Scapa spoke about how he’s descended from Holocaust survivors and grew up in a “humble upbringing” where his parents – who spoke Greek, French, Italian and Judeo-Spanish, but struggled with English – worked hard to make ends meet. A determined risk-taker, Scapa went to Columbia University, worked at Ford Motor Company after graduation, completed his MBA at -Dearborn and — a couple years after that graduation — founded his own dream business, Altair, in 1985 with $1500. He recently sold the software and technology company, after 40 years, for $11 billion. Speaking to the undergraduates, Scapa shared how he sets and achieves goals, which include developing a vision and refining it each year, sticking to set values, making decisions through envisioning the future and embracing diversity. “Life is short and much more interesting if you are learning from people who come from different places physically and intellectually,” he said.
Khanafer, who earned a Bachelor of Science in behavioral and biological sciences, focused on not letting disappointment, loss and failures become defining moments. To illustrate that point, she talked about how her father, who grew up in Lebanon, had a prized coin as a boy and dreamed about what he could use it for. But, while holding it, he tripped, dropped it in the street and couldn’t find it despite extensive searching.
