Dear Students,

Today Maltepe University having left the 11th academic year behind is sending our well-trained young graduates off to life. In such graduation ceremonies, the phrase "very well-educated" is often used by the chairmans of the Board of trustees to describe the newly graduating students. For us it embodies the meaning of being top and its quality which is acknowledged throughout the country. I would like to take this opportunity to share an honoring event with you.

As you know, one of Turkey' s distinguished newspapers Milliyet, started to publish a weekly newspaper called "Gencim" prepared by the university students dating from Feb. 7th 2008.  The first "Gencim" newspaper issue was prepared by the students of the Faculty of Communication of Maltepe University. Until the end of May, 14 universities participated in this activity and published 14 different issues. At the end of this time, a distinguished jury consisting of nine outstanding journalists including Doğan Heper and Nurcan Akad evaluated these weekly papers and announced Maltepe University students the winners.

It was a rewarding occasion to witness the success of our students whose work surpassed that of Galatasaray university’s which is the oldest and one of the most prominent in the country with academic roots deeper than any other university.

We felt proud. On this graduation day, once more I sincerely congratulate our students who worked on the project and the distinguished academics who have educated them. I would like to emphasize the criteria the jury used in the process of evaluating the work and choosing the winners because the uniqueness of Maltepe University lies in the criteria.

• diversity of the news was very rich,
• the distribution of the subjects to the pages was perfect,
• choice and use of  photographs were professional,
• the voice of the youth was reflected very well,
• the layout was the best,
• the interviews were very authentic,
• the page designs of the newspaper were very  efficient  in terms of subject and field,
• the teamwork was very successful,
• While preparing the newspaper, a wide range of participation of the students was achieved from all the faculties,
• The headline news, "MOM I BECAME APOLITIC" was magnificent.

Here I can't help touching on the subject under this headline, because we think that most of the problems of our country today stem from the fact that the youth have been depoliticized since Sept. 12th. Our country needs young people who are interested in the well being of the country and stand up for it and love their country. We hope that the headline, "MOM I BECAME APOLITIC," given by the Maltepe University students who have noticed this crucial deficiency in the system will be a motto for the whole youth because the youth that Atatürk entrusted the country are not apolitic but they are alert young generations. Moreover, democracy, with which we try to crown our secular Republic, should not be interrupted so it is the duty of the whole youth to adopt it.

I am sure Maltepe University will put its mark on much greater success.

Dear Students
Start with the question, "Who am I?"

Everyone searches for the formula of happiness. Actually, the answer is simple: "Love life and live the life you love. " That' s all.
Love everything in your life; first yourself, then your family, friends, your field of study, your career, your spouse and etc. If you haven’t found the kind of life you want, keep searching.

When you are satisfied with your answer to the question “What do I want to do with my life?” your heart and your mind will tell you that it is what you have been searching for.
And the life that you build on this answer will become more meaningful throughout the years. That' s why you should not give up searching until you find the right answer.

Do have the courage to follow your heart’s desire, your wisdom and dreams.
What forms your personality is the qualifications and experiences you have had. These are the ones which will direct your life, the life that you want and the one you have dreamed of.

Never forget to thank those, mainly your mother, father and teachers who have taught you these values.

This is not the time to discuss mystic or dogmatic concepts.

We are living in times of spiritual crisis. Our most fundamental values as humans have collapsed.

You might not have been told that your life belongs to you  and  that the best thing is to live it wisely according to your heart’s desire

To survive, you need to use your mind. Man is endowed with life but not with how to survive. Body is given but endurance is not. Mind is given but wisdom is not.

In order to survive, one needs to take action. Before any initiation one should know the aim and the quality of it. Being able to obtain food is only possible by knowing how to. (Never give the fish to a hungry person but teach him how to fish.)

To survive man needs to think and use his wisdom. For a human being, to be or not to be  means to think or not to think. And if you are taught how to think you should know that you must always keep looking ahead into the future because future lies in the unreachable line where the sky and the earth meet. You should aim at walking towards your goal, knowing that you can never reach it, and in this long walk you can gain respect through your qualifications, knowledge, personality and above all your humanity, never forgetting that your wisdom is your most precious belonging to survive.

It is the same wisdom which carries the civilization to today and in to the future. First of all, preserve your precious treasure, make the most of it, improve it and enrich it.
You can achieve this goal through continuous learning. We, as Maltepe University,   have always aimed to teach you how to learn.

• Be determined, persistent and never give up.
• Do not break your promises.
• Be yourself.

And if you stick to these rules in your life, your accomplishments will make a difference because since the very beginning of the world, the most admirable quality in a human being is its wisdom.

I would like to emphasize the fact that whatever one has done in his own way without giving up, struggling to reach his goal, deserves the highest respect. So I wish our graduates all the best in their life and I expect them to be sensitive to the country's problems as patriotic citizens.

 I embrace you with my deepest affection and wish you luck. May God be with you!

Hüseyin Şimşek
Founder/ Chairman of the Board of Trustees