About | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline

62 S.D. L. Rev. 1 (2017)
Be Neurotic and Evolve into Your Special Calling

handle is hein.journals/sdlr62 and id is 27 raw text is: 




    BE  NEUROTIC AND EVOLVE INTO YOUR SPECIAL CALLING

                              ROGER  BARON1

     On  the afternoon of May   6, 2016,  at the University of South Dakota,
Professor Emeritus  Roger  Baron  delivered the Keynote Address  during  the
Hooding  Ceremony for the USD Law  Class of2016. That commencement  address
is reprinted here, with minor stylistic edits and footnotes to identify sources and
provide additional information. The Keynote  Speaker is a notable individual
chosen each year the graduating class.

            I. INTRODUCTION: ADVICE FROM JIMMY FALLON

     I would ask the USD Law  Class of 2016 to stand up, please. This is the last
time I will have the chance to ask you to stand up. I want to start this address off
the same way Jimmy  Fallon starts his Tonight Show every night. Those of us who
watch The Tonight Show  know  what Jimmy  Fallon says every single night: You
made  it! You're here! This is it! You finally made it! You're here! This is it!
That's what I am talking about! Well this applies to you, USD Law  Class of
2016: You made  it! You're here! This is it! You know what I'm talking about ...
You  finally made it! You're here! This is it! Stand up. Let's all give these
students a round of applause. Students, now is a good time for you to acknowledge
the assistance of your loved ones: your parents, spouses, siblings, children. You
would  not be here today without their support, patience, and encouragement.
Please turn to your loved ones and give them a round of applause.

                     II. ULTIMATE   UTILITY   INFIELDER

     Let's talk about this law degree. I encourage you to appreciate the flexibility
that your law degree gives you. You have the ability to launch into countless new
adventures because of your education: to be a lawyer, to be a successful business
person, to be a judge, to be a political leader, to be a teacher of many subjects ...
the list goes on.
     The term  utility infielder is utilized in baseball to describe a versatile
player-one  who  is able to play multiple positions. In the game of life, your law
degree enables you  to be a utility infielder. With your law degree, you have
become  a utility infielder in the game of life. In fact, it goes above and beyond
that. I submit to you that you have become the ultimate utility infielder, outfielder,


    I. Roger Baron, Professor Emeritus, University of South Dakota School of Law. Professor Baron
was selected as the Keynote Speaker by the USD Law Class of 2016 for the Hooding Ceremony held on
May 6, 2016. Professor Baron acknowledges Dean Geu, Provost Moran, Dean Vickrey, Associate Dean
Graham, other dignitaries, and USD Faculty, Staff, Parents, Friends, and graduates. Professor Baron's
email address is Roger.Baron@usd.edu.

What Is HeinOnline?

HeinOnline is a subscription-based resource containing thousands of academic and legal journals from inception; complete coverage of government documents such as U.S. Statutes at Large, U.S. Code, Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, U.S. Reports, and much more. Documents are image-based, fully searchable PDFs with the authority of print combined with the accessibility of a user-friendly and powerful database. For more information, request a quote or trial for your organization below.



Short-term subscription options include 24 hours, 48 hours, or 1 week to HeinOnline.

Contact us for annual subscription options:

Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?

profiles profiles most