MORGANTOWN — Workaholics.
Overachievers.
The best and the brightest.
Those were just some of the descriptions offered Thursday May 10 evening as nearly 250 Mountaineers kicked off commencement weekend at the WVU Honors College Medallion Ceremony.
The Honors College recognizes undergrads from across the academic spectrum who distinguish themselves as leaders in the classroom and the community.
“You’re not just graduates, you have shown yourselves to be pioneers,” WVU President E. Gordon Gee said, explaining that it’s easy for high achievers to reach the top only to find something missing.
“Learn to combine your passion with compassion,” Gee said. “You will find great happiness.”
Teresa Dumire, who received an honors medallion of her own prior to graduating from the WVU College of Law, in 2009, offered the keynote address.
Dumire manages the Morgantown office for Kay Casto & Chaney and is widely regarded as one of the state’s top lawyers.
She offered the soon-to-be grads 10 tips for success, encouraging them to never lose hope and to understand that leadership is about making the right call, not the expedient one.
Lastly, Dumire explained, few things will take you as far as treating people right.
“Be humble, be kind and don’t be a jerk,” she said.
The ceremony was held at the Morgantown Event Center.
WVU has a full slate of ceremonies today May 11, starting at 9 a.m. with the Reed College of Media, in the Coliseum, and concluding at 6 p.m. with the School of Medicine MD, in the Creative Arts Center.
