Secretary Sebelius Offers Tips on College Success

Members of Trinity Washington University’s Class of 2014 were recently treated to a college success pep talk personally delivered by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. The nation’s highest ranking health official, Sebelius ‘70, returned to her alma mater to participate in new student orientation and offer tips on what it takes to succeed in college.

“It is a life-changing experience to attend Trinity and be part of this amazing community,” explained Secretary Sebelius. “I wouldn’t be in the job I’m in and I wouldn’t be able to do the job without the incredible education I received at Trinity and the lifelong friends I made here.”

In addition to comments on the changing landscape of health care and the critical need for more health care professionals, Sebelius zeroed in on what any college freshman needs to keep in mind when entering this important new phase of life and provided a roadmap applicable to students regardless of where they attend college.

Here are the basics:

• exercise every day—walk 30 minutes per day, five days per week;
• eat a healthier diet;
• get as much sleep as possible;
• actively work on eliminating stress;
• try to manage time and study regularly; and
• enjoy each and every day.

In her remarks, Sebelius also underscored the importance of taking full advantage of going to school in a great city. Students need to make time to have fun, listen to music, visit museums, and benefit from the amazing array of cultural and educational opportunities available just beyond the campus.

Responding to questions from her audience of more than 300 newly-minted freshmen, Sebelius discussed what it means to take risks. “If you never take a risk, if you never walk through an open door, you’re never going to know what’s on the other side.”

And college can definitely be an important first step toward finding out what’s on the other side.

Photo from the blizzard courtesy of Trinity Washington University.