The Edge: U2's guitarist brought a message of collaboration to Berklee College of Music grads in Boston. Brian Snyder/Reuters
Politicians, activists, even rock musicians deliver commencement addresses across the country.
By Chris Gaylord
It's that season again - time for college seniors to gather for one final lecture. This spring, graduation speakers touched on the need for respect, the joy of collaboration, and the importance of honoring those who couldn't join them because of deployments to faraway lands.
Here's a sampling of some of the wisdom dispensed to the Class of 2007:
Don-t want to get away: Employees Lisa Throckmorton (left) talks with Stephanie Stadler at the offices of SpeakerBox, a public relations firm in McLean, Va. Neither woman is using all of their vacation time, choosing to work instead. Jay Premack/Special to the Christian Science Monitor
About one-third of American workers won't use all of their vacation time this year. Among the reasons: They're too busy, and they can't afford to travel.
Ah, summer, glorious summer. It's the season to loosen your collar, lighten your steps, pack your bags, and head off on vacation.
Or is it? Ask Stefanie Stadler, an account supervisor for a communications firm in McLean, Va., if she uses all her vacation every year and she replies with a quick No. "I do lose hours," she says.
But don't think Ms. Stadler's boss, Lisa Throckmorton, is playing Simon Legree and blocking the door. As Ms. Throckmorton explains, "Every week when I meet with her, I remind her of her paid-time-off balance."
What do I like to do and what am I good at? These seem to be two simple questions, but for many of us, the answers can be elusive. And when you couple these questions with a job search, the stakes seem even higher. What happens if I get stuck in a job I hate? What happens if I get a job that's too demanding (or boring? or analytical?) for me?