The reason I ran for office is because I had an obligation to give back. UMass stepped up when others didn't, and offered me financial assistance that allowed me to get back to school and get back on the path that I wanted to go down. I was able to go on to law school-- to land a job at a top 100 law firm, for close to a decade, to start my own law firm. And I felt an obligation to give back through public service. The multitasking aspect I picked up from UMass Amherst. My role as state representative, which occupies probably 90% of my day. I'm still managing partner of a small law firm-- boutique law firm here in town, and playing the role of dad to three kids, as well. The UMass work ethic that you pick up there, and as I said, magnify while you're on campus, prepares you to tackle multiple roles, multiple positions in your life. And so from a history, political science background, it gives you a great base and a great perspective on what government can do-- where we come from, where we're going, how we got here. And I think to a graduating senior with that type of a background is to take that critical thinking you've been trained to implement and use it in your everyday life, whether you go into government, whether you go into law, whether you go into science-- whatever career you end up pursuing, you're going to be given the freedom to find out who you are and what you really want to pursue. I'm Michael Day, State Representative for the towns of Stoneham and Winchester. I stand for public service, and I stand for UMass.