Remarks given as the Commencement Speaker at Sussex County (NJ) Community College on 5/17/07

1. What You think About, You Bring About
Sussex County Community College (SCCC) 2007 Commencement Address
Barbara O’Neill, Ph.D., CFP®, Professor II, Rutgers University
moneytalk1@juno.com and oneill@aesop.rutgers.edu
Thank you to the administration of Sussex County Community College for affording me the
great honor of delivering this year’s commencement address. Even more importantly, congratulations
to the class of 2007. You’ve worked hard to get here tonight and that hard work is being justly
rewarded.
There’s a saying, “What you think about, you bring about,” and it certainly applies to this
year’s graduating class. You had a goal to complete a degree or certificate program to better your life
and in a short while- when you receive your diploma - that goal will be fully realized.
All of you faced typical student obstacles: finding the money to pay tuition and fees, exams,
term papers, and finding a parking space at busy times of the day. Some of you also faced special
challenges: the death of a parent or spouse, the loss of a job, divorce, domestic violence, and more.
But you survived- no, you thrived- at SCCC and have grown throughout your time here.
You’ve “started here and can now truly go anywhere,” as the college’s advertisements proudly
proclaim. Maybe a few of you will decide to study at Rutgers University. If you do, look me up, and
we can form a carpool from Sussex County.
My career with Rutgers Cooperative Extension for the past 29 years has focused on financial
education. With this in mind, I will include in my remarks five financial tips and five additional
suggestions for a happy and successful life. First, the financial tips…
♦ Make Compound Interest Your Friend- Just like the television game show Who Wants to Be a
Millionaire?, where the biggest prizes come at the end of a series of questions, compound interest
will be at its most awesome best if you start saving part of what you earn immediately and put time
on your side. Don’t wait. Just do it! Thirty or forty years from now, when you’re a millionaire,
you’ll be glad that you did.
♦ Start Small and Ramp Up- My latest book, Small Steps to Health and Wealth™, describes dozens
of ways to get started on the path to financial success. Save $1 a day, plus pocket change, for
example, or invest $50 a month into a stock index fund. When you get a raise, save even more.
♦ Debt Stinks! - It’s that simple. Avoid revolving credit card balances, especially for things like
clothing, vacations, and fast food meals. Rack up $5,000 on an 18% credit card and make 3%
minimum payments and you’ll pay $4,567 (almost $10,000 in total) in interest over 16 years. My
students at Rutgers are always amazed when they see numbers like this. The bottom line is that
you want to make compound interest your friend and not your enemy. Build wealth, not debt!
♦ Never Pass Up “Free Money”- Workers today are increasingly on their own to provide for a
comfortable retirement. If you work for a for-profit company, you’ll likely be offered a 401(k)
plan where employer matching is often available. This is “free money” that should not be left on
the table. Save at least the amount required to earn the maximum employer match.

2. ♦ Build Financial Resiliency- Many people get into financial difficulty because they lack the ability
to “bounce back” from life events such as unemployment or illness. You can increase your
financial resiliency with a savings account for emergencies, adequate insurance, a good support
system of family and friends, and a low debt load.
Life is a lot more than money, however, so here are five more suggestions:
♦ Follow Your Passions- It might be a cliché, but it’s true. If you do work that you love, it won’t
feel like a job. Be careful about work-based technology intruding into your personal life, however.
Just because you can work 24/7 on a cell phone, laptop, or blackberry doesn’t mean that you have
to. Make technology work for you and not vice versa.
♦ Believe in Yourself- Henry Ford once said “Think you can, think you can’t. Either way, you’ll be
right.” Studies have found that optimistic people are generally more successful financially and in
other aspects of life than their negative counterparts. Challenge yourself to see the positive side of
life events, especially when the going gets tough.
♦ Reach for New Goals- You’ve achieved a lot and you will soon have the degree or certificate to
prove it. Start mapping out your next goal and the goal after that. If the goals are large, break
them down into smaller pieces. Again, what you think about, you bring about. And, since I
proudly work for Rutgers University, let me also share a basketball analogy…you will always miss
100% of the shots that you didn’t take.
♦ Bloom Where You Are Planted- Wherever you choose to live following graduation, give back to
others and get involved in community life. You’ll get back much more than you give. Maybe
you’ll join a local service club or fire department or ambulance squad. You might also start a
business and join the Chamber of Commerce or get involved in politics and run for elected office.
If you choose to stay in Sussex County, we welcome your knowledge and skills and talents.
♦ Be a Lifelong Learner- Don’t even think that you’re finished with school tonight. Your future
earning ability and career success will depend on a current skill set. Economists call all those
qualities that you can sell to future employers “human capital” and it will likely be your greatest
financial asset.
Human capital also includes your health so take care of yourself. Eat healthy foods; get regular
exercise; if you smoke, quit; and, whatever you do, don’t drink and drive. Health is more important
than money in determining the quality of your life. The ancient philosopher, Virgil, alluded to this
centuries ago with the statement “The greatest wealth is health.”
Dean Waite advised me that this speech is all that is standing between you and that college
degree or certificate, so this is an appropriate time to conclude and, once again, say congratulations to
the class of 2007. Tonight is your commencement, the first day of the rest of your life. Make the most
of it and be healthy, wealthy, and happy.
Delivered May 17, 2007
SCCC, Newton, NJ