Speech to the PCLG (delivered May 10, 2006)

Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. My name is Seth Cutter, and I am a Junior at the Crowell School of Business and a Cadet of the Torrey Honors Institute. Between my sophomore and junior years here at Biola, I took a year off of school in order to spend twelve months as a financial analyst in a small investment bank. While working there, I saw how effectively my first two years of classes equipped me for that challenge, and I am incredibly grateful for what I have learned from this school. But Biola has taught me more than just how to build a balance sheet. It has taught me how to think clearly, and how to live well. I have learned to appreciate the value of a solid, team-focused work ethic, the inestimable worth of real personal relationships, and the importance of doing the right thing in every circumstance.

I once had the pleasure of meeting today’s keynote speaker, Dean Del Sesto. He told me something that has impacted the way I approach both work and life. He said: “It’s not who does what that matters, but what gets done.” In other words, personal convenience and private ambition are less important than the success of the team, and I ought to be willing to work hard wherever help is needed. This is a mindset that I have seen encouraged consistently by my professors. In a world where so many people are willing to do nothing more than the bare minimum, Biola values real excellence and hard work.

I have also been blessed by the relationships that I have been able to form here at Biola. With its commitment to small class sizes and its focus on Christian love, Biola makes it easy for students to come to respect and care for one another, and to build friendships that will last a lifetime. After two or three years of working together, my classmates and I have formed a team mentality in which the understanding and success of each individual is the main priority. Through these relationships, I have learned to value other people, to think about how my actions will affect those around me, and to put others first.

Finally, Biola University has taught me to always do the right thing. The faculty and staff here are committed to serving God, and their lives are a testament to the Christian virtues of honesty and charity. They remind us that we are part of something greater than ourselves, that our real treasure is in heaven, and that earning that promotion is worthless if we have to compromise our moral beliefs to get it. It can be easy to cut corners and fudge numbers in order to succeed, and many people do. But that is not real success.

Real success doesn’t come from hiding failures or disguising losses. It comes from unswerving commitment to excellence and hard work, steadfast care for others, and an unshakable dedication to doing what is right. That’s the most important lesson that I’ve learned at Biola University, and for that I’m truly grateful. Thank you for your support of this exceptional school.