As ‘freshers’ as you will be fondly called, there is the bombardment of all your sense organs with new sensations- the smell of the shared bathrooms, the taste of cafeteria food, the sound of lecture halls being filled up, and many more. You might be unsure how to register for your courses, the shortest routes to class, the best way to balance academic and extra-curricular activities, etc. A new undertaking such as embarking upon tertiary education comes with a certain level of uncertainty and anxiety, both mixed with excitement. Do not let anxiety outweigh your excitement, it gets better from here.

1. MATRICULATION SPEECH MARCH 4, 2023
Unlocking the Greatness of your potentials within
The Ag. Director of Studies, CEO-NEDA
Deputy Director MBSS-Waterloo
Director of Students Affairs
Chairman WARDC
Mr. Nelsonal B. Kamara-Registrar
NCTVA Representative
Tertiary Education Commission Rep.
Representatives of the Press
Ladies and gentlemen
It is my immense pleasure to be here today, giving the
matriculation Keynote address of this great institution, and
setting an applaudable standard. I thank the Ag Director NEDA
for extending me such a rare privilege to speak with this
2022/2023 set of matriculants.

2. INTRODUCTION
As ‘freshers’ as you will be fondly called, there is the
bombardment of all your sense organs with new sensations-
the smell of the shared bathrooms, the taste of cafeteria food,
the sound of lecture halls being filled up, and many more.
You might be unsure how to register for your courses, the
shortest routes to class, the best way to balance academic and
extra-curricular activities, etc. A new undertaking such as
embarking upon tertiary education comes with a certain level
of uncertainty and anxiety, both mixed with excitement. Do
not let anxiety outweigh your excitement, it gets better from
here.

3. NAVIGATION KEYS
Having been in your shoes not so long ago, and having
successfully passed through Higher institutions, I will be
offering some tips which I have divided into ten keys, to help
you navigate this 1–2-or more years journey, based on my
personal experiences. You will be able to extrapolate some
strategies for success only if you pay attention and take note
of them.
KEY 1: PURPOSE- First, I urge you to find your purpose.
Choosing your preferred course is the first step in the right
direction. Now comes the real work. As the College Motto
goes ‘Knowledge is Light’. Set your sights on noble cause from
now and work tirelessly to achieve it. When I resumed My
PhD in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, I set my
mind on attaining a distinction score. I almost made the
required score of 75 in my first Leadership and Organization
Development studies, but when the mark was increased to 80,
I almost gave up. This was because it had been over 5 years
since a distinction was recorded in LOD subjects in the
Rudolph Kwanue University College Liberia in collaboration
with the Global Interfaith University of Delaware approved by
California University-USA. I kept on working hard and hoping

4. and praying that my efforts would pay off. And just at the end
of My Leadership School, I had a distinction in Leadership and
Organization Development. I was blessed to have discovered
my affinity and passion for LOD when I did, because that gave
me purpose.
KEY 2: PERSEVERANCE- Secondly, never, ever, fears failure. As
a teacher of mine once said, “Success is not final; failure is not
fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts.” Look at
failure as the fuel that drives you to success. I remember
failing my first test, which ironically, was also during my final
year in HSS Faculty, few weeks before the commencement of
the final exams.
After recovering from the shock, I decided to learn from my
mistakes and put in extra effort for that particular course, not
letting it affect my morale or prevent me from reading. I can
only imagine what the case would have been had I stayed
down after failing, instead of pushing through.

5. KEY 3: HUMILITY- This brings me to my next point. Be humble.
Nobody knows it all. Always be teachable and ready to learn
from your mistakes. Accept constructive criticism and never
stop improving upon who you were yesterday. There is always
an area to improve upon.
KEY 4: STUDY SMART- It is not enough to isolate yourself in
your room all day, flipping through textbooks and questions.
You need to utilize the vast network of colleagues and seniors
at your disposal. Ask questions to help beat your own path
and surmount obstacles that may arise. That is the entire
point of having people who have gone before you; they help
you avoid making the same mistakes they might have made.
Past questions cannot be over emphasized; as they help you
detect the tone of exams and how to answer questions. Join
tutorial groups and as we like to say, ‘move stuff’. I was a class
tutor for years now, leading a group of colleagues and
classmates in theoretical and practical aspects of our different
courses. Apart from being an avenue to gain leadership and
teamwork abilities, it also helped me to retain and recall
information that I might not ordinarily have remembered,
contributing greatly to my successes in LOD School.

6. KEY 5: LEARN/ EXPLORE- Step out of your comfort zone. Learn
a new skill, make a new friend and be deliberate about your
personal growth. Make conscious efforts to apply yourself to
learning; not just to pass your exams, which is important, but
to attain skills that will help you in the future. These are the
attributes that distinguish a well-rounded individual. They
also serve as coping strategies and help one to relax when the
stress gets to a head. I for one, love Teaching and writing, so I
joined the gajst publication. I remember the days before
exams; I would attend rehearsals and just writes many things.
This strategy helped me through my studies and research
period, but also helped me develop myself as a researcher,
writer and teacher.

7. KEY 6: SUPPORT- Have a support group of serious-minded
friends that have similar aspirations.
These friends will form a bed-rock of support that will help
you throughout your time here. Not only are you going to
serve as study partners and cheer leaders for one another,
you would learn from one another, how to interact with
people from different backgrounds and of different
personalities, a skill which would prove useful both within and
outside the four walls of the College.
KEY 7: TIME- Proper time management and prioritization
helps you to imbibe discipline. Do not wait until the last
minute to turn in your assignments or start preparing for a
test. It is so true that proper preparation prevents poor
performance. I would implore you to get involved with extra-
curricular activities but not at the expense of your studies/ do
not let them take pre-eminence over your studies.
KEY 8: KINDNESS- Be kind whenever possible; it is always
possible. This could come in different forms. Be kind to
yourself by shunning dangerous habits such as drug use, exam
malpractice, fighting, plagiarism and driving under the
influence. In other words, know the difference between

8. enjoying your youth and destroying your future. Violation of
the school’s code of conduct may result in rustication from the
College. Show kindness to others by volunteering for causes
that are dear to your heart.
KEY 9: SET YOUR OWN STANDARDS- Don’t aspires to
standards set by strangers on social media, or even by
classmates and friends. Live within your means and work to
attain goals that you have set for yourself. Who you were
yesterday should serve as a yardstick to measure your own
growth and progress. Not everyone has their entire plan all
laid out yet. So, take things one step, one day and one posting
at a time, being accountable to yourself.
KEY 10: HEALTH- Pay attention to your physical, mental and
spiritual health. There are facilities available to tend to your
ills, whatever they may be. Do not wait until you have
reached your breaking point before seeking help. That is why
it is also important to surround yourself with intelligent and
observant people that can infer when something is going on
with you, even if you cannot voice it out yourself. There is
strength, rather than weakness in being able to ask for help
when you need it.

9. CLOSING REMARKS
Dearest matriculants, having made it this far into the lecture
without dosing off, I congratulate you. I urge you to keep
hope alive and never forget that this is a stepping stone to
discovering your purpose, if you haven’t already. Remember
that within each and every one of you, lies a greatness to
overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles. This is only
the beginning of an amazing experience that will teach you
invaluable lessons and build you into an individual worthy in
character and learning. I end this Keynote address with an
affectionate quote made popular by the great crème de la
crème set of 2020 MBA; PhD “If it is from NELSAL, it must as a
matter of necessity be of the best quality”
Welcome to the NELSAL COLLEGE OF MANAGEMENT AND
TECHNOLOGY!
Long live the 2022/2023 set!
Long live the! NELSAL COLLEGE OF MANAGEMENT AND
TECHNOLOGY!
Thank you for listening and I wish you the very best in your
endeavors.

10. Submitted by Prof. Paul Allieu Kamara-PhDs (LDA, LOD, )