Three pieces of advice provided the inspiration behind the University of Vermont Grossman School of Business’ commencement speaker, Robert Clarkson (’88) comments, before a packed Flynn Theater in Burlington.

Mr. Clarkson, who is the Chief Revenue Officer of Payoneer Global, spoke to more than 200 undergraduate students on Sunday, May 22, 2022 at the annual commencement ceremony.

As the keynote speaker, Clarkson briefly reflected on his time at UVM and subsequent business journey. He congratulated the students for overcoming all the obstacles, especially over the past two years, and their perserverance to graduation, and outlined his three lessons for career success. He noted "While there is a chapter concluding with their graduation, the rest of their lives are now commencing; and it is awesome." 

Lesson 1: Careers are about overcoming obstacles and figuring out how to succeed when others have stopped. To that end, seek out projects that take on and solve problems. The problem is the opportunity, so look at them as career propellants. 

Lesson 2: The real meaning of luck. Talking to business leaders almost everyone has a story about some moment of epiphany from a piece of advice that changed their thinking and bent the curve of their career path. Use that luck.

Lesson 3: It doesn't matter what job you have, what business or department you're in, business is about people. "You work for people, you lead people, you serve people." Your job is making other people successful as ultimately the collective will always triumph over the individual. 

Matias Øvrum, valedictorian for the undergraduate class of 2022, also spoke and congratulated the cohort about reaching this special day. He encouraged them to make their mark, and to go forth and succeed in their careers.