LEGENDARY NFL COACH DON SHULA TO DELIVER NEW ENGLAND TECH COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS

Don Shula, the winningest coach in National Football League history, will share his insights on success with New England Institute of Technology graduates when he delivers this year’s commencement address on Sunday, May 4 at the Rhode Island Convention Center. Shula holds the record for the most games won by a single coach in the NFL with 347 victories. He was unanimously elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1997. In addition to coaching, he is a best selling author, a successful entrepreneur and a community leader.
Shula hopes to give New England Tech graduates some insight into how they can be successful in their own careers and urges them to “have the peace of mind to know that you’ve done the absolute best you can do. If you do that, you’re a success. Preparation is the key,” says Shula. “It’s not going to come without a lot of hard work, dedication and attention to detail.”
Shula is the only coach to achieve a perfect season with 17 wins including a Super Bowl victory for his Miami Dolphins in 1972. In 35 years, no other team has matched that record. The New England Patriots came closest this year with an undefeated regular season and an AFC championship win.
“The fact that New England was able to go 18 and 0 and then not win the game at the end of the year just made people that much more aware of how tough it is to do,” said Shula. “They (the Patriots) had a great season.”
The Miami Dolphins’ undefeated season is resurrected every time a team comes close. Shula says the Dolphins’ perfect season is the achievement that gives him the most pride. But winning the most games as a coach and raising a family of five children also rank at the top of his life achievements.
Don Shula was born in Grand River, Ohio. His father, who emigrated from Hungary, was a fisherman. As a child Shula hauled nets aboard his father’s boat and endured seasickness. He much preferred the playground. He was passionate about sports from an early age, often organizing neighborhood games, setting the rules and coaching his teammates. By high school he was a standout athlete. He played football, baseball, basketball and ran track, earning 11 varsity letters.  His athletic ability garnered him a scholarship to John Carroll University in Cleveland and gave him a college education his parents otherwise would not have been able to afford.
Shula played running back in college, then was drafted into the NFL as the lone rookie for the defending champion Cleveland Browns. He went on to play four seasons with the Baltimore Colts and one season for the Washington Redskins. In 1958 he hung up his cleats and took to the sidelines as an assistant coach at the University of Virginia. He moved on to the University of Kentucky, then joined the NFL as a defensive coach with the Detroit Lions. The experience he gained paved the way to a head-coaching job with the Colts, a challenging position because he was coaching teammates he had played with just a few years earlier.
Shula built a reputation as a winning coach, known for his dedication and meticulous preparation. He accepted the position of head coach for the Miami Dolphins in 1970 and went on to create a dynasty. The Dolphins finished in first place in the AFC East 15 times under Shula, and reached the playoffs 16 times. They won the Super Bowl in 1972 and again in 1973 and during those two years compiled an overall record of 32 wins and two losses, an achievement that has yet to be surpassed.
 “Coaching,” says Shula, “is finding out about the individuals you have to work with and then being able to push the right buttons to have them get the most out of their ability.” Shula says there are lessons in coaching that can be applied to every occupation.
“Information is so important,” he says. “Communication is important. Finding out as much as you can about what you have to deal with can better equip you to make the right decisions.”

CIVIC LEADER MICHAEL RYAN TO BE HONORED AT COMMENCEMENT

Rhode Island business and community leader Michael Ryan will receive an honorary doctor of humane letters degree during New England Tech’s commencement ceremony. Ryan is president of the Rhode Island distribution company of National Grid and serves on numerous boards dedicated to enhancing life in Rhode Island. A respected civic leader, he is known for his ability to bring people together. As a utility company executive he is responsible for maintaining good relationships with customers, regulators, lawmakers and the business community at large. Beyond that, he invests his time in building a strong future for Rhode Island through his work with non-profits and community groups.
            Ryan’s Rhode Island roots run deep. He was born in the Ocean State, as were his parents. His parents, children and all seven of his siblings still live here. 
            “I love the state,” says Ryan. “I just think it’s a very special place to live. There are issues and problems, but I was taught by my parents that you’ve got to chip in and help solve problems.”
            Ryan focuses his efforts on youth, education, community development and social services. As vice chairman of the Board of Governors for Higher Education, he works to insure that Rhode Island’s young people will have the opportunity to get a college education; something he sees as critical to the state’s future and essential even during the tightest budget times. He has the opportunity to work with colleges across the state and speaks highly of the students at New England Tech.
            “I have a lot of respect for those students,” says Ryan. “They’re willing to take a risk to improve their lot in life and provide for their families. Those kinds of folks provide a better future for this state.”
            Ryan spends a substantial amount of his time working on issues that will affect the state in the decades ahead. He served as chairman of the board of Grow Smart Rhode Island, an organization that works to address urban sprawl and the re-development of urban areas for business and residential use. Governor Carcieri appointed him to the Board of Governors of the Rhode Island Commodores and the Rhode Island Economic Policy Council. Both groups work to enhance the state’s economy and quality of life.
            Ryan serves on a number of boards including the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce, Kent Hospital, John E. Fogarty Foundation, Governor’s Growth Planning Council, Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council and the Junior Achievement CEO Council. He is also the first chairman of the board for Boys Town New England, an organization that provides stability and hope to young people who need guidance and a safe haven.
            Before going to work for National Grid, Michael Ryan served as the Rhode Island Director of the offices of United States Senator John Chafee. He also worked in the executive branch of Rhode Island state government, first as a legislative assistant and later as a special assistant and press secretary to Governor J. Joseph Garrahy. He credits both Chafee and Garrahy as mentors and says he honed his collaborative skills working with them.
With his extensive experience working in private industry and in government with both Republicans and Democrats, Ryan is considered one of the top leaders in the state. His former boss, Governor Garrahy calls him a “terrific individual” and a “wonderful asset to Rhode Island.”
Michael Ryan and his wife Lynne live in Warwick, Rhode Island. They have two grown children, Meghan and Michael. Ryan has received awards for his business, government and community work. New England Tech will have the honor of presenting him with his first honorary degree.