Riverside, Calif., October, 2000 -- On the third day of October, and the second week of classes, La Sierra University president Lawrence T. Geraty spoke at the university’s first convocation of the new millennium.

After the academic procession in full regalia, faculty and administrators were seated in the choir loft of La Sierra University Church. Students filled the main sanctuary and transept pews.

Dr. Geraty began his address by reading the admissions essay of a young man who, among other many other superhuman traits, claimed that, "I manage time efficiently. Occasionally, I tread water for three days in a row. I woo women with my sensuous trombone playing. I can pilot bicycles up severe inclines with unflagging speed, and I cook 30-minute brownies in 20 minutes. I am an expert in stucco, a veteran in love, and an outlaw in Peru..." As listeners caught on that the young man was supremely self-confident and a cheerful liar, they began to laugh. (The writer of the essay was admitted to NYU.)

The president reported that because of a very welcome rise in enrollment, there were hundreds of new faces on the campus of La Sierra University.

Said Dr. Geraty: "What are your most important objectives in getting a college education? If you are a typical student this year, 73 percent of you would say being very well off financially is very important to you; 71 percent would say raising a family; 59 percent would say learning how to help others who are in difficulty while an equal percentage would say becoming an authority in your field. More than 40 percent of you would say integrating spirituality into your life and developing a meaningful philosophy of life are among your most important objectives. La Sierra specializes in preparing you to reach all of these objectives.

"Would you like to know what goals our faculty—to the extent they are typical of American faculties--believe are most important for you? Ninety-nine percent would say developing the ability to think clearly; 71 percent would say preparing you for employment; 60 percent would say helping you develop personal values and 58 percent would say helping you develop moral character.

"What can we conclude from these statistics? I believe we can conclude that most of you—to the extent that you are typical—have come to the right place for your higher education."

"Whether new or returning, you have come to a vibrant community of learners, teachers, and scholars," said the president. "You have come to a University known for its intellectual rigor, its spiritual exploration, and its global engagement. Many of you who are returning have spent a year as student missionaries in some far off land. And many of you who are new come with roots in a culture that may be foreign to the United States. It is from this mix, from diversity, that the La Sierra University community is formed. What better place to prepare for a life of meaningful service to the world and the church than here in this microcosm of the world and the church!"

In Dr. Geraty’s convocation address, he listed "Ten Things I Wish I Knew Before Commencement," based on Maria Shriver’s book, "Ten Things I Wish I'd Known Before I Went Out into the Real World." Dr. Geraty urged students to pinpoint their passions and trust the inner voice of conscience; that no job is beneath you – that work builds character and determination; who you work for and with is as important as what you do; behavior has consequences and you aren’t a victim – be strong, firm, ethical; be willing to fail; work on perfection in installments, don’t do it all at once; children will change your life and teach you; marriage will not complete you – you must be a complete person before the wedding; don’t expect financial support, live within means, and handle your own finances; don’t forget laughter, which makes life easier and infuses life with joy.

The president added a few recommendations of his own: make good friends and hang on to them; master computers before they master you; careers quickly take over your life, so enjoy life now; be healthy; learn to say no; control your attitude; heroes do what must be done; learn to say "I love you" earlier in life; God will give you strength and faith; and "If you don’t like the way you were born, be born again."

He asked the La Sierra University students to commit to doing justice, making peace, and following Christ, which is wholly compatible with Micah 6:8, "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."