2023 Convocation Distinguished Alum
Danny Chi
"It’s great to see everyone out there today. Congratulations, University of Utah, Class of 2023. It’s really so great to be back on campus, and I’m truly humbled and honored for the opportunity to speak at such a special occasion. As we celebrate what’s largely considered the pinnacle of your academic careers at this point, I think it’s important to take another moment to recognize all you’ve accomplished from kindergarten to today, now graduating from a respected institution of higher learning. It’s no small feat.
Can we just take another quick moment of applause? Let’s get hyped up for you guys, right? All right. When I was asked by the College of Humanities to speak today, I’m not going to lie, I thought to myself, “Wait a minute. Are you talking about me, Danny Chi?” Nonetheless, I’ll tell you, I was anything but your traditional four years in and out undergrad. In fact, as my parents know all too well, I was still kind of a young punk, 17 years young without much direction. Six and a half years to earn my diploma. But in hindsight and as I learned later, that was my journey, and that was the path that was meant for me.
Sometimes it’s not only about how you get to your target destination, but more about the fact that you got there through resiliency, persistence, hardship, dogged determination, whatever it might be. We all have our own paths. We all have our own stories. But most importantly, you got there. You have arrived.
The same can be said about so many aspects in life, and certainly you will face similar themes and scenarios as you embark upon your next chapters, whether that’s graduate programs or looking for the right opportunities as pros in the fields. I don’t know about you, but when I think back to when I was sitting in the very same place that you are today, I was more than a little shook. I was a little nervous, a little scared.
You spend your entire childhood and adolescence, young adulthood, when asked, “What do you do?” “Well, I’m a student.” That’s it. No questions asked. You’re good to go. All right. Now, many of you, when you’re asked this, and you might realize, “I just finished college, so I guess I’m unemployed for now. For now.” Just like I did 20-ish years ago, today you may realize you’re facing the real big, bad, daunting world and trying to redefine yourselves all over again.
The uncertainty of what lies ahead, it can be unsettling. It’s no longer time to talk about it, right? It’s time to be about it. I think we can all agree the world has never felt more complicated, uncertain, competitive, and rapidly evolving more quickly than ever. Well, I’m no genius, I don’t have all the answers, and certainly there are far more intelligent and gifted folks sitting out there today. But when I look back to my time as a student here at the University of Utah and the lessons and experiences I’ve acquired coupled with my time as a professional, what I can share are some simple reminders as you embark upon your next chapters in life. Stick to the same positive things that got you to this point. But also, don’t be afraid of change. Putting yourself out there and extending yourselves beyond your comfort zones, failing, learning mistakes, it’s all part of the journey. It all leads to growth personally and professionally.
I know it’s easier and said than done, but control what you can control. Try not to worry too much about the things you can’t. Also, lean on your intangibles. Continue to identify and grow your intangibles. What are your intangibles? It might be your charismatic personality, your energy, your presence, great instincts, how you problem solve and respond to crisis. Things that can’t necessarily be taught, but rather things you’re naturally gifted with.
At the end of the day, in business, in occupation, beyond qualifications, oftentimes people are simply hiring people they want to work with. In social circles, people choose to spend time with those they’re comfortable with and simply want to be around. With all things being equal, your intangibles are often what set you apart from everyone else. So embrace your
intangibles and what makes you unique. Enhance your intangibles. Fine tune your intangibles and apply them to your learned skill sets and all the experiences from your time here at the University of Utah and beyond. Support and team. Know, love, and value your team. Remember, you’re only one person. Lean on the support that you have, whether it be your family, your loved ones, friends, teachers, advisors, coaches.
I certainly never would’ve dreamed of standing here before you today without the amazing support of my parents, along with my most trusted and loved advisors, my wife, Janet, my boys, Dylan and Micah. I’m a lucky guy, which brings me to luck. Not something measurable or something that can be acquired through traditional means, but yet still very important in your future journeys. Even when luck falls in your favor, make no mistake, it’s still just an opportunity, a door that’s cracked open. Until you do something with potential opportunities presented by luck, seize the opportunity, do the work, struggle and grow, excel and kick those doors wide open. It’s still just unfulfilled. So make the most of those opportunities. Let the world know you’ve arrived.
When I’m asked for career advice, I should say, I’ve said this time and time again to many young people and young professionals, you truly never know what’s right around the corner, whether times are going well, whether times are challenging. Then I ask them, “Are you ready? Are you ready? Are you as prepared as you can be for when your moment comes?” The journey to success is never as clear cut and definitive as we’d like, but through your hard work, sacrifice, discipline, education and experience is gained from your time here at the U, you all have put yourselves in a tremendous position to succeed at the next level and wherever that next open or cracked door may lead you.
Congratulations once again. You should all be extremely proud of yourselves. I’ll go ahead and shut up now and let’s get you closer to getting those diplomas that you’ve all worked so hard for, and I’ll just say, once a Ute, always a Ute. Let’s go Utes. Thank you.”
"Before we get started, I have a confession to make: I have an obsession with butterflies. When I was 7 years old, in the dry and arid Alberta summer heat, I remember trapping a Mourning Cloak butterfly in the entryway of my doorstep. Deep brown antennas and ivory lined wings stared back at me. This was my very first encounter with butterflies, and to say the least, I was deeply enchanted. Little did I know, this butterfly would represent an evolving motif throughout the rest of my life. I was 15 when I moved to the U.S. for the first time. I was hardly teary-eyed when I stared back at my family as I boarded my flight. Having previously lived in one of Alberta’s most rural towns, I was eager for new experiences and better academic opportunities. This was an egg hatching of sorts. I had planned to start a new, independent life as a city dweller in the buzzing and bustling city of Provo, Utah. I was unprepared for the culture shock, namely the soda shops on every corner, the innumerable dessert shops, and casserole green Jell-O. A few family friends had graciously offered to let me stay with them until I completed high school and I was determined to make the best of my time there.
2023 Convocation Student Speaker
Madeika Vercella
Things quickly turned south. Shortly after moving into their home, I went from city dweller to Cinderella. I was expected to daily care for infant children and financially contribute to the household. Not only that, my residence in their home was rarely guaranteed. I often came home from school to randomly changed locks and finding stable housing became a nightly game. I was frequently homeless throughout high school and sought shelter in my after-school clubs. Despite this, I persevered. Remembering the metamorphosis of caterpillars, I recognized this unfavorable and slow-moving part of my life as a fragment of a larger, unfinished story.
My freshman year of college was the beginning of a significant growth period. University became my and many of my peers’ chrysalis stage: we learned to navigate the labyrinth that is LNCO, discover all nine free printing spots on campus, as well as ration 18 meal swipes every week—I promise I didn’t go hungry, Mom. In all seriousness, the past four years have been an intense growth period as well as when I truly learned how to embody community.
After receiving a generous scholarship from the Larry H. and Gail Miller Foundation, I was able to narrow the focus of my on-campus involvement to mental health advocacy. Under the guidance of my mentors at the Center for Student Wellness,
my peers and I led various health education and prevention campaigns. In working alongside these energetic student leaders, I learned the value of compassion, integrity, and individual commitment to personal growth. I saw how passionately my colleagues worked to cultivate an inclusive, supportive community. They had a very real and beneficial impact on the lives of vulnerable students every day. After I observed the ways they served our student body, it inspired me to keep advocacy at the very core of my academic career. Eventually, building community was no longer a goal—it simply became a way of being, it was embedded into my value system. I would know, it only kept me off the streets a few years ago.
Regardless of who you consider to be community, our growth and understanding of others inform our identities, and like the butterfly, should be metamorphic by nature. And I can pretty confidently say that we’ve all earned our wings today.”
Our 2023 Convocation Speakers
2023 CONVOCATION DISTINGUISHED ALUM
Danny Chi
"It’s great to see everyone out there today. Congratulations, University of Utah, Class of 2023. It’s really so great to be back on campus, and I’m truly humbled and honored for the opportunity to speak at such a special occasion. As we celebrate what’s largely considered the pinnacle of your academic careers at this point, I think it’s important to take another moment to recognize all you’ve accomplished from kindergarten to today, now graduating from a respected institution of higher learning. It’s no small feat. Can we just take another quick moment of applause? Let’s get hyped up for you guys, right? All right. When I was asked by the College of Humanities to speak today, I’m not going to lie, I thought to myself, “Wait a minute. Are you talking about me, Danny Chi?” Nonetheless, I’ll tell you, I was anything but your traditional four years in and out undergrad. In fact, as my parents know all too well, I was still kind of a young punk, 17 years young without much direction. Six and a half years to earn my diploma. But in hindsight and as I learned later, that was my journey, and that was the path that was meant for me.
Sometimes it’s not only about how you get to your target destination, but more about the fact that you got there through resiliency, persistence, hardship, dogged determination, whatever it might be. We all have our own paths. We all have our own stories. But most importantly, you got there. You have arrived.
The same can be said about so many aspects in life, and certainly you will face similar themes and scenarios as you embark upon your next chapters, whether that’s graduate programs or looking for the right opportunities as pros in the fields. I don’t know about you, but when I think back to when I was sitting in the very same place that you are today, I was more than a little shook. I was a little nervous, a little scared.
You spend your entire childhood and adolescence, young adulthood, when asked, “What do you do?” “Well, I’m a student.” That’s it. No questions asked. You’re good to go. All right. Now, many of you, when you’re asked this, and you might realize, “I just finished college, so I guess I’m unemployed for now. For now.” Just like I did 20-ish years ago, today you may realize you’re facing the real big, bad, daunting world and trying to redefine yourselves all over again.
The uncertainty of what lies ahead, it can be unsettling. It’s no longer time to talk about it, right? It’s time to be about it. I think we can all agree the world has never felt more complicated, uncertain, competitive, and rapidly evolving more quickly than ever. Well, I’m no genius, I don’t have all the answers, and certainly there are far more intelligent and gifted folks sitting out there today. But when I look back to my time as a student here at the University of Utah and the lessons and experiences I’ve acquired coupled with my time as a professional, what I can share are some simple reminders as you embark upon your next chapters in life. Stick to the same positive things that got you to this point. But also, don’t be afraid of change. Putting yourself out there and extending yourselves beyond your comfort zones, failing, learning mistakes, it’s all part of the journey. It all leads to growth personally and professionally.
I know it’s easier and said than done, but control what you can control. Try not to worry too much about the things you can’t. Also, lean on your intangibles. Continue to identify and grow your intangibles. What are your intangibles? It might be your charismatic personality, your energy, your presence, great instincts, how you problem solve and respond to crisis. Things that can’t necessarily be taught, but rather things you’re naturally gifted with.
At the end of the day, in business, in occupation, beyond qualifications, oftentimes people are simply hiring people they want to work with. In social circles, people choose to spend time with those they’re comfortable with and simply want to be around. With all things being equal, your intangibles are often what set you apart from everyone else. So embrace your intangibles and what makes you unique. Enhance your intangibles. Fine tune your intangibles and apply them to your learned skill sets and all the experiences from your time here at the University of Utah and beyond. Support and team. Know, love, and value your team. Remember, you’re only one person. Lean on the support that you have, whether it be your family, your loved ones, friends, teachers, advisors, coaches.
I certainly never would’ve dreamed of standing here before you today without the amazing support of my parents, along with my most trusted and loved advisors, my wife, Janet, my boys, Dylan and Micah. I’m a lucky guy, which brings me to luck. Not something measurable or something that can be acquired through traditional means, but yet still very important in your future journeys. Even when luck falls in your favor, make no mistake, it’s still just an opportunity, a door that’s cracked open. Until you do something with potential opportunities presented by luck, seize the opportunity, do the work, struggle and grow, excel and kick those doors wide open. It’s still just unfulfilled. So make the most of those opportunities. Let the world know you’ve arrived.
When I’m asked for career advice, I should say, I’ve said this time and time again to many young people and young professionals, you truly never know what’s right around the corner, whether times are going well, whether times are challenging. Then I ask them, “Are you ready? Are you ready? Are you as prepared as you can be for when your moment comes?” The journey to success is never as clear cut and definitive as we’d like, but through your hard work, sacrifice, discipline, education and experience is gained from your time here at the U, you all have put yourselves in a tremendous position to succeed at the next level and wherever that next open or cracked door may lead you.
Congratulations once again. You should all be extremely proud of yourselves. I’ll go ahead and shut up now and let’s get you closer to getting those diplomas that you’ve all worked so hard for, and I’ll just say, once a Ute, always a Ute. Let’s go Utes. Thank you.”
2023 Convocation Distinguished Alum
Madeika
Vercella
"Before we get started, I have a confession to make: I have an obsession with butterflies. When I was 7 years old, in the dry and arid Alberta summer heat, I remember trapping a Mourning Cloak butterfly in the entryway of my doorstep. Deep brown antennas and ivory lined wings stared back at me. This was my very first encounter with butterflies, and to say the least, I was deeply enchanted. Little did I know, this butterfly would represent an evolving motif throughout the rest of my life.
I was 15 when I moved to the U.S. for the first time. I was hardly teary-eyed when I stared back at my family as I boarded my flight. Having previously lived in one of Alberta’s most rural towns, I was eager for new experiences and better academic opportunities. This was an egg hatching of sorts. I had planned to start a new, independent life as a city dweller in the buzzing and bustling city of Provo, Utah. I was unprepared for the culture shock, namely the soda shops on every corner, the innumerable dessert shops, and casserole green Jell-O. A few family friends had graciously offered to let me stay with them until I completed high school and I was determined to make the best of my time there.
Things quickly turned south. Shortly after moving into their home, I went from city dweller to Cinderella. I was expected to daily care for infant children and financially contribute to the household. Not only that, my residence in their home was rarely guaranteed. I often came home from school to randomly changed locks and finding stable housing became a nightly game. I was frequently homeless throughout high school and sought shelter in my after-school clubs. Despite this, I persevered. Remembering the metamorphosis of caterpillars, I recognized this unfavorable and slow-moving part of my life as a fragment of a larger, unfinished story.
My freshman year of college was the beginning of a significant growth period. University became my and many of my peers’ chrysalis stage: we learned to navigate the labyrinth that is LNCO, discover all nine free printing spots on campus, as well as ration 18 meal swipes every week—I promise I didn’t go hungry, Mom. In all seriousness, the past four years have been an intense growth period as well as when I truly learned how to embody community.
After receiving a generous scholarship from the Larry H. and Gail Miller Foundation, I was able to narrow the focus of my on-campus involvement to mental health advocacy. Under the guidance of my mentors at the Center for Student Wellness, my peers and I led various health education and prevention campaigns. In working alongside these energetic student leaders, I learned the value of compassion, integrity, and individual commitment to personal growth. I saw how passionately my colleagues worked to cultivate an inclusive, supportive community. They had a very real and beneficial impact on the lives of vulnerable students every day. After I observed the ways they served our student body, it inspired me to keep advocacy at the very core of my academic career. Eventually, building community was no longer a goal—it simply became a way of being, it was embedded into my value system. I would know, it only kept me off the streets a few years ago.
Regardless of who you consider to be community, our growth and understanding of others inform our identities, and like the butterfly, should be metamorphic by nature. And I can pretty confidently say that we’ve all earned our wings today.”