MSNBC News Anchor Richard Lui met with communication students and faculty on December 17 to share advice and exchange professional perspectives.

Lui, who was selected as the University of Guam Fall 2015 Commencement speaker, arrived a few days early to spend time with local media and the UOG community.

During a morning meet-and greet with local media representatives, Lui asked about the state of journalism on island and their career goals. He also explained how he became a news anchor and the challenges and successes that accompany that responsibility.

"It’s rare that Guam journalists get an opportunity to meet someone so influential and successful in our own field, and it was really valuable to hear his approaches,” said Jackie Hanson, managing editor of Glimpses of Guam.

Later on that afternoon Lui met with communication majors and faculty in the Humanities and Social Sciences building to give advice and learn more about the degree program at UOG

“It was really inspiring to see someone well-known and really credible in their field,” said graduating senior communication major Erica Pangelinan. “He’s so experienced and offered really good advice.”

Lui told students that a strong foundation in writing can help propel them into a career in the communication field, a skill he’d honed by writing broadcast news for many years.

“I felt like he was right,” said graduating senior and Editor-in-Chief of the University of Guam campus newspaper Triton’s Call John Mugol. “You have to be a good writer. As a communication major, writing is important in anything you do. He emphasized that.”

Lui also spoke to faculty about teaching techniques and how to incorporate new media into their lesson plans.

For Professor of Journalism Dr. Francis Dalisay, Lui’s presence at UOG helps inspire current UOG students to strive for more and aspire to go great things.

“What he spoke about was very informative as our program is growing and because we’re already trying to do the things he talked about,” Dalisay said. “Coming from a small island and getting an opportunity to meet someone with his status is inspiring for our small program.”

Pangelinan said she’d take away Lui’s advice on how to stay organized and focused on your goals.

“What stood out the most is when he talked about what he does to strategize,” she said. “He’ll set a goal and write down on paper different strategies to help him achieve that goal. It paints a visual map of all the steps he needs to take. That could be helpful. I want to do a whole range of things in the future, and writing everything out is a good place to start.”

For more on Fall 2015 Commencement Ceremonies and to watch video of Richard Lui’s Commencement Address, visit our Commencement minisite.