Shivani Raval

Thank you, Vice Dean Varghese Jacob, Dean Hasan Pirkul and the Jindal School faculty and staff who are here celebrating with us.

Good morning, esteemed faculty, friends and family. It’s truly an honor to be here today. To the Naveen Jindal School of Management Class of 2024, congratulations! We’ve made it through the ups and downs, and now, we stand at the finish line.

Before we shift our focus to the future, let’s take a moment to pause and reflect on the path that has brought us to this point. Many of us joined UTD while trying to navigate the “new normal” of learning and communicating after COVID-19.

Academically, we gained a wealth of knowledge during our time here. However, in an unfamiliar environment, we had yet to truly learn about ourselves. There were still lingering questions that begged for answers, such as: Who will we become? What does success mean to us?

My Principles of Marketing class taught me the ins and outs of the four P’s of marketing: product, price, place and promotion. My parents, however, taught me three more P’s, that I would like to convey to you: passion, purpose and paisa (pai-sah), which translates to “money” from Gujarati.

My parents acknowledged that money, or “paisa,” is undoubtedly essential for comfort — for food, shelter and perhaps the occasional Costco splurge. But we won’t fulfill our definitions of success with just one of the three P’s. We get caught up in everything we need to do to survive, that we forget everything we want to do — to smile, to grow as people and to use all we have learned to make an impact.

My parents ingrained in me the belief that while academic excellence lays the foundation for success, cultivating diverse interests and pursuing personal aspirations is equally essential. I am immensely grateful to UTD for providing these flourishing opportunities, whether it be business clubs that teach us debate and presentation skills, or mentorship organizations that teach us empathy and networking abilities, as they not only allow us to utilize our individual passions, but also infuse each day with purpose and provide a deeper sense of fulfillment.

So, here we are today, at the finish line, on a campus we now consider home. However, this is just the end of our beginning. We are about to cross into another chapter of our lives. As we look into the horizon of possibilities, we will once again be placed in an unfamiliar environment, faced with new questions: How will we cultivate meaning by using what we have learned? How will we unlock our fullest potential and reach as many lives as we can?

It is OK not to have answers to these questions yet. However, if you discover an activity that brings a spark of joy to your life, I urge you to hold on to it tightly. As we shift our focus to career growth and other responsibilities, remember to carve out time for personal development and passions that bring happiness. These activities enrich our lives and provide a sense of gratification that extends far beyond just monetary gain.

And as you learn about yourself and your purpose through this journey, share them with the world. Utilize your strengths and the wisdom you’ve acquired from both academic and nonacademic experiences to positively impact those around you. We are the next generation of game changers and community builders. Together, with the UT Dallas spirit, let’s make our mark on the world. In closing, I want to thank everyone — professors, advisors, beloved friends and family — who have supported us throughout our journeys. And to my fellow graduates of the Class of 2024, congratulations! Here’s to passion and purpose as we discover the true essence of life: the joy of living with intention and the satisfaction of making a difference. Thank you.

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Shivani Raval is graduating summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in marketing. She has been involved in multiple student organizations, such as DECA, 200PERCENT (UTD’s own K-pop dance club) and the Undergraduate Dean’s Council. She works as a peer educator and a graphic designer for the Student Success Center, and she mentors students in the Davidson Management Honors Program. Further, she has traveled to Taiwan through the JSOM Abroad program, and she has made the JSOM Dean’s List every semester. After graduation, she will work to obtain her master’s in marketing and product management at UTD.