreciate Eric’s attitude of trying to encourage social goals along with all the technology. I also rarely if ever repeat an editorial because ideas in this business are never the same month to month. However, after rereading the editorial I wrote 11 years ago, I have to say that I still believe it just as strongly now.

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I can hardly believe it, but fall has rolled around and another summer has passed. September always reminds me of back to school. Could it be that all of those ads for school supplies and the like make me think that way? Maybe.

To all of you who are going back to school, I hope your professors took advantage of the special deal we offer to colleges and universities. If so, I hope you enjoy reading Circuit Cellar along with all of the other materials you will be expected to absorb this semester. I trust you will have a successful semester.

Speaking of successful semesters, I can’t emphasize enough how important it is that you apply yourself. Let me tell you a tale of two engineering students. One student stayed out late every night playing around, doing just enough to get by with slightly better-than-average grades. Content with his lot, this student couldn’t wait for all of this agonizing homework to end so he would never have to think about those complicated subjects ever again. Another student faces the same material as a personal challenge, trying to learn all he can, trying to absorb as much as he can, trying to rise to the best of his abilities.

Well, finally the day comes that it is over. Graduation. I won’t give you the song and dance about which one of these two impressed the job interviewers and received the better offer. That would be trite. Instead, I’ll ask you to consider which of these students has formed better self-development skills. Which of these two do we want the country and economy to depend on?

I won’t tell you which of these students I was. Let’s just say I saw the light very early and decided a career as a bum was self-defeating. Instead, I ask you to examine yourself to see which kind of student you are. Take this to heart, because after you are out of the collegiate program, the rest of your intellectual and financial development is up to you. Perhaps you will get “lucky(?)” and land a job in an organization where all of your efforts are strictly guided by the needs of the company and you can hide in the bureaucracy. Perhaps you’ll get “lucky(?)” and land a job in an organization where you are in charge of whatever you do. Of course, the responsibilities in the latter position mean you get the “bullet” as well as the praise.

I always prefer the second career path because that’s just who I am. Personally, I couldn’t begin to think of myself in any kind of position where I couldn’t apply unrestricted drive and motivation. Being “invisible” and taking the easy road always catches up with people.

So, try to see beyond the immediate tasks of homework or dull career assignments. Look for a deeper lesson in this challenge you have accepted for yourself. Is your challenge, “How little can I do and still manage to sneak past?” or is your challenge, “How good at this can I become?” Be true to yourself and honestly appraise your approach.

Those of us who don’t have to go through the grueling rigors of classwork (thank heavens) sympathize with you, but the end result puts you in a minority among men and women. How long you stay in this elite group just depends on how you apply it. (Circuit Cellar, issue 38, 1993)