During the opening week of the fall semester, I had the honor of giving the convocation remarks for The Ohio State University's Lima campus incoming freshman class. It was a perfect autumn morning, even though I still find northwest Ohio a little nippy during this time of year. The students were engaged, appearing eager to get college underway. I began by telling them to reflect on their key life milestone of graduating from high school as they start the next chapter with their beginning courses and eventually declare a major to prepare for their future careers.

I then shifted my emphasis, explaining to our students that the world is a very different place from when I sat where they are sitting, decades ago in the late '80s. I shared that I have often told students in my English courses that I feel that time moved much more slowly back then. The biggest difference, obviously, is that my generation did not have today's technology. Our present traditional college students, Gen Zers, are digital natives, having always had the internet, smartphones and social media at their fingertips. Some of the students laughed a bit when I mentioned that they have probably heard their parents consistently tell them they watch too many YouTube and TikTok videos. "If this characterizes you," I said in a humorous parental tone, "you will quickly find that in college you will have to be much more meticulous about managing your time. You will write research papers, read book chapters, prepare lab reports, and give class presentations. Sometimes, due dates for assignments will run very close throughout your classes, so you will have to be diligent in planning your schedules."

Academic counselors constantly drill this guidance into students, so I also wanted the students to think about their time in school now as an important period of reflection on what they want to do in life and how their God-given talents will impact and serve others. "Think about your purpose in life," I said, "so that you will experience fulfillment. Many people make great money in their careers, but unfortunately, many are not fulfilled. You experience fulfillment when you approach your life as a calling." I drew on one of the teachings of the late Dr. Myles Munroe to elaborate further on this point, which I also cited in a 2020 inspirational piece. Munroe, who was an internationally known Bahamian minister, author and leadership consultant, often taught about the gifts God deposits in us at birth and how we carry them throughout our lives. Munroe wrote 62 books, several of which were translated into multiple languages, and he advised Fortune 500 companies and global leaders on how best to develop their employees professionally. One of his teachings on our innate, divine talents that I have always remembered focused on six specific points: a sense of purpose, a sense of value, a sense of significance, a sense of importance, a sense of meaning and, his major emphasis, a sense of fulfillment. I told the students that I know they want to feel valued with meaning in their lives, and they want to have a sense of significance in accomplishing their goals. The unique aspect of Munroe's highlighting of these points is that he explained that, in achieving them, we are not only rewarded with personal satisfaction but also obtain a sense of momentous joy as we operate in the professional spaces where we are placed. He framed finding a sense of purpose as a debt we owe to others, because no one else can carry out what God has specifically created each of us to do.

Another noteworthy point I focused on from Munroe is that our gifts from God make room for us. To quote Proverbs 18:16: "Giving a gift can open doors; it gives access to important people!" Munroe often testified that he was paid thousands of dollars for his consulting work because he had learned how to refine his gift. Thus, tapping into what God has imparted in you gets you in the room — a seat at the table, as we often like to say. I ended by telling students to "work your gift" while they hone their talents on their educational journey. "You are all carrying something special," I stated, "and your presence here will be a blessing to your classmates, our faculty and our staff."

Dr. Jessica A. Johnson is a lecturer in the English department at Ohio State University's Lima campus. Email her at smojc.jj@gmail.com. Follow her on X: @JjSmojc. To find out more about Jessica Johnson and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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