In May 2022 I graduated with my doctorate in Leadership for Educational Equity. Of all of the things that happened during the commencement (besides me crying like a newborn as dr. jefferson hooded me), the commencement speaker’s speech impacted me most.
Thomas Evans, a Denverite and alumni of CU Denver talked about taking risks in his life. He spoke about going to school to receive his MBA and ending up in a job that can best be described as unfulfilling. After several months in the position, he decided to quit, leaving city life to travel and volunteer in Africa. He decided to take a detour. During his speech, he asked graduates to do the same. To take risks. To change our minds. To do something different. To take an alternative route.
I was in the front row during commencement. I found myself pointing to him as my granny would have in church. I waved my hand and shook my head because I could relate. He was right. The detours of life are always the right way to go. I myself, an educator turned consulting firm CEO, can attest to this. I taught for 12 years in the Cherry Creek School District. I worked in the non-profit sector for a year. Afterward, I taught at CU Denver as an adjunct professor for another three years. The whole time building my business wrote my dissertation, raised a spunky dope daughter, and worked on being self-actualized.
During the speech, I kept thinking of all of the 2,200 folks graduating that day and the folks sitting on the same stage where Thomas Evans was speaking. How many would ever get off the highway of the traditional career and take a detour? How many folks would turn down the pay raise in a current position, become terribly uncomfortable, and do something different, no longer living in their excellence but in their geniuses? Now sitting here typing out my last MMM for the University, I want to say to anyone who is reading this. Take the detour. Turn around. Do something else if it’s burning inside of you. You will find another way. You will fail and you will sure as hell thrive.
Much love,
Dr. Asia Lyons
