Speeches

Successfully Moving into the Future: All-Class Luncheon

As I look out at the number of alumni who have returned this weekend in a show of loyalty and admiration for Penn State, I am struck by not only the range of people who we proudly call our alumni, but also by the aura of success and accomplishment that permeates and fills this large arena.

The really awe-inspiring part, however, is knowing that so many of you have so much more you will achieve. We have heard a lot lately in the news about dot.com millionaires -- maybe some of you are right here in this audience. I'm sure our development staff would like to talk with you.

But age is certainly not a factor for personal or professional success. Just consider these famous examples:

• Michelangelo was 71 when he painted the Sistine Chapel;
• Actor George Burns won his first Oscar at 80;
• Ben Franklin published his first newspaper column at age 16 and had the honor of framing the U.S. Constitution when he was 82; and
• Walt Disney, who went bankrupt several times during his life and was once fired by a newspaper for lacking ideas, was a pioneer in animated cartoons and founded Disneyland all by the age of 54.

So if you haven't found your niche yet, don't worry. You are one impressive group of individuals and, of course, you are Penn State graduates! You are destined for success.

Over its 146-year history, Penn State has awarded more than 475,000 degrees and our popularity and reputation has grown dramatically. Just as you came to Penn State --thirsting for knowledge -- so too, students from the Millennial Generation, Generation Next and whatever generation follows come here as well. In fact, Penn State's enrollment last year of more than 81,000 students at 24 locations across the Commonwealth was an all-time high for the University and is certainly testimony to our growing popularity. Already, our enrollment applications for next year indicate an increase, which means we continue to attract the most talented students in America today.

One recent success story for Penn State has been The Dickinson School of Law. As most of you know, Penn State merged with this Carlisle institution in 1998, filling a gap in Penn State's professional educational offerings. Over the last two years, Dickinson has experienced a dramatic increase in its enrollment -- a 68 percent increase for 1999 and 2000 combined. Enrollment predictions for fall indicate that Penn State's law school will maintain its vast appeal. Graduates of Dickinson consistently end up with the second highest first-time pass rate in the state for the Pennsylvania Bar Exam, bested only by Penn -- which has less than half as many students as we do taking the exam.

Another relatively new addition to Penn State's offerings is the School of Information Sciences and Technology. Launched in 1999 to answer Pennsylvania's urgent need for professionals, who could work within the new digital economy, the school is now serving 2,572 students at 19 Penn State locations with more than 70 faculty across the Commonwealth. Through the school, Penn State is building leaders who will be able to put technology to work in business, government, education, and other key sectors of our society.

This fall the School of Information Sciences and Technology, or IST, will admit its first class of doctoral candidates and has other partnership efforts under way with 12 institutions outside Penn State. The creation of this school has positioned Penn State and Pennsylvania as a national leader in information sciences and will allow the Commonwealth to remain competitive.

Another initiative that has continued to flourish is our World Campus, a virtual university that provides anytime, anywhere learning via the Internet. Now in its second full year of operation, the World Campus serves 3,000 students in all 50 states and 27 countries. It also has received $4.5 million in external support to date. In addition, this past year the World Campus was selected as part of a team of education providers for 600 soldiers. The Army University Access Online program, a $453 million, five-year project to deliver distance education to soldiers all over the world, has chosen a team of which Penn State is a part to provide these services to our armed forces.

Elsewhere around the University, a new literacy institute has been established in the College of Education through a $6 million federal grant. The center has been named the William F. Goodling Institute for Research in Family Literacy because of the assistance the University received from Congressman Goodling in securing the funds. Penn State was selected as the site for the institute because of its long-term commitment to quality literacy programming.

Penn State's outstanding leadership in research, an essential component of the nation's economic vitality, was again evident. Last year, Penn State's research expenditures climbed to $440 million, a 12 percent increase over the previous year and a record high for the University. It is also one of the highest single-year increases in the history of American higher education.

Our research has been a critical force in helping us fulfill our public service mission. A few examples of research discoveries that have had a vast impact on the nation and the world include the first heart-assist device, called the Arrow LionHeart, which was developed by Penn State researchers in conjunction with Arrow International of Reading. The Food and Drug Administration in February approved the first series of U.S. clinical trials for this new heart-assist device, which is powered via wireless electric transmission and is intended for patients whose natural heart is failing, but who are not eligible for a heart transplant. There are about 4 million patients in the U.S. who are victims of heart failure and nearly 400,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. Of these patients, only about 2,800 receive heart transplants, so this heart-assist device is expected to help a great number of people.

Another research discovery, co-developed by a professor at Penn State, is speeding up the mapping of the human genetic code by accelerating the search for patterns among the staggering mass of information. Results of this genetic mapping are expected to revolutionize the understanding and treatment of disease.

Faculty here also have discovered a way to make ultraminiature metal wires in very close proximity to each other, an important development needed to further miniaturize electronic and opto-electronic devices used for circuits, high-density data storage and sensors. Years from now, this Penn State discovery could also help make possible ultraminiature medical devices.

We are dedicated to building a faculty of unsurpassed excellence, and as you can see, our faculty members are at the leading edge of their professions. A quick summary of faculty accomplishments over the year produces a long list of national teaching and research award winners, members of distinguished honorary societies, recipients of major grant dollars and other notable awards and commendations. Their knowledge and discoveries are not only benefiting society; they are also greatly enhancing the education of our students. Research is a significant element in undergraduate education at Penn State. Over the past year, more than 5,000 undergraduates participated in some form of research. In fact, a junior astronomy major here, part of a larger team of researchers, discovered six "superbubbles" -- giant spherical regions in the galaxy that are 10,000 trillion miles across. This discovery will allow scientists to look further back in time and more closely study the evolution of the universe.

Across the University, nearly 500 undergraduates complete a research thesis every year. Students within our Schreyer Honors College make up the bulk of those involved in thesis work. The year 2001 marks more than two decades of excellence in honors education at Penn State and the fourth year for the Schreyer Honors College, created in 1997 with a $30 million gift from Bill and Joan Schreyer. This year, 305 students graduated from the Schreyer Honors College, which has quickly emerged as one of the top honors programs in the nation.

At Penn State, we have created a dynamic, student-based learning community that continues to grow and advance. This year, the University was ranked 13th among public universities by U.S. News and World Report as one of "America's Best Colleges." Many of our undergraduate and graduate programs, like engineering and business, also were highly ranked by the magazine.

And while our students continue to excel academically, they are also finding time to give back to their communities. The volunteer service of our students is truly remarkable and many spent their spring break working on projects across the nation and world that benefited others. These projects ran the gamut from a reforestation initiative in an area in the West that had been devastated by forest fires to transporting medical supplies to Haiti. Our students built homes, cleaned historical landmarks, worked in food banks, helped at-risk youth, launched recycling initiatives and much more. This year, the Peace Corps named Penn State one of the top 10 volunteer-producing universities in the country. And I would be remiss if I did not mention the longstanding tradition of Dance Marathon and the amazing amount of effort Penn State students continue to put forth for kids with cancer. The 29th annual dance marathon raised a record-setting $3.6 million for the Four Diamonds Fund of The Hers hey Medical Center. The Four Diamonds Fund supports children with cancer and their families; aiding more than 2,000 families since its creation in 1972. Over the years Thon, the largest student-run philanthropy in the world, has collected more than $14 million for the families of children and young adults with cancer who are being cared for at the Medical Center, as well as providing funding for pediatric cancer research in our College of Medicine.

Currently, Penn State is in the fifth year of its seven-year fund-raising campaign to provide support for scholarships, fellowships and endowed faculty positions. The goal of the campaign was originally set at $1 billion, but because of the success we have already experienced, that goal was raised last month to $1.3 billion. To date, $960 million has been raised and our strong alumni base, combined with the many friends Penn State has garnered over the years, is directly responsible for that success.

In fact, for the fourth year in a row, Penn State has been named the nation's top-ranked university in the number of alumni donors, according to an annual survey by the Council for Aid to Education. A total of 71,423 alumni made gifts to the University totaling $50.7 million. Give yourself a hand. These figures reflect the generosity of our alumni and the deep pride you have in the University's accomplishments. Private support is critical to the University and its mission of teaching, research and service. It is a key factor in helping us reach our highest academic aspirations. To date, the campaign has allowed us to create more than 1,000 new endowments to support students, faculty and programs.

As you walk across campus, you will undoubtedly notice the change in its appearance. We are now in the midst of the largest capital construction program in the University's history. A total of more than $700 million in projects is planned through the 2003-2004 academic year. Not only have we completed the impressive HUB-Robeson Cultural Center -- which I hope many, if not all of you, have visited -- we also constructed a new Earth and Engineering Sciences Building on West Campus which is the home of both the Colleges of Earth and Mineral Sciences and Engineering. We also recently completed a $9 million renovation project at the White Building, giving students an indoor pool, an expanded weight training facility and vastly improved recreational facilities.

Last September marked the official dedication of the Paterno Library, named in honor of Joe and Sue Paterno who donated time, effort and money to $34.4 million project. The completed Pattee Library and Paterno Library encompass approximately 490,000 square feet, including 130,000 square feet of new space and 360,000 of renovated space.

And speaking of our famed football coach, some of you may have passed the $93 million renovation project at Beaver Stadium on your way into campus. The project adds 11,000 seats, including 58 luxury suites and 4,000 club seats and is expected to be complete by the 2001 football season.

In April, construction on the multi-faith Pasquerilla Spiritual Center began on the University Park campus. The center involves a $9 million renovation and expansion of the Eisenhower Chapel. At Penn State, we still have a strong commitment to acknowledging the importance of spiritual growth as part of a complete education.

Also in April, we opened the Hintz Family Alumni Center, which I hope you have all had a chance to visit. Its central campus location is a symbol of the integral role you all play in the life of this University.

I hope this brief overview has captured for you some of the momentum and excitement of Penn State. We have made an enormous amount of progress over the last year and it is my firm belief that we will continue on this successful upward path.