From Leadership – Program Manager Dr.Radana Dvorak 

We are almost at the end of the Spring term, and quite a few of our STC students will be graduating and are currently looking for jobs in addition to finishing their last few courses. For many, it is a challenging and stressful time filled with uncertainty; however, with these challenges comes opportunity. Here is a story and few words of advice to make it easier for you. Most students learn, usually towards the end of their academic career, to use ‘grit’. So, what do I mean by grit? I like to define grit as passion + persistence. Passion is what keeps us going when we feel overwhelmed and think of giving up – whether it is love for your current project or future goal; persistence is that sheer stubbornness of pushing through to get where you want to go. Often, interviewers will ask tough questions to see if you have ‘grit’. 

Right now, you may not realize how much you have learned and grown, that level of awareness often kicks in years from now. Sir Winston Churchill, England’s Prime Minister during WW II, gave a commencement speech at his old school Harrow and told the young men (this was an all-boys school) that he was such a terrible student, he was almost expelled.  However, young Winston managed to get through school and graduate. He attributed his success later in life to his schooling. Sir Churchill led England in helping to win WW II and continued as the Prime Minister to help rebuild the country after WW II. His message was about never giving up. Here is what he told the graduating class in 1942: “This is the lesson: never give in – never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense.” So, plug into your inner strength and ‘use grit’!  
Congratulations Class of 2021!