Money Support Seminar

Your Career Starts at LIBI

Sunkyung Lee - Veledictorian Speech

Good Evening, Professors, families, distinguished guests, and graduates.

I had no expectation that I would be standing in this place. It is such an honor to stand here before you.

I began my journey at LIBI in April 2009 where I chose to study Office Technology. After my first semester, I decided to switch my career path and changed to Accounting. I knew that a career in accounting would benefit me financially and looking back, I am pleased with that decision. Studying accounting was a perfect match for my taste and I was able to complete the program with ease.

In fact, I accepted the honor of valedictorian tonight because I have many people I would like to thank.

I would like to give a special thank you to Ms. Stacy Bae, my admissions representative. Ms. Rosana Lee my advisor, the financial aid staff. I want to thank my supervisors Anna Venturino, Furney Canteen, and Cristian Marcu for allowing me to work in the Student Success Center and Learning Center and for giving me the opportunity to grow and develop as a professional. I would also like to thank Jerilyn Marinan and Ashley Guo for all of their career guidance and assistance.

All of the graduates, along with me, express our deep thanks to the professors at this school. For me especially to Mr. Jesus Chan the professor of Contemporary American short Story. Because of that class, my taste of literature was awakened and I was introduced to many great American writers. Ms. Downer, the course of Business Communication- one of the most difficult classes, became extremely helpful in real-life situations, and to Mr. Roy, my accounting professor. I am using all of the skills and knowledge I learned each and every day in my job as a bookkeeper.

My thanks also go to my classmates. Often, we were competitors, encouragers, and helpers to one another to come through to this point of honor. Over the 20 months of study, it was not an easy time but we worked hard, passed our classes, and have proven to be successful.

Our careers as students have allowed us to increase our knowledge and skills so that we are ready to move to the next step. We now have the opportunity and the responsibility to assume our roles as productive members of our communities. For me, LIBI is one of the great blessings that God allowed on me. This school has provided me with the opportunity to start a new job and has allowed me to live a new life in this new country.

Thank you LIBI and my friends. I’m going to miss you all and Congratulations!

Salutatorian Speech by Mihaela Gurau

Good evening family, friends, teachers, administrators, staff and distinguished guests.

My name is Mihaela Gurau.

It is with great pleasure and pride that I stand here today and introduce to you the graduating class of 2011!

I would like to start by recalling my first moments at this school. When I came to LIBI for the first time, it was to just ask a few questions. I didn't know what I needed to become a student and what program I wanted to study, but from the first moment in the admissions office it took only few hours until I became a LIBI student. Yes, the entire process was really easy and smooth. For that, I want to thank Sandra. You are doing a great job, you are really nice and that is why I liked to pass by your office and just say hi, when you weren’t busy of course.

My first class at LIBI also remains in my memories. I was not sure about the school, and how I was going to fit in. I wanted to learn and improve myself, and as if he was reading my mind, the teacher said, “Coming to this school is the best choice that all of you have made today because here you have the opportunity to study and really learn something." And you know what professor Davy? You were right!

I want to talk about the teachers in this school. They are extremely helpful, understanding, and put in a lot of hard work so that we can say today:" I can do this job." If we had any question, even if it was not during the class, but rather in the hallway, learning center or even in the elevator, they would not hesitate to answer. It is amazing how much dedication the teachers in this school have. Including you Mr. Leone, I did not have you as a teacher, but I did enjoy your monologues in the learning center.

This school is truly a miniature melting pot, just like they say about New York. Here I learned that I should not be ashamed that I am a foreigner; that I can keep my head up and speak my English even if I still have an accent as long is correct.

Here I saw people trying really hard to study, and I saw that it does not matter the age or the ethnicity. Hats off to all of you, who are older, all of you who worked full time while going to school, all of you who have kids to take care at the same time, all of you who commute to school from Brooklyn, The Bronx or Long Island, every effort to graduate is admirable. It is a great lesson to all of us to believe in ourselves, to dream, to try and to do well.

I made a lot of friends in the school; from fellow students with who we shared so many moments together. I will cherish them, and please do not kick me out from your face book account after this, to teachers and staff. Professor Runcie, anything we discussed was always interesting, thank you for staying by our sides all this time. I have to thank the school for giving me the opportunity to work in the Learning Center. It was such a fulfilling experience to help other students. It also it gave me the opportunity to meet Cristian. For those who do not know him, he is the person working in the Learning Center. Cristian, you have to know that you are a great asset to this school. I enjoyed working for you in the Learning Center and I want to thank you for all of your guidance.

I want to close by thanking my family. Mom and Dad who helped me pay the bills sometimes. My daughter who is such a good kid doing her homework even when mommy is not home: 'I love you, Sandra!"; and a big, big thank you to my friend Elisabeth for taking good care of my daughter while I was in school. Bill thank you for being here and sharing this moment with me.

I would like to close by saying to you what a friend recently told me: "Be proud of yourself, maybe you do not think so, but it is a big deal that you graduated college."

Congratulations to all of my classmates and thank you.