College graduation is a big deal, and a commencement speaker's ability to share something of himself or herself that sticks and gives hope can play an important inspirational role.

What if the "official" graduation rate doesn't give the full picture of how many students graduate? As things now stand, the current rate calculation doesn't include students who transfer into a college and graduate.

Just as colleges and universities try to work through financial aid challenges with families to make a "good fit" all around for students, I hope our government will follow suit. Otherwise, we'll be atop the cliff no more.

Many factors contribute to students leaving college, and financial circumstance is one of them. One of the tools our college has developed to mitigate this problem and to equip students with life skills is a required, one-unit freshman course called Personal Finance for College.

From my perspective, leaving a legacy starts with living your life with dedication, passion, purpose, civility, and striving to share your vision with others. A legacy may naturally follow.