Fall Commencement graduates urged to keep faith, integrity

Reflecting on her own journey from Malaysia to serving as president, CEO and majority owner of western New York's largest manufacturing service provider, 1995 Trine University alumna Rupa Shanmugam told graduates at the university’s Fall Commencement to keep faith in themselves and maintain their integrity no matter the path they travel.

About 900 graduates from the university’s College of Graduate and Professional Studies participated in the ceremony on Dec. 14 in the Keith E. Busse/Steel Dynamics Inc. Athletic and Recreation Center.

A similar number of family and friends attended the event.

A long journey

Keirsten Eberts, vice president of online and international studies, welcomed those assembled by encouraging the graduates to cherish the relationships, achievements and education they gained during their time at Trine.

“Today is a celebration of your hard work and of new beginnings,” she said. “Move forward with confidence, knowing that you've built a strong foundation for your future.”

Shanmugam, an electrical engineering graduate who received Trine University’s 2018 Outstanding Achievement Award, opened by noting she met her husband 31 years ago in her first class at Trine.

“It was Chemistry II, and sure enough, there was a lot of chemistry there,” she joked.

Her childhood in Kampar, Malaysia, was spent following her father around and watching him do repairs. Her brother died at age 16 while studying electrical engineering, and Shanmugam decided to complete what he had started.

She earned the equivalent of an associate degree and began working in Singapore before coming to what was then Tri-State University to complete her bachelor’s degree.

“The thing I loved about being here at Trine was how accessible our professors were and how readily available,” she said. “They were there when help was needed, and the fact that the student population was small, it was much easier to make new friends, and it was not overwhelming.”

After graduating, delays in processing for her Optional Practical Permit prevented her from taking a job for eight months. She said at the time she never thought she would lead a company.

“That's the reality of life: You never know where your path will lead you,” she said. “But no matter where it takes you, have faith and believe in yourself and your abilities, because no one else is going to do that for you.”

“Embrace what comes along; however, never feel that you need to change yourself to just fit in your new environment,” she advised. “I'm not saying that you should not compromise or adapt to situations, but don't change your core personality of who you are.”

“The only limit to your success is your own imagination. If you can dream it, you can achieve it.”

She closed with the story of an elderly carpenter who was ready to retire. His employer asked him to build one last house as a personal favor, but the carpenter, whose heart was not in the job, resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials.

When the job was complete, the employer presented the house to the carpenter as a gift for his service.

“The choices you make today help build the house you will live in tomorrow. Therefore, build wisely,” she said. “None can destroy iron, but its own rust can. Likewise, none can destroy a person, but their own mindset can. Congratulations and best of luck on your new journey.”

Following the address, Tim Raftery president of Trine University’s Alumni Association, welcomed the graduates as alumni. Degrees were then presented to each of the graduates.