Cable
industry pioneer and two-time Bowling Green State University alumnus Robert Clasen had three nuggets of
wisdom to impart on his fellow Falcons: be reflective, adapt to change and understand that excellence and
integrity are not mutually exclusive.Clasen, who earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from BGSU,
addressed graduates on Saturday during the university’s 278th commencement ceremony at the Stroh
Center."I’ve had quite a career, but sooner or later there comes a time to look back and see how it all
happened," Clasen said."What I discovered is when I left BG, I was already a pretty complete
package," he said.It was lessons he learned while in college, he said, that helped prepare him for a
successful career in the media industry. His 40-year career included time as chairman and chief executive
officer of Starz, LLC;president of Comcast Cable Communications; divisional president for McCaw Cellular
Communications (now AT&T); as well as president of Comcast’s International Division in

London.One of the first lessons he learned was from his BGSU professors."I listened and
learned and, in paying attention, I followed their lead," he said.That lesson was applicable in his
media career."Paying attention to the controlling stakeholders, I learned quickly what was
important," he said.He also learned other skills while at BGSU like leadership, how to be a good
listener, and confidence in public speaking. He also became a pro at time management as he balanced the
rigors of being a student-athlete as a member of the track team."How complete is your skill set? It’s
never too soon to reflect," Clasen told the graduates."How do you feel about yourself now? What
are your strengths? What are your weaknesses?"Clasen also advised the graduates to adapt to
change."Constant change requires constant evaluation on how and what you spend your time on. There are
a lot of distractions."Lastly, Clasen told the graduates to understand they can have integrity and be
successful."Don’t let the rush to succeed cost you your integrity," he said."Oh yeah, I hope
you have fun along the way," Clasen concluded.More than 1,000 students were awarded diplomas over the
course of two graduation ceremonies on Friday and Saturday. The youngest student to receive a degree was 18,
and the oldest was 66. There were 27 doctoral degrees awarded, 164 master’s degrees, 778 bachelor’s degrees
and 73 associate’s degrees.