OKMULGEE, Okla., April 25, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin praised OSU Institute of Technology and its 197th graduating class Friday afternoon when she took the stage as commencement speaker at the spring graduation ceremony.
"All
of you believe in the power of education, which is why you are here.
And you are right to believe in that, now more than ever," said Fallin,
who also pointed out that 50 years ago, 80 percent of the country's jobs
required only a high school diploma, and now that number has dropped to
35 percent.
"It
was a different world. A more low-tech world, but the world has
changed. It requires a faster, more skilled, more educated workforce.
You are now part of that workforce. You won't be turning a lever on a
factory floor 5,000 times a day. You're working in highly skilled
careers that are truly amazing in their diversity."
The
228 graduates, 64 percent of whom graduated with honors, will soon
start careers in engineering, automotive technology, electronics,
watchmaking, nursing, heavy equipment maintenance, culinary arts,
orthotics and prosthetics, visual arts and energy fields.
"What
makes OSUIT unique in the state is the emphasis it places on practical
learning environments," Fallin said. "Students learn by doing while
using industry-caliber equipment and tools that make transitioning from
classroom to career a seamless experience."
OSUIT President Dr. Bill R. Path
said nearly 700 different businesses and industries partner with the
university, and it's these relationships that make the university one of
a kind in Oklahoma.
"At
OSUIT, we feel that our job is not done when a student walks across
this stage and receives a diploma. To us, student success is measured by
how many graduates successfully enter the workforce," Path said.
"The
graduates at OSUIT represent a new wave of citizens working hard to
grow the state's economy and keeping it moving in the right direction,"
Fallin said.
"As
your governor, I'm asked all the time: what can we do to reduce
poverty? What can we do to bring more jobs and businesses to Oklahoma? What can we do to keep the ones we already have? What is the solution?" she said. "Well, here's the honest answer— you are."
Fallin
also offered the graduates a few pieces of advice, including to give
back to their community, wherever that might be, and that there's no
limit to what they can accomplish.
"It
won't always be an easy path to success; life will not always be
perfect and there will be disappointments and setbacks, but always
remember, setbacks are opportunities for comebacks."
About Oklahoma State University Institute of TechnologyOSU Institute of Technology is Oklahoma's
only university of applied technology, offering accelerated degree
programs -- including bachelor of technology degrees in civil
engineering, instrumentation engineering, and information technologies
and associates in applied science and associates in science – to
students in 73 Oklahoma
counties, 24 states and 16 countries. With more than 25 degree
programs, OSUIT is known for its high academic standards, world-class
teaching facilities, unique partnerships with business and industry, and
one of the highest career placement rates in the region. For more
information about OSUIT, call 918.293.4680 or 1.800.722.4471, or visit
the web at www.osuit.edu.
SOURCE Oklahoma State University Institute of TechnologyRELATED LINKS
www.osuit.edu
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