Commencement Speech
Marvin Odum, BSME '82
President, Shell Oil Company
May 22, 2009, 7 p.m., Frank Erwin Center
Thank you very much. It's wonderful to be back on campus this evening.
I want to, first, thank the faculty and staff for inviting me here.
And I want to commend you for consistently giving the engineering community – and the business world – an exceptional class of graduates, year after year.
To the parents, friends and family in the audience: congratulations.
Every one of these young men and women sitting before us today is here because of you and the support and guidance you've given them. Well done.
Graduates, it doesn't seem like that long ago that I was sitting where you're sitting.
But it's been long enough for me to have a son, also named Marvin, who's in his third year here at UT; a daughter, Lauren, who has already graduated and is now in Teach for America; and a teenage daughter, Taylor, who's still at home.
Watching them grow up has been an incredible experience.
Their generation – your generation – looks at the world in a completely different way than I did when I was your age. You're technologically connected in ways I could never have imagined.
Probably because you're so connected, you're more aware of what is going on in the world.
You're one of the most socially conscious, civic-minded generations in history. Just this year, UT students and staff volunteered more than 3 million hours. That's amazing.
When you think about it, your generation is one that has really been defined by "redefining."
Most of you were about 10 years old when the Internet became a fixture in our homes and in our lives. You were 14 – maybe just starting to read the papers and to become aware of the world around you – when the attacks of September 11 forever changed it.
Last fall, in a historic election – on so many levels – some of you cast your very first votes for president.
And today, you're graduating in a time of immense economic uncertainty. I'm sure that's crossed your mind a time or two as you've thought about your life after UT.
As I understand it, a few years ago we adopted a new way of talking about ourselves at UT – a new way of describing what goes on here. You've probably seen it around campus…I've seen the phrase in various alumni newsletters, on television and on the website. It's: "What Starts Here Changes the World."
That's really powerful. And to me, it's a challenge to all of us as Texas alums. It's a promise of things yet to come. And it's a commitment that the entire world stands to benefit from what we will do when we leave here.
So, my question for you today is: What will you change? What will you redefine? What big ideas will you have?
Without a doubt, the challenges before the world today are big – and big problems are rarely solved with small solutions. The global financial crisis is unlike anything anyone has seen in generations. In this country, we face a health care crisis that's hurting American families and businesses. And, of course, our energy challenges have compelled us to think about how we're going to fuel our future – and what that future will look like.
It's often said that as engineers, our work lies at the intersection of what society needs and the Right now – in this economy, with these challenges – there is no better time to be an engineer.
I think I'm very fortunate to work at Shell, where we address big challenges every day: climate challenges, responsible energy, innovation, technology. And like all of you, I want to make good on the university's commitment to change the world for the better.
I know that this sense of purpose, along with the solid academic foundation I got at UT, has helped me get to where I am today. But so did a few things I learned throughout my career.
Some of them came from great leaders and great experiences, and quite honestly, some of them have come from mistakes I've made.
So graduates, I know you've received a lot of advice over the last several weeks – and probably more today alone than you'd ever imagined. But if you don't mind, I'd like to offer you a few more pieces this evening. They've helped me and I hope they can help you.
First, take chances. Step outside of your comfort zone.
There's probably a reason this quote resonates with so many of us: "When I look back at my life I regret the things I haven't done more than the things I have."
For me, that's certainly true. I'm glad I've taken chances. I've run with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain. And, I've climbed the Matterhorn. And those experiences have shown me the value of taking risks. You learn so much about yourself and what you are capable of doing when you allow yourself to be challenged.
Many years into my career at Shell, I had the opportunity to leave to run a global power generation company. It was a company in financial stress. It was a different business, and a different corporate culture. And making the move was certainly a challenge for me. But it turned out to be the biggest single learning experience of my career.
I developed leadership skills and a personal confidence that made me better at my job when I returned to Shell. I learned things there that I couldn't have learned if I had I taken the easier, safer, more comfortable route and stayed where I was.
So, take risks, take chances – but give back. That's my second piece of advice. Put others first. Build on the commitment to service that has set your generation apart. Do more for the world than the world does for you – that is success.
Now, big, grand, over-the-top opportunities to give back will be rare, but small ones will surround you every day. Next year, will you help the new employees in your organization learn the ropes? Will you find opportunities – or the time – to volunteer?
Will you use the skills and talents you have as an engineer to just make a living? Or will you put them to use to help others? Look for ways to serve – and to be a part of something greater than yourself.
As you're looking for those opportunities, look for leaders you can learn from. Throughout your career you will learn some of the most important things you need to know by observing how other people do their jobs – how they conduct themselves. Sadly, you'll also learn a lot about what not to do by watching some people around you. But, by constantly being on the lookout for leaders who lead well, and by adopting their habits – or avoiding their pitfalls – you will go far.
And this can take a number of forms.
I love to read, and I especially love biographies. Lately I've read Team of Rivals about President Lincoln. I've read American Lion about Andrew Jackson. I read both of these on my Kindle so don't assume your generation has cornered the market on being technologically savvy!
I just finished Endurance about Captain Ernest Shackleton, who was shipwrecked in the Arctic for 17 months in the early 1900s. I guess you could say he was a bad leader for getting his crew stuck there in such dire straits, or a great one for eventually getting them out!
But my point in bringing up these books is that you can look for good leaders
anywhere. A leader doesn't have to be a person who outranks you at work or, as
in all three of these cases, even a person who is still living. But keep your
eyes open. Look for what you can learn. And from that, develop your own
personal leadership style.
Next, think long term but know that the long-term is already here.
I was on a panel at Harvard recently, and its focus was "fixing global challenges in the long term." That sounds like a nice idea. We all want to fix the proverbial leaky roof rather than patching its holes. But today's challenges are getting bigger at a rapid pace. They're snowballing.
Around the world, we share a global, interconnected economy. We share the same aspirations of a better quality of life. We share the same air, the same water and the same resources.
So we've got to share the same urgency associated with addressing these challenges. We don't have the luxury of thinking about long term as if it's far removed from our daily lives.
The long term is here.
Sure, "a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." But the road to long-term solutions starts with addressing today's problems now, and addressing them powerfully. So, bring out your big ideas – think big – and think in the here and now.
And finally, know who you are. Have goals – have a clear picture of what you want to achieve in life. Have drive. Have passion. Have a work ethic that never disappoints.
But make sure that all of these things are in line with what you believe and what you stand for. Life will take you down paths you may never expect – it will surprise you. But you will never be surprised by the person you become or the decisions you make – if you stick to your principles and let them guide you to success.
Know who you are – and know who you want to be. Be true to yourself. And don't ever compromise.
As I close, I want to again say, "Congratulations" to, you, the graduates. Today, you are receiving a degree from one of the best schools in the country. But you're also gaining membership into an exclusive club.
Around the world, nearly half a million Texas exes are changing the world for the better – in every industry and on every continent, in classrooms and in boardrooms, in concert halls and in Congress. Our reach is broad and our impact is deep. But our roots are here.
As you leave campus today – as you let what started here for you change the world – take chances, give back, develop your own style of leadership, think long term but know that it's already here and, above all else, know who you are.
I can't wait to see you build on what you have started here at UT. And the world can't wait to see what you will do.
Thank you very much. And Hook 'em Horns!