In an Elam Center packed with the largest incoming freshman class in UTM history, guest speaker Delatorro L. McNeal spoke to nearly 1,200 new students of the challenges that lie ahead of them.

His energetic speech on August 23 involved audience reaction as well as interaction and was based upon his “five P’s of collegiate success.”

“Success,” McNeal said, “is doing what you love and finding someone to pay you for it.”

The first “P” he talked about was purpose.

“Many students wish to be in your place. You have purpose,” said McNeal. He also told students that if they weren’t on their own mission, they would “become someone else’s mission.”

The second “P” was potential. “Maximize your potential,” he said. McNeal said he was being labeled as an “at risk” youth at age 5. He also told of how he would “escape” to school after going through his parents’ divorce.

The third “P” was pain. “It’s not what happens to you, but what happens in you,” McNeal said.

He asked the students to pursue their passion, the fourth “P”.

McNeal described hand-crafting his degree in college in order to do something he loved. He told the audience about getting laid off from a corporate job and rebounding by pursuing his passion, changing people’s lives by becoming a motivational speaker. Today McNeal is a professional speaker, author, CEO and President of A Noval Idea Inc.

The final “P” he talked about was power. “The only competition you have to be powerful is yourself,” he told the audience. He talked of having the power to overcome fear and closed his speech by recalling a line from the movie “Karate Kid” where Mr. Miyagi tells Daniel, “It’s O.K. to lose to your opponent but not to fear.”

McNeal stayed after his speech to meet with some of the freshmen and sign his book, titled Robbing the Grave of its Greatness! Those interested can read more about McNeal at www.delmcneal.com.