Speeches

Education in a Diverse World

It's a great pleasure to be in Williamsport this evening to honor three individuals who are making a difference in our communities and to share with you my thoughts on education and its critical role in the future of our nation and the world.

I would like to begin by congratulating Davie Jane Gilmour, James Douthat, and Robert McManigal for their outstanding contributions to education and the betterment of Pennsylvania. Through their daily work and in their volunteer efforts, these three individuals have shown a commitment to fostering a more enlightened and caring citizenry. Their leadership in serving the needs of those who live and work in this region has been outstanding and their recognition this evening is well-deserved.

The focus of this gathering is on the importance of education. As a university president, I obviously have some thoughts on this subject. Since the founding of America, education has been the key to an abundance of opportunities for individuals. Education has transformed lives, while simultaneously providing the talent needed to compete in world markets.

In the United States, the public consistently supports investing in education. In a 1999 survey, nearly two-thirds of the parents of high school students who responded agreed that a college education is "absolutely necessary" for their child. In another study by the American Council on Education, a full 94 percent of respondents said that the "right education and training was an important factor in individual success."

Certainly an educated population is vital to the economy and more doors are open for those who are educated, but an educated population also is vital to the quality and well-being of our future civic and social life.

Society has great expectations of higher education. It is where we teach students to think, to question, to analyze and ponder. It is where a love of continuous learning is fostered and where usable skills are taught.

I recently received an e-mail from a parent who wanted to know what we had been teaching her son at Penn State. She asked the question because her son was leaving his dirty laundry on the floor and refused to do the dishes or clean up after himself. In general, she told me, he had become what is commonly referred to as a slob.

Now, I don't recall this young man's major, but I'm sure that housekeeping is not on our list of offerings. I'm also sure this 20-year-old student would have been mortified if he knew his mother had written to the president about his untidiness. I don't really think this student's mother wanted us to offer a curriculum that covered bed-making 101. What this parent was trying to tell me was that she believed it was my institution's job to teach her child responsibility. And her expectations are not that unusual. Many of my communications with parents involve some talk about values and the importance of responsibility, honesty, integrity and ethical behavior. While intellectual development is the primary purpose of higher education, I believe that a university should also promote the development of character, conscience, citizenship and social responsibility.

Nelson Mandela once said that, "A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination." He was right. While facts about biology, history and calculus help to strengthen the mind of our students, it is the attention we give to values that helps produce compassionate, caring and involved adults.

During the time they are with us, students gain some of the values they will carry with them for the next half-century or more. It is critical at this stage of their lives that we provide an environment that will allow for the development of a mature moral and spiritual compass that can guide them for decades as they take on important roles in society. A significant part of our educational approach in this area entails teaching social responsibility, and promoting understanding, acceptance, and respect for others -- much like the goals of the Brotherhood here in Lycoming County.

Today, more than ever, it is critical that our students learn to understand and respect different cultures, languages and beliefs. As the most recent U.S. Census clearly points out, our nation is becoming more diverse. We are also reaching well beyond the borders of America to create a more global society.

In the last 10 years, the U.S. population grew more than in any previously recorded decade -- going from 249 million in 1990 to 281.4 million in 2000. During the same period, the minority population grew by 35 percent, while the non-Hispanic white population grew by 3.4 percent. Today, upwards of one in five undergraduates at four-year schools is a minority.

A recent study found that the majority of Americans believe diversity helps businesses and colleges thrive. Eight out of 10 adults said it is important to have employees of different races, cultures and backgrounds in the workplace, while 85 percent noted the importance of diversity to the future of the economy. Ninety percent said diversity was important to the quality of higher education.

A college campus is one of the few places in our society where young people of vastly different backgrounds, viewpoints and personal characteristics come together. For some, this may be their first true interaction with people with different personal characteristics. In this setting, they are encouraged to get to know one another and explore their commonalities as well as their differences.

At Penn State we believe that living, working, and learning with people of different backgrounds is a crucial part of the educational process. Racial and ethnic diversity is an essential component and quality of success in academe -- and in life.

In fact, recent evidence shows that racial and ethnic diversity has both direct and indirect positive effects on the educational outcomes and experiences of students. Studies have shown that students who are exposed to people with a range of backgrounds and ideas are better critical thinkers, and also show greater social and interpersonal development than students with less exposure to diversity. Education in a diverse environment enhances creativity, tolerance, innovation, and problem-solving skills. It challenges stereotyped preconceptions and allows us to learn from those who are different. In addition, students who are exposed to others of different cultures and beliefs are more likely to contribute to community and volunteer efforts.

The breadth of perspectives, sensitivities and even hopes and dreams of a diverse student body, as well as a diverse work force, provides innovative thought and stands strong in the midst of rapid change. In addition, universities must fulfill a social responsibility to create opportunities for all Americans, regardless of personal characteristics and individual differences. We keep our doors open as widely as possible because of our historic emphasis on access for all who are intellectually qualified. Education of all Americans profoundly benefits the nation.

Penn State students come from every county in Pennsylvania, every state within America, and more than 100 different countries. In addition, our graduates work and live throughout the Commonwealth and beyond in settings whose demographic composition is increasingly diverse. It is our responsibility to prepare our students and our graduates to live and work in such contexts.

But no community, not even a college campus, is immune to prejudice and intolerance. It is my belief that fighting hate and injustice through education will create not only a more welcoming community, but also a more valuable and diverse learning experience. We seek to create an environment characterized by equal access and respected participation for all groups and individuals, regardless of differences. More importantly, these differences, whether religious, ethnic or racial must not simply be tolerated, but valued.

Through your work with the Brotherhood -- your Holocaust remembrance trip for students, your summer programs for youth, the introduction of positive role models into the lives of children, the work of the Dreams Come True program and this recognition of outstanding members of your community -- you are also ensuring that our leaders of tomorrow will have a greater understanding of our world and the different people who inhabit it.

We have a shared responsibility to promote respect, freedom of expression and thought, freedom of religious observances and an obligation to help our youth learn to accept the God-given differences in the color of our skin or gender or other attributes. By "we" I mean everyone in this room as well as our corporate, academic, religious, political and community leaders who are not with us today. We must provide the moral leadership that will advance a climate of acceptance for all.

On a daily basis, we are confronted with opportunities to practice equity, justice, compassion, sensitivity, tolerance and understanding -- values that govern many of our own decisions and lives. Yet we continue to struggle each and every day to understand why fundamental human rights --- whether defined by the constitution of the United States, by Judeo-Christian teachings, or simply by common decency -- should be so elusive, so foreign, and so feared by so many.

Right now across the globe many areas are in turmoil, driven apart by violence that is fueled by fear, ignorance and hatred. We must continue to address such issues in our homes, in our schools, and in our communities, as you are doing. Because as others have pointed out before us...

Violence springs from hatred Hatred springs from fear Fear springs from ignorance Ignorance can only be combated by education

And, thus, education is the solution.

As Abraham Foxman of the Anti-Defamation League has pointed out, "there are no halfway measures against bigotry, hatred, and anti-Semitism." They have to be rejected totally.

An important first step is to guard against complacency. We live in a constantly changing and highly competitive world in which interpersonal differences are inevitable and conflicts invariably arise. We must not be afraid to look in our own backyard for racism, sexism, sexual harassment, and a level of intolerance in general toward people who are different. Sensitivity to these matters is a critical step in eliminating intolerance, injustice, and inequality, however subtle or unsubtle their expression might be.

Recognizing the problem, when it exists, is an important beginning, but it's not enough. We can all reach out to victims of discrimination, bigotry, or intolerance with strong words of support. For those who are in a position to do something more, corrective action, the appropriate sanction, the teachable moment must be pursued. The vital point here is that no incident be left unnoticed, unchallenged, untouched.

More proactively, we can build a supportive environment by bringing together individuals from different backgrounds and cultures within our schools and our universities. It takes a special effort to welcome people of different backgrounds into our workplaces, our neighborhoods, and our hearts, but by doing so we are building stronger communities -- communities where differences are valued and its members work toward the goal of civility and acceptance.

By fostering mutual respect and understanding through education, we can create an atmosphere of cooperation and ensure that our differences do not become divisive in our society. In the history of the fight for equality, justice, and freedom, it's been said: "No man can put a chain about the ankle of his fellow man without at last finding the other end fastened about his own neck."

In the course of our progress and still unfinished struggle in this area, we have come to understand that there are all kinds of chains that can limit one's freedom to pursue personal interests and dreams.

Removing those chains is a wonderful opportunity for learning about people, culture, religion, politics, and the multitude of other perspectives that fill this world. This is education at its best and it doesn't have to be limited to our schools.

The commitment by those in this room to promoting understanding and respect of all people and your focus on the importance of education in that process is essential to teaching our youth how to live and work in a diverse world. It is essential for building understanding and creating unity.

We must do more to expose our youth to a variety of cultures and international perspectives in order to prepare them adequately for the future. A diverse environment represents the real world in which we live. Our nation was built on the ideals of fairness and justice, and an inclusive society in which its members are valued for what they bring to the table is in keeping with those strong principles.

No matter what you're doing in society today, how you get along with others will determine how you succeed. Diversity is one of our nation's greatest strengths and our willingness to acknowledge our differences and move toward a greater understanding of each other is not only the right thing to do, it is also the smart thing to do. Our power as a nation comes from the contributions and talents of all of our citizens, regardless of their backgrounds and beliefs.

That is why we must consider among our most important educational goals, the development of social responsibility, citizenship and respect for others. Through education, and with the help of groups like yours, we can succeed in creating a more caring, peaceful and compassionate society.