The importance of a college degree in the current job market cannot be understated. So many students graduate from college every year that a degree is almost a pre-requisite to being competitive for top jobs across the country. At a liberal arts school like Miami University, one's major or area of study is less important than attaining a broad range of skills. While a lot of students complain about classes to fulfill their Miami Plan requirements, the wide spectrum of study required to graduate provides a true "college" education.

As the Internet and technology blur the lines between the real world and its electronic counterpart, technology has also blurred the lines separating various careers and disciplines available in the job market. Getting a job is becoming less and less about mastering a particular expertise-what is more important is the ability to adapt to and operate within a rapidly evolving society.

The liberal arts curriculum at Miami provides students with an exposure to new material, individuals and ideas. An art history class might not better prepare me for a career in law, but it does better prepare me for life. A career should always be a means to an end; no matter how talented one is at a career, life is about more than work. Learning to appreciate art and the culture surrounding it is just one way to prepare for life as a complete human being. And that is what Miami strives to do; at the end of four-or more years-the university's administration and faculty hope to send out into the world an adult who can contribute to and enjoy the many fascinating aspects of human life.

For me and many other members of the class of 2008, it will be difficult to leave Oxford and our beloved Miami University. Even though we joke about 'finally getting out' or 'escaping the bubble,' usually it's just a way to hide our fears of going out into the real world. There is something enchanting about the tree-lined Slant Walk, red brick buildings and Green Beer Day. It is difficult to find fault with a perfect fall or spring day on Miami's campus. I've met some amazing people-one in particular-here and I even still live with some of the people from my first-year corridor.

Beyond all my reminiscing, I will be happy to graduate in a little more than two weeks and say my farewell to Oxford and Miami. Even though Miami is the perfect setting for an education, it is a means to an end. The university provides its students with a foundation not just for their careers but also for the rest of their lives. I will truly miss and be forever indebted to many of the professors and faculty who have helped me get to this moment in my life. Our stead here is brief, but it is during the most important years in our lives, and even though we must ultimately leave Miami, we will always carry our experiences here with us.

Love and honor to Miami, and thank you for everything.