Corning’s former Vice Chairman and CFO Jim Flaws returned to his alma mater, Tufts University’s School of Engineering, to deliver the 2016 commencement address.

Flaws graduated from Tufts in 1971 and received an M.B.A. from Dartmouth College. He went on to spend 42 years working at Corning, nearly 17 as chief financial officer.

Sharing a few of his formative experiences from his time at Tufts as well as from his career, Flaws explained how they shaped him as a person and a professional. He urged the graduating class to find strength and confidence in their core skills, interests, and values, and he underscored the importance of community service as one of his own core values.

“[I can’t emphasize enough] how worthwhile it is to share your time, experience, and if possible, resources, with worthy organizations,” Flaws said. “To paraphrase Mark Twain, we get the full value of joy by dividing it.”