making a difference. Justin Knabb's blog

Villanova students still do well AND do good

via www.businessbecause.com

My friend forwarded me this nice blog post this morning. Villanova business students continue to not just do well, but DO GOOD. As a VSB alumnus, it's still exciting to be a part of this community that has built a nice niche-focus towards sustainable and humanitarian business opportunities.

I'm now looking forward to advising a Villanova service group that will head to Charleston, South Carolina for the first week of March. I was just placed on their team on Wednesday, and we'll be helping to build a Habitat for Humanity home over the course of one week.

Hope to blog more about this experience as it continues to develop...

Una carta para mi professora y gran amiga

One of my very favorite high school teachers, Señora Karen McElhattan, recently retired from the Spanish department at Exeter Township High School.  It was my honor and privilege to have been invited to speak at her surprise retirement on May 31.  While I was away for a wedding and, unfortunately, could not be present, I did write her this letter which my younger brother read aloud at the event.  Señora M was truly an outstanding teacher, an outstanding person... and fortunately, a dear friend to me and my family.

Here is the letter I wrote as a tribute to her career...

 

Dear Señora M,

Prior to each exam or presentation in your class, you would ask us to first voice this statement to ourselves: “Voy a tener éxito!” which in English means, “I am going to have success!”

On this special occasion today—celebrating your retirement and reflecting on your remarkable career—your student would now like to reverse the statement back to you.

“Usted tuvo mucho éxito, Señora! Felicidades!!” [YOU had much success, Señora! Congratulations!]

I could think of no more appropriate statement that captures your corazón—your spirit—than those four, simple words. You have always been filled with unwavering optimism, a heart of gold, and a radiant, positive energy that is truly refreshing and much adored. You were like Michelangelo for us—your students. In a boulder of raw marble, you have always been one to see a magnificent sculpture waiting to be unlocked inside. And in your classrooms—each year full of malleable teenagers—you saw the potential to plant seeds that may one day help us grow into global travelers, cultural savants, and multi-lingual community leaders.

As a parent first helps a child ride a bicycle, you were there to first introduce me to the Spanish language and Hispanic cultures, and I am forever grateful. I am still a moving liability while riding a bike, just as I am far—muy, muy lejo—from mastering Spanish. However, your instruction and your inspiration have played an instrumental role in my life, and one that I have never forgotten.

“Voy a tener éxito!” I would remind myself as I would soon travel to Oaxaca, Mexico with fellow Villanova students to put my Spanish to use while serving needy families in the region. “Voy a tener éxito!” I would repeat again and again as I would one day lead a group of 20 students to Antigua, Guatemala to rebuild homes for the poor. “Voy a tener éxito!” I would remember as I would travel to Waslala, Nicaragua in 2005, where I would begin the work that I continue today—to help build clean drinking water systems to benefit the thousands of mothers and fathers, children and elderly who continue to struggle for access to such a basic human need.

This is part of my own life’s work, but of course, you have helped craft the life’s work of so many before and after me. We ultimately decide how we want our personal sculptures to look, but you had helped introduce a vital communications tool in today’s much flattened and diverse world.

The great thing about your teaching approach is how you made Spanish language and culture fun and relevant for all of us. With posters covering your walls… of Ricky Martin, Christina Aguilera, and Rafael Palmeiro (who was a favorite baseball player, and the inspiration for my class nickname- Rafí)… we were reminded daily of the influence that Hispanic leaders have had on our lives. We went to Chi-Chi’s as a class and you even encouraged us to make our own Latino food and drinks for certain class projects. In my case, I stole my mom’s blender, salt and ice supply to make margaritas—virgin margaritas—for the class; perhaps, a precursor to what would become a “very exciting” college career. And, with much enthusiasm, you would bring tastes of Spain and Mexico and Peru into our classroom by sharing your photographs from summer travel excursions. Never did I imagine that I would one day venture to La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona or the many zócalos throughout Mexico myself.

But I did venture to those places, and of course, I immediately remembered where I had first learned about them. And that was from you.

While sitting in your classroom, just a naïve kid, never did I imagine that I would soon be putting my Spanish vocabulary to use. “Voy a tener éxito!” I would soon recall during another humanitarian project, this time amidst the walls of an orphanage in Tijuana, Mexico. The children I worked with spoke only Spanish. But thanks to the lessons that first began in your classroom, I could not only interact with them but slowly become a mentor figure in their lives. How easy it is to take the spoken word for granted, but in such cases as this, a familiar language is the key to bringing two different worlds together as one.

I have strived to harvest the seeds you first planted. I have yearned—and still yearn—to create a masterpiece sculpture—a life’s work—to be proud of. Again, teachers like you provide the initial tools. And, that’s why I believe that the world’s best teachers are the world’s greatest and most unsung heroes. To you and all the teachers in the room, I salute you. For whom would we all be without the guidance of a teacher? A hero to first emulate?

You were and always will be a hero to me.

If it were not for a good friend’s wedding in Memphis this weekend, it would have been such an honor to be present for this occasion. You and Mr. Mac have not only been two of the best educators I’ve ever had, but also two of the greatest of friends. You have both been a light in my life, in also in that of my family. You’ve been there to comfort us during our toughest hours; you’ve been there among much laughter and many great meals. You both will always hold a very special place in my heart.

You are the best… te amo mucho… y felicidades por un gran carrera.

Con Mucho Amor,

Justin “Rafí” Knabb (Exeter Class of 2001)

Tribes wanted

With a lot of time in the car lately, driving back and forth to New York, Philadelphia and Washington, DC, I've had more than enough time to reflect and think.  One such thought has been, "Why in the world do I keep doing this?"  I'll try to answer this as I unfold my topic for this week's blog post. 

For my last entry I started to explore the idea and benefits of good urban design.  I want to continue on this theme a bit tonight, but in a different, theoretical sense of tribal community.  When I say tribal community, think of artists and poets sitting around cafes and drinking and smoking and sharing thoughts over lunch... think of politicians sharing scotch and cigars at the country club into the wee hours of the evening... think of bodybuilders spotting each other on the bench press and hanging out at the gym for hours at a time.

Tribal community is a natural course of life worth embracing, not fighting.  And the concept of tribal community is an underlying motivation for people to gravitate to life in the city, and tribes are actually a key theme in an excellent book I'm reading right now by Sir Ken Robinson, called The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything.  I have developed considerable respect for him ever since I've heard his legendary talk on education reform at the annual TED Conference, which some consider one of the most memorable talks in TED history.  Like his inspiring TED talk, The Element hasn't disappointment the slightest.

So... Robinson shares some examples of individuals who have come to realize their natural gifts and talents-- many of these talents, of course, not being the kind that would seem to ultimately lead to comfort and riches.  Ballet and dance.  Drawing cartoons.  Billiards.  Even scientific comedy?  Gillian Lynne, Matt Groening, Ewa Laurance, and Dr. Helen Pilcher have all built outstanding careers based on these respective talents.  And tribes have served as an essential ingredient for their successes... actually more, like a glue.  That is, how could they have ever developed into such extraordinary talents while living in a vacuum?

Lynne was almost diagnosed with ADD as a child, but a wise psychologist realized she simply had to "move to think."  She then pursued ballet and realized how talented she was.  Today, Gillian Lynne is known as one of the great British ballerinas of all-time, and the lead choreographer for Cats and Phantom of the Opera.  Last time I checked, these were both pretty popular performances on Broadway.

Groening was a failing student in school... a geek that felt mostly at home in the odd cartoons he'd doodle during classes in which he was "supposed" to be paying attention.  As Robinson believes, Groening may have "supposed" to be drawing his cartoons after all.  He stuck with his rare talent all the way through to his creation of The Simpsons for Fox.  Two decades running and a few Emmy's later, Groening seems to have followed the right path.

Laurance, a young girl in Sweden, just felt comfortable around smoky billiard halls.  She picked up the pool stick one day and hasn't really put it down since.  She had a knack for visualizing angles and making trick shots.  Today, Laurance has the looks of a knockout Swedish model and tours the world winning pool tournaments and doing billiard commentary for ESPN.

Finally, Pilcher was just a number within the corporate web of science.  Forced to constantly work on a tight budget, meet wild demands and not perform experiments she enjoyed, she one day had the guts to call it quits.  Realizing how naturally funny she was, yet all that she still knew and loved about science, she figured she would marry the two into a truly unusual calling.  Today Pilcher is a scientist AND comedian... she gives lectures or "acts," rather, all over the world.

These people all rose to the top of their fields-- or especially in Pilcher's case, just created their fields-- thanks to scores of right decisions, sacrifices, and good breaks.  But most certainly, they reached their pinnacle thanks to their conscious efforts to join with some relevant and groundbreaking tribes.

So what is a tribe?  Seth Godin wrote his own outstanding book on tribes recently, and basically defines a tribe as a group of people that unite around a certain cause they believe in.  A tribe can be as large as Barack Obama's grassroots army that helped elect him to the White House.  A tribe can be as small as a group of chefs who are fully committed to making the world's best creme brulee.  But the basic notion is that a tribe is a group of committed people, focused on a cause.  Tribes are a movement fueled by honest-to-God enthusiasm... and their bond is as fundamentally necessary as, say, the Native American Indians' desire to dance and show authority by wearing certain headdresses.

Lynne, Groening, Laurance, Pilcher, Robinson, Godin, Obama... people like these could never have reached their stations in life without a conscious decision to join relevant tribes.  Lynne needed Broadway.  Groening needed a group of fellow cartoon geeks.  Laurance needed time to get comfortable in New York's billiard halls.  Pilcher may not have had a tribe, per se, right away.  She did, however, start winning over others with her unique, scientific comedy acts to the point where she developed a fan base... a tribe.

A tribe is more than a network.  A tribe is a lifestyle.  And, tying this back to what I wrote about last time, I believe a key benefit to life in the city is the ease and convenience in which tribes can unite.  Tribes of beer lovers that flock to Monk's in Philadelphia.  Tribes of sports fans that flock to the Sports Complex to unite around loyalty for a team.  Tribes of tech geeks who can help and push and support each other within the confines of Silicon Valley.  Tribes of chefs who converge on one of the world's largest culinary capitals, New York City.

And, back to my original question... why is it that I desire so badly to head into a city each weekend?  Why do I desire to see my friends in these settings?  Well, for one, I've had to accept the fact that my best friends are creatures of these cities.  If I want to see them, well, I have to go see them.  Few have any desire to come into rural PA to catch up... and nor do I have the desire to catch up in such a setting either.  But the key reason for me is much deeper for me than this, and that is because, I believe, I am answering my own, natural call to be part of a natural tribal setting.

Is it not better for me to meet my friends, Matt and Elise, whom I share a passion for social justice with, in the young and progressive Greenwich Village than in a strip mall in Reading, PA?  Is it not better for me to unite with fellow college basketball fans in a designated Villanova alumni bar, than to watch this past weekend's NCAA Final Four from my living room couch?  Is it not better to jog through Central Park along with hundreds and hundreds of other passionate runners, than in the lonely setting of country road where I'm surrounded by sheep and corn fields?

The alternatives may be better for others, but not for me.  I need community, I need tribes, and ideally these tribes should be in close proximity from where I'm at.  These past two years in Reading, I've learned just how much I truly struggle without this tribal support.  I had it at Villanova, living in close confines of 10,000+ other, similar-minded people.  I had it at Camp Mak-A-Dream in Montana, and in San Diego, when I united with groups of people inspired to volunteer and better other people's lives.  I had it in San Francisco in regards to a faith community at St. Agnes and with the Augustinians. 

But in Reading-- ironically, my hometown-- I still feel very lost.  I can't bring myself to invest in any new tribe because I don't think they are tribes I feel like being a part of.  I just can't speak the same language as any tribes that I encounter in this area.  Thank God for my friend, Katie, who recently urged me to finally stop apologizing for my failure in this regard.  "You just have to follow what's natural for you, Justin, not apologize for what isn't," she said.  And I think she's right.

Back to my original question (Why am I a city person?), my first answer is that I think it's actually the wrong question.  The right one should be, "What (and where) are really my tribes?"  If I'm really committed to social justice, and uniting with the young and progressive people that go at it with fiery passion, then where is my tribe of people located?  Currently, NYC.  If I'm really committed to being a manufacturer, then where and how could I find this tribe?  And if I'm really committed to my secret love of writing and creative culture, then where is this tribe?

That I am not sure yet, and there are no black-and-white answers, and I'll try to explore answers to these questions next time. 

O Captain, My Captain

I'm about to deliver a toast this afternoon to one of the most--if not the most--influential teachers in my life, Bob Fleck.  After 35 years teaching at Exeter Township Senior High School, he is finally stepping down to pursue new ventures in life.  But, truly, there will never be another Mr. Fleck to walk through the halls of my alma mater.  He is such an original... a 60-something-year-old man still sporting a pony tail and Native American headdresses... a passionate student of life who will forever "suck the marrow from life" each day... a man who has inspired countless students to pursue their dreams and make a difference in this world.  To him I give this toast today, at his retirement party.  What an honor it will be to be there and pay tribute to this man whom I can never quite repay my debt of gratitude...

O Captain, My Captain... Mr. Fleck... it is such an honor to toast you on this day.  You have shaped and molded and inspired my life more than even I might fathom (scary, eh?!).  No doubt many others have come before me in this regard, but nonetheless I am deeply proud to count myself as one of them.

O Captain, My Captain...  You know, Mr. Fleck, I often wondered which really came first.  Was it that epic film "Dead Poets Society" from which those four words became known?  Or was it you?  Because you ARE John Keating... and he is you.  You ARE Robin Williams.  You ARE that captain who has challenged so many of us to take those roads less traveled.  And like Mr. Keating, you are a true original... perhaps the most original educator and man I've ever known. 

I know that film has been an inspiration to you, but for sure, I thought it was Hollywood that made that film about your outstanding teaching career.  We'll just have to assume they left out some details.  You know, perhaps the part about the 50-year-old hippie still sporting wild Indian headdresses, ponytails, and still bumming around with ghosts on assorted battlefields in Gettysburg.

Mr. Fleck, having been fortunate to make it through the American public school system, and then a four-year-university at Villanova, I can confidently say: You are the most inspirational and influential teacher I have ever had. 

I miss your class so much.  And having been away for some time, I missed your guidance and life advice so much.  But you have this way of offering us all a torch... a torch to carry out into the world as if to remind us to "seize the day!"

"Seize the day," I think, as I turn up the volume in my car and sing-along to Billy Joel's "I Go to Extremes," which you played on our last day of class.  In moments like that, I decided there was nothing "too high" I shouldn't do... that life should be lived "as all or nothing at all."

"Seize the day," I remember, as I look to my bookshelf and see "The Killer Angels," which you gave me as a trophy for successfully assuming a leadership role for our Gettysburg battle re-enactments.  In moments like that I learned I could lead.

"Seize the day," I recall, as I call upon the history lessons I learned in your class.  The New Deal, the Great Depression, the Greatest Generation, and "our" generation... you reminded us that we're all part of this great puzzle.  We're all living history, just as much as you are and those that have come before us.

Thank you for all these lessons, Mr. Fleck.  You taught us that the greatest part about history is actually the present and the future.  The world rests in our hands and even as mere everyday citizens, we have the power to make a difference... whether in the context of our local community, global policies or even in the context of creating our own family.

There are two last, specific things I would also like to thank you for today, Mr. Fleck.  First, thank you for inspiring in me the benefit of traveling and see the world.  I had you for A.P. U.S. History, but your curriculum, your classroom and your message were always based on a larger world-view. I'm proud to say I crafted my college and humanitarian careers in such a way that I'd make the world my classroom.  Fortunately I've made it around a bit and am up to country #26 by now.  I appreciate you staying in touch and supporting me as I have sent emails during these adventures.

Also, number two, thank you for sharing yourself over the years.  In particular, thank you for simply choosing to decorate your classroom over the years.  For a young, impressionable guy like me, your classroom was a living museum.  It was like the "Yankee Stadium" of history.  Those glaring images of Che Guevara, of Lenin, and the great thinkers of our time staring down at you each morning... they really have this impression on you.  Fortunately I was able to be part of the Fleck yard sale extravaganza a few months ago and claim my piece of this historic place.  Today, in fact, I keep posters from the famous Apple Computer "Think Different" campaign (which once hung in your classroom) hanging in my office.  I guess it's like my "shrine to Fleck" and a constant inspiration throughout the day.

If only those walls could talk.  The stories we all could share... a particular story sticks out, which was from homecoming when we were making posters with crayons and markers and such.  My friend, Nate, happened to need a marker, so he asked: "Mr. Fleck, do have a large marker?"  Without hesitation, you responded, "Well, Nate, for that you would have to ask my wife."

Secondly, of course your classroom extended beyond those four walls.  After a good night's sleep on our Gettysburg trip, I'll never forget your dramatic entrance to the day when you woke up among all of  (many of whom were Jewish) and, instead of saying "Ah, to be young and foolish!," you of course, said "Ah, to be young and Jewish!"  We're still not sure what it meant but we laugh about it to this day.  Truly, every single day with you was a new memory.

In closing, I would like to share an excerpt from Dead Poet's Society that I believe captures the essence of you.  It's about poetry, but we might as well substitute "history" for "poetry:"

We don't read and write poetry because it's cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for. To quote from Whitman, "O me! O life!... of the questions of these recurring; of the endless trains of the faithless... of cities filled with the foolish; what good amid these, O me, O life?" Answer. That you are here - that life exists, and identity; that the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. (Again) That the powerful play *goes on* and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?

And, truly, what will our verses be like?  I believe this is essentially what you have challenged us to do over your career, Mr. Fleck... to craft our own verses of this human story with these lives we've been given.  And, of course, to do so in an extraordinary way.  Thank you for your inspiration over the years and your own contribution to education.  I wish you nothing but the best for your retirement, and may God bless you... O Captain, My Captain...

"The Faces of Villanova"

Student Commencement Oration by
Justin Knabb VSB '05
Thank you.  It is simply awe-inspiring and humbling to be up here [on stage]. 

Today is certainly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and with freedom of speech and freedom of microphone, I hope you don't mind if I offer just a few "shout-outs."  First, I'd like to say hello to the College of Commerce & Finance  (this was followed by rousing cheers from C&F graduates... then playful boo's from graduates from the other colleges).  Sorry about that guys... and of course, a shout-out to the entire Class of 2005 (fortunately this brought cheers from the whole crowd).  But I hope you allow me just one more.  I would like to thank my family and especially my mother, Carol Knabb.  I love you all so much and cannot thank you enough for sending me to this wonderful university... a place that has transformed my mind and heart forever.

President McAleese, we are honored to have you with us today.  And, Father Dobbin, Members of the Board of Trustees, administrators, honorary degree recipients, faculty, staff, parents, and friends … it is a privilege to stand before you.

But most importantly on this day, it is a profound privilege to represent my dear friends and peers in the graduating Class of 2005.  On your behalf, I was asked to offer a serious and meaningful reflection on all that is Villanova.  Before I try diving in, I’m curious. “How would you begin to describe Villanova?  How would you begin to explain this place; these years; the times spent with friends sitting to your left and to your right?”  These are not easy multiple-choice questions, of course.

While we have much in common, today—and our entire undergraduate careers—are really our own special, private experiences.  So, I ask that you reflect with me on the surreal reality of today: one look backward and a giant look forward—let’s picture our proud parents way up in that crowd, let’s picture our favorite professors in their wild robes, let’s picture our familiar classmates… now wearing caps and gowns.  On this extraordinary day, we are reminded that we didn’t get here alone.  We know that generations before us helped lay the path to where we sit today.  We know that so many of the people in this crowd helped us reach this point... and we thank them.“How would you describe Villanova?”  I would describe it by these very faces—the faces that define Villanova as a truly great place.  The faces of Villanova: the people that changed your life.  The faces of Villanova: the priests giving homilies; the men’s basketball team saluting the student section; and, of course, our friend Kathy, the omelet chef in the Pit… for several years, these faces made us feel at home here.

And, I’ll miss that feeling of home—that I mattered here, that my ideas meant something, that I was more than employee or student number 33,062.  Where else in the world will we be so accepted?  In our faces, Villanova University recognized our own thirst for human dignity and belonging, and offered us a gift.  Villanova certainly nourished that gift—providing us every opportunity under the sun.  But, more importantly, Villanova has inspired us to take this gift, to see the faces of the weak and the marginalized, and to nourish them also.

The faces of Villanova: they unite beyond the vicinity of Lancaster and Ithan Avenues.  Jesus of Nazareth and Augustine of Hippo urged us all to answer the cry of the poor—to mentor children in inner-city Philly, to participate in Habitat for Humanity, to volunteer in Third World nations… to restore dignity to the voiceless.  Villanova gave us a voice, and Villanova now challenges us to take these degrees, to make something great of ourselves—yes—but to be moved to mercy by the faces of those less fortunate… to be moved to work for peace and justice in this world!

The faces of Villanova: they once came to my  rescue too.  When my mother, Carol, died of cancer my junior year, many faces of Villanova and in this crowd became my clinging hope… my gift, my grace.  Many of us share in these deeply personal encounters of Villanova’s grace.  But, in community, we’ve also experienced this grace together.  As first-year students, we were lost and heartbroken after that difficult day of September 11.  But, as a community, we united in the Pavilion, found comfort in the light of those candles, the bread and the wine, and our own solidarity.  As a community, along with our departed brothers--David Reid and Brian Anderson--we’ve come full circle together... from the send-off at orientation to our send-off today.

We all officially leave this University in some capacity today.  Just like the much-loved story of Jesus and the Transfiguration, we’ve been enlightened and inspired during our time here.  Our scholarly and communal universe is much like the top of the mountain in that story.  Oftentimes life makes perfect sense here.  Yet, the challenge, just like that Biblical story, is to walk back down that mountain, to walk out these gates, and to never lose the magic… to never forget these faces.

Following the example from Jesus and Augustine, we should always be moved to see the very best in each other.  If in each others’ faces we, by instinct, consider mere physical traits, we must search deeper.  If in looking into each other’s eyes, we see a unique human story, a person who is loved, a person who has dreams for their life, a person we truly respect… we can call ourselves Villanovans.

And, the world needs Villanovans.  I believe we’re meant to project out of here like rockets!  Our dreams and our love are so great!  We might soon forget those old textbooks in our wake, but we’ll never forget those special professors who urged us to believe in ourselves.  At times our paths may stretch far from here, but we’ll soon remember the feeling of Villanova community—the standing-room only liturgies in the Church, the frenzy of homecoming and NovaFest.  At times our paths may seem tough, but we’ll never forget the perseverance of our Sweet 16 men’s basketball team.  We weren’t supposed to storm the court against UCLA our first year, nor were we supposed to make a run for the national championship either… but those players did, and they did it with class.

Our recently departed friend and classmate, Brian Anderson, is one of many who strived to be on this stage today.  Well, Brian, we believe you certainly are with us today.  Brian concluded his commencement address this way.  These are his exact words for us on this day, and I am honored to share them with you: “As we prepare to leave the comfort of the campus we’ve learned to call home for what seems like forever, yet has passed in the blink of an eye, there are many uncertainties that lay ahead.  One thing, however, is certain.  In the next few months, employers, grad schools, volunteer organizations, and communities across the country and in some cases, the world, are soon going to realize that there’s something special about this Villanova class; some inexpressible quality that sets us apart.  It is that quality that binds us together, and it is that quality that makes us proud to call ourselves the Villanova Class of 2005.”  Thank you, Brian.

Brian, Dave, and all these faces remind us of the communal, yet personal lessons we take from Villanova.  We reached this day together.  And, together, we march out these gates with our personal memories and our personal dreams.  But all roads lead back to Villanova… all roads can return to these faces—the faces that changed your life.

Thank you, and congratulations to the Class of 2005!!

Rejected from my alma mater?!?, Part 3 (and the last)

Just to bring some final closure to this story-- about getting rejected by Villanova's Mechanical Engineering Dept. to take one (repeat, one) course-- I've entered a constructive dialogue with the College of Engineering about their admissions policy for individual course applicants.  I'm very appreciative of their openness to my thoughts. 

I was surprised to learn that applicants into any engineering graduate program (of course this was not described at all on the individual course application online), even if they are applying for one course, must have a minimum of (approx.) 10 undergraduate engineering courses under their belt.  I can understand this... kind of.

I guess that, given this policy, that over-qualified people like Bill Gates (granted he never did complete Harvard undergrad) or even my father (who has run our family manufacturing business for over 30 years, but just an undergrad in accounting) could not sit for a single engineering course at Villanova.  That's the current reality.

Perhaps I'm just so used to working with apathetic, lazy students that are-- in the eyes of universities across the country-- more "qualified" in an academic sense than truly motivated people in industry. 

Fortunately, based on my rejection and subsequent back-and-forth emails with the admissions committee in the College of Engineering is actually re-considering how to handle qualified applicants in the future who desire to take engineering courses with lesser technical content.  I am very excited about this... that my voice was heard and change is being considered.  Kudos to the committee for both responding to my opinionated email and opening this discussion.  I really respect them for the way they've handled this. 

They verified that I am actually the only accounting major in recent memory to apply for an individual course such as this.  Which makes sense... why would an accountant try to become an engineer, after all?  But they too, seem to understand the direction our university is trying to take to become more interdisciplinary.  More entrepreneurial and more cross-functional.

And just some larger economic thoughts while I'm on this topic...

For the sake of our declining engineering and manufacturing economy here in the United States, I hope that we can achieve a more equal balance of service-oriented jobs and engineering orientated jobs here in our country.  We barely make anything in the United States anymore.  As Barack Obama, a former lawyer, noted in "Audacity of Hope," a great indicator of growth would be an America where there are as many engineers being trained as attorneys once again.  Law and accounting and banking are all vital, necessary functions of our economy, but let us not forget the incredible value that manufacturing and innovation add to our economy.  It would be a great trend to see less frivolous lawsuits in our courtrooms, and more breakthrough products coming from the United States.  In this way we know we are injecting even more enduring value back into our economy.

Rejection from my alma mater?!?, Part 2

For those who may have read my last blog post, and are interested in the final outcome and my response to my rejection from one course in Mechanical Engineering at Villanova, please feel free to read the email that I sent to the admissions commitee.  I believe I took the "high road" with this, and I hope they see it that way as well, and take my thoughts and suggestions constructively.  Regardless, after 4 challenging years in undergrad and $120,000+ spent for tuition, I feel that this lengthy note was the least I should do in response.

Here is the text from the email I sent:

 

Dear Admissions Committee,

Hello, my name is Justin Knabb, and I am a 2005 cum laude graduate from the Villanova School of Business. You recently recommended that I not be accepted as an individual course applicant in the Mechanical Engineering department at Villanova for this semester. Since I have been ruminating over my rejection from my own alma mater for enough time now, and I have not yet received a detailed explanation for this decision from you, I thought I would proceed to send this letter expressing my sincere thoughts and constructive suggestions.

First off, I love Villanova University. I believe you and your admissions committee missed this point in reviewing my transcript, which was the only required attachment for your entire application for an individual course. I believe I had a wonderfully successful undergraduate career, as outlined throughout my transcript. I graduated with a 3.54 GPA in one of the most difficult majors in the university (Accountancy), was a member of the elite University Honors Program, and was awarded a fully-paid academic Connelly-Delouvrier scholarship to study at the University of Bocconi international business school in Milan. My love for Villanova also stretched far beyond my commitment to academics. You may or may not have read my weekly opinion columns while I was editor of The Villanovan newspaper throughout my recent college days. You may or may not have been present for the commencement ceremony in 2005, where I was the only selected graduate to give the student commencement address before the President of Ireland, the trustees, administration, faculty, staff and graduates, and 20,000 other people. It was a tremendous honor that was well-deserved… Fr. Dobbin, in fact, mentioned at the next year’s commencement that my address was one of the best he has ever heard.

Dr. Fleischer, in your four-sentence letter to me, you did mention that you could appreciate my disappointment in my decision. I have to disagree. To be honest, I am not sure you could appreciate my disappointment. To say I felt surprised and hurt would be an understatement. I could understand that I may not be ready to enroll in the entire Masters of Mechanical Engineering program… for that, I agree that I would need a few more years of professional experience. However, I applied to take just one course, for the spirit of learning, for the chance to apply new engineering methods in my family business, etc. But the difficult fact is, you and the committee denied me this chance.

Perhaps you were unaware of my engineering qualifications beyond my academic transcript. Were you aware that I am the Controller and Operations Manager for a successful engineering design, consulting, and manufacturing corporation? Were you aware that I help run a successful home building products manufacturing and distribution business? Did you know that I am on the Board of Directors of Water for Waslala, a successful non-profit focused on engineering potable drinking water solutions for an extremely poor community in Waslala, Nicaragua? Perhaps other students enrolled in this course have stronger, more relevant professional credentials? I just don’t know at this time.

Fortunately, after receiving your letter, I made necessary calls to my close contacts at the university and was enrolled in the Product Design course the next day. I really needed to take this course to better understand and practice working with prototypes for the sake of our businesses’ future, and fortunately the Part Time studies program understood this desire. The course professor, who has also taught this course at Wharton and Princeton, was also supportive as he was the individual to invite me into this course from the very beginning. I am pleased to report that I am off to an outstanding start in the course. And, if you do not mind, I would like to send you a copy of my course letter grade once the semester is finished.

May I please offer some words of suggestion to the admissions committee? As a passionate alum of this school, who worked extraordinarily hard as a student and achieved modest success… as a person with a great love for innovation and technology, who really hopes and desires to create and market meaningful products that could change the world… and as someone who takes professionalism and loyalty seriously… please consider my suggestion to offer a more thorough application for single course applicants going forward. Please challenge them to write an essay, talk about their professional goals, meet with you… anything more than just a transcript. I would have loved that opportunity for you to know me better. Because I have a strong transcript and even stronger passion for engineering… I just hope no other students with this degree of motivation are ever turned away either. And please (please), if and when you reject future applicants, please have the courtesy to provide them a bit more than a four-sentence letter. Such a letter is incomplete and hurtful, especially for someone who once paid over $120,000 to the same university, spent four full years there and worked so hard to earn a 3.54 GPA. Looking at this from the eyes an alumnus, I see any rejection from one course to be almost a tragedy to the spirit of education. I just never thought this would happen to me.

I voice my opinions because I love this university. And I love this university because it truly changed my life. With that said, I feel that it is not only necessary but obligatory that I make my voice heard… to offer constructive opinions and suggestions where necessary. Let’s all keep the spirit of Saint Augustine’s burning, restless heart alive in every corner of this school, from the admissions offices to the chapels and the mechanical engineering classrooms.

Best of luck to you with your endeavors and thank you for taking the time to read and consider my thoughts.

Warm regards,

Justin Knabb

 

Special T Design & Manufacturing Co., Inc.

2000 Friedensburg Road

P.O. Box 4039

Reading, PA 19606

www.specialtydesign.com

"Skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been."

-Wayne Gretzky

Rejection letter from my alma mater?!?, Part 1

In hopes of helping to expand our family manufacturing business to new heights, I thought I would enroll in a mechanical engineering night course at Villanova University called "New Product Design & Development."  Fortunately, it was a fascinating and accomplished professor named Louis Padulo who invited me to take the course in the first place.  Prof. Padulo has helped launched several businesses, and has taught this same course at Wharton and Princeton.  Needless to say, it was an honor to receive an invite from him, which I enthusiastically accepted.

I delved into assignments right away.  I hadn't even received my bill from Villanova yet, but it didn't matter, I was on my way.  I studied material before the course even began.  I drove 2 hours round-trip just to get a head-start with the textbook.

Then, the unthinkable bomb hit.  I arrived home, just after buying the $160 textbook, to this unbelievable, four-sentence letter from my alma mater:

 

Within an hour, this was the gist of the email that I then fired off to my professor.  Part 2 (my thoughts, final outcome, etc.) of this "saga" will come later this week...

Professor Padulo,

I have been working like a dog to prepare for my first class this week.  I have been diligently reading our course content, jotting down ideas from brainstorms, and sharing my enthusiasm with everyone I know about this exciting course I'm about to take.  I rescheduled important, out-of-town sales calls over the next month to accommodate for this course.  I even drove 2 hours round-trip to Villanova tonight to purchase the textbook, and 3 hours after that to study the material.   With quite some certainty, I can safely say that I have never been so excited for a college course before.

However, before diving any further into the course, I need your help.  This is because I was rejected by my alma mater today to take this individual course!!  I am, of course, angry and embarrassed... but truly surprised and hurt more than anything.  This is from the same school in which I graduated with cum laude honors (3.54 GPA); was selected as valedictorian/student commencement speaker on behalf of 2,000+ graduates; was given a fully-paid, academic scholarship (as an enrolled VU honors program member) to study at University of Bocconi in Milan; and was editor of the entire university student newspaper, to highlight a few of my contributions to the university.  The "Graduate Committee" offered absolutely no reason why I was rejected.  Since the engineering school's only "application" was for me to submit my transcript, I can assume that (on top of overlooking my strong academic credentials) they are unaware of my current engineering endeavors... that I am the Controller and Operations Manager for an engineering design, consulting, and manufacturing corporation, that I help run a home building products manufacturing and distribution business, and that I am on the Board of Directors of a non-profit focused on engineering potable drinking water solutions for an extremely poor community in Waslala, Nicaragua.

All I want is the opportunity to participate in your course... to prepare for classes and actively participate them, to work with other enthusiastic and bright classmates, to experiment with prototypes under your supervision, to seek some guidance for introducing important, commercially-successful products into our company's fold, and to truly give 100% to this course.  I truly hope to "change the world" one day, and this course is a great first step.  I could care less about grades (although, given the effort I would put forth, I would shoot for nothing less than a truly well-deserved A), about seeing anything on my transcript, and especially about what they think of my undergraduate transcript.

I could understand being turned away as an applicant into the entire graduate engineering curriculum.  Yes, at this time I may not be officially "qualified" for such a step.  But, in this case, I am seeking to take ONE course.  I never in my wildest dreams thought Villanova would deny me this chance, but I must swallow my pride at this time. 

I understand that I might just be one student, but I hope that you might be willing to take a chance to include me in this course.  I am willing to forward anyone my transcript, my resume, my personal website, my blog, my already completed coursework, my references (which include the President of the University, the Dean of VSB, and virtually the entire Management Dept.)... anything you need.  I can even forward a video of my commencement address before the Irish President and 20,000 people in Villanova Stadium.  Regardless, one way or another, I will be making my feelings very clear to my contacts at Villanova within the next few days.  And I will move forward at full-throttle once again.

Very much look forward to talking with you.

Warm regards,
Justin

My dear alma mater - Transforming Minds and Hearts

In just my short life so far, there are many choice I'm proud that I've made, and some not-so-proud.  One choice that, by far and away, I am proud to have made was my decision to become a Villanovan. 

My time at college was absolutely outstanding-- life-transforming, exciting, empowering, and memorable.  I have no doubt that other universities are remarkable places, and I have visited many... however, I just wish I could describe to others the genuine passion that students, professors, administrators, and alumni have for Villanova. 

It's the Augustinian tradition of community that permeates life on campus; it's the natural beauty of the grotto that stops you to admire and reflect; it's the goosebumps that line your spine as the Pastoral Musicians sing "O Holy Night" at the packed Advent mass in the fieldhouse; it's the anticipation as the plane taking off for another Latin American service break trip; and it's the  beautiful people, inside and out, who walk its grounds each day and carry the torch on and on.

I have been thinking a lot about Villanova these past few days for some reason-- I think in the quiet of my home last night I found myself missing our Wednesday night pub crawls where everyone could be found somewhere on Lancaster Ave.  Times have changed.  For me, at least, but not for Villanova.  The magic continues down there.  The magic continues across the alumni network that spans the world.  This article, about the $300 million raised by alumni in the Transforming Minds and Hearts campaign that started in 2001, hits home this fact.

What VU alum could ever express their love this school as well as our Alma Mater...

When the twilight shadows gather, out upon the Campus green,
When the blue and purple night comes stealing on the scene
Loyal heirs of Villanova, sing a hymn of praise
To our dear old ALMA MATER, and our College days.

Villanova, Villanova, when we leave your shelt'ring walls,
We shall leave an echo ringing through your treasured halls
We will leave an echo ringing, in the silent night
While our memories are singing of the Blue and White

When the last big game is over, and the last roll call is heard
When the oldest pedagogue has had his final word
We shall come to ALMA MATER, in our dreams again
With prayer for Villanova and a sweet amen.

Painting courtesy of Nicholas Santoleri.

Dedication of the Clay Center at the Villanova School of Business (Nov. 12, 2007)

Last night I had the honor of emceeing the dinner for the Dedication of the Alvin Clay Center at the Villanova School of Business.  For over 20 years, Professor Clay was a much-loved and respected dean of the then-College of Commerce & Finance.  The college now dedicates his name to this new center which will be the "one-stop-shop" for students to take care of their professional development and advising needs.  Below is the speech that I gave before Dean Clay's family (he has 10 children and 36 grandchildren!), university administration, faculty, staff, donors, alumni, and friends:

____

Good evening.  It is an honor to represent my fellow alumni on this special evening as we cut the welcoming ribbon to the Clay Center.   As it was during my time here, I see one common theme continues to remain the same at VSB… and that is “It’s all about the students.”  And, as students, we come to the Main Line for a business education because we want to connect with their professors rather than TA’s; because we want to befriend and network with classmates; because we want to gain experience with cutting-edge technologies, meet the top recruiters, and engage with field-tested faculty who bring actual war stories to the podium each day.

While Dean Clay was here before my time, I did get a taste of his student-centric focus and leadership through another Dean Emeritus—Dr. Tim Monahan—who I have been fortunate to call a mentor over the years.  I was just a sophomore, serving as business editor for The Villanovan newspaper, and was hoping to write a human-interest story on Dean Monahan.  He talked about just two things during our interview.  One, he spoke about the profound influence that Dean Clay has had on his career.  And two,  he spoke about students… and students, and students.  Aside from everything he said about Dean Clay, it was perhaps the most anticlimactic interview ever.  The interview was actually about as exciting as a Bill Belichick press conference.  “How about the grand Bartley Hall that you helped build?” I asked.  [Monahan:] “It’s all about the students, Justin.”  “And how about the interesting life you’ve had?”  [Monahan:] “Justin.  Students.  It’s all about the students.”  Moral of the story: next time I’ll just go to Dean Clay’s house for the interview.

But I believe this story begins to illustrate the commitment of these great leaders to students at our school.  And here we are tonight, presenting the grand opening of the Clay Student Center.  The focus on students obviously remains the same. (the audience cheered at this point, which was very encouraging)

I stand before you as a grateful beneficiary of this simple, yet important mantra put into practice, each and every day by many of the faculty and administration in this room.  Ultimately, the paths I have trekked since graduating 2 ½ years ago were first laid out here at Villanova.

For starters, in this past year, I have worked as a forensic accountant, where I found myself in the thick of investigations over the stock option backdating scandals that have recently plagued millions of investors and many of the major tech companies in Silicon Valley.  I could talk about how I applied the skills and experiences gained from VSB, but I don’t think you would find any of this story surprising.

What might surprise you, however, are other directions in which my path has veered due to the not-so-obvious, holistic world-views that I took away from Villanova.  I suppose I’m one of those classic cases of an ambitious freshman coming to college hoping to make as much money, by myself and for myself, as soon as possible… yet somehow, four years later, is found strolling campus in a tie-dye t-shirt, giving the peace sign, trying to save the world and asking others for money.  Now, believe me, I still care about the money; although at this point I care about larger issues as well.

For example, since graduating, I have joined fellow alum’s in helping to run a cost-free summer camp for children with cancer in Montana.  I have joined fellow alum’s in serving as a fundraiser and mentor to abused children at an orphanage in Tijuana, Mexico.  I have joined fellow alum’s in building potable water systems for a very poor community of 40,000 people in Waslala, Nicaragua, and have also joined to speak to tens of thousands of students across the country on global poverty issues.  And I have even joined fellow alum’s in living in an Augustinian monastery in San Francisco for a full year.  Friends joke that before I’m through participating at Villanova, they might even convince me to just go all the way and become a priest.

But I share all these examples to perhaps “map-out” for you the impact that this unique VSB educational experience has had on my brief life.  And in mapping all this out, it became clear to me that the common theme between everything—from the prestigious forensic accounting job to living in the monastery—was the connection back what I’ve learned at Villanova and who I’ve met at Villanova.  And that is what excites me about this evening and about the Clay Center for Student Services. 

It is the hope that this new center can and will inspire and facilitate great opportunities, like I have had, for VSB students of today and tomorrow.   It is the hope that more students like me, can have the chance to have a full-semester co-op at Johnson & Johnson World Headquarters.  It is the hope that VSB can encourage and allow more students to apply for scholarships to study abroad, just as I did at the University of Bocconi—an international business school in Milan, Italy.  It is the hope that more VSB students embark on service break trips to Mexico and Guatemala and Habitat for Humanity sites, just as I did.  And, speaking as an alumnus and, currently, as a manager at my family-run business, Specialty Design & Manufacturing, these are the students that we alums are proud to stay linked with… the students that want to think outside-the-box, that want to lead their organizations into the future… to make a difference in their communities… to lead with ethics and integrity… and perhaps, above all, to live a life with a restless heart, searching for truth, compassionate towards others, just as our founder St. Augustine urges us to do.

It is with great pride that I join you in the grand opening of the Clay Center at VSB, and I wish the administration, faculty, staff, and most of all, the students, the very best of luck in enjoying and prospering in the great mission of this center and the larger heritage of this fine university.  Thank you.