Dear Commencement Speaker: Inspire Me

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onslowemee of IN 12:53PM July 12, 2010

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warwicklan of FL 3:20PM July 06, 2010

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heavenolse of FL 3:19PM July 06, 2010

ONE OF THIS LONGEST-REMEMBERED TALKS I heard as a Senior at the University of the Pacific (in Stockton, CA) during 1961 was from a pacifist - MILTON MAYER! MAYER spoke at a "Men and Ideas Forum" sponsored by the Anderson "Y" at that time.
He made a convincing case that - after graduation - all the instilled ideals from hours in the classroom would give way to caring for families, making a living and meeting mortgage payments!
MAYER late wrote in the somewhat leftist "Center Magazine" from The [Robert Maynard Hutchins - he formerly of some U of Chicago fame] Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions [underwritten by Fund for the Republic] in Santa Barbara, CA].
The Center was once housed in rather plush estate venue atop Eucalyptus Hill Drive environs in up-scale Montecito, South of those Santa Barbara city limits.
By tradition, it attempted to replicate - for our times - "the Socratic dialogue" for our post-modern contexts.
As such, it became something of a Mecca for academics, students & thinkers of all stripe!
That Center in Santa Barbara County ironically & eventually was forced to re-locate to former World War II Marine barracks in an up-scale Montecito venue, during economically hard times in fund raising.
MAYER was described - by me - in a published 'letter' to that 'Center Magazine' as packing more wisdom into a paragraph than most writers achieve in a tome!
MAYER replied" I don't believe a word of it!
That many decades later - I can recall, vividly, that original meeting with Mayer at Pacific, then his comments at a "Men and Ideas Forum" - and even later in writings for a Hutchins publication - still testifies to his enduring legacy from the early 1960s!

DAVE of UT 8:16AM May 10, 2010

President Obama addressed graduates of The University of Michigan this past Saturday, May 1, 2010. It was inspirational.
There was great coverage of the whole experience at AnnArbor.com << http://www.annarbor.com/cgi-bin/mt/mt-search.cgi?blog_id=1&tag=ObamaA2&limit=20 >> It includes the entire speech transcript, video, photos etc.

David Martel of MI 7:22AM May 03, 2010

Your choice of Michelle Kwan as commencement speaker is a better one than a choice of a governor, a corporate person, a judge, a journalist, or even the president (and, yes, I am an Obama supporter.) Commencement is about the students. Michelle will keep yours on the edge of their seats.

Muser of NM 10:16AM May 01, 2010

Inspiring students is what a Commencement Speaker should do. But, how many of us even remember the name of our high school or college commencement speaker, let alone their message?
I think we want Commencement Speakers who can make memories, who provide messages that will be remembered five and ten and twenty years from now. That is a tough challenge, and our institutional choice was designed with this goal in mind.
Our selected speaker is the most decorated figure skater in US history who is a graduate student, Diplomatic Envoy, author and passionate spokesperson for physical exercise. That person is Michelle Kwan. She understands falling down and getting back up, literally and figuratively; she appreciates dedication and hard work as prerequisites to success; and, she knows the importance of enjoying what one is doing.
We look forward to her remarks on our campus at Commencement, and I think she will make memories. While time will tell, the elements for a memory-making moment are all there.
Karen Gross, President, Southern Vermont College, Bennington, VT

Karen Gross of VT 7:17AM April 30, 2010

College graduates are hungry for help and inspiration on converting their academic knowledge into career success. Let's give them what they need. I challenge the speakers who are called upon to provide inspiration to do their homework on how graduates can move forward in their careers despite the current crummy economy. www.meettherese.com.

Therese Marie Boldt of MI 8:11PM April 28, 2010