Speeches

Realizing a Dream, Delivering on a Vision

Good afternoon and welcome to this wonderful celebration of technology, teamwork, architecture, and vision. I truly believe we are on the cutting-edge of the digital age and poised to make even more outstanding contributions to Pennsylvania and the nation through technology.

We have been running at an incredible pace since 1997, when I first announced the creation of the School of Information Sciences and Technology, and we have remained in the forefront of higher education in preparing our students for a global world stimulated by technology. We have tremendous plans for this new facility and for the students, scholars, and faculty who will occupy it.

This new Information Sciences and Technology Building, constructed with the help of generous donors and funding from the state, promises to be a place where Pennsylvania's future leaders are nurtured, and pioneering solutions are discovered.

The dedication of a building is usually seen as the culmination of months of physical labor and the beginning of new opportunities. But this building, in particular, carries with it much higher expectations.

Not only is it the new home of The School of Information Sciences and Technology and the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, but it is also a home for collaboration across many areas of the University.

This building is not only a bridge that spans a busy thoroughfare and links the Penn State campus, it also is a powerful symbol of what our future holds. This structure is an incubator of ideas, an innovative place of learning, and a strong visual presence in our community. For Penn State, this Information Sciences and Technology Building is the realization of a dream and confirmation of our leadership as one of the nation's most technologically advanced universities. It is a place for the creation of new knowledge that will help spur Pennsylvania's economy in the years ahead.

As a distinctive new landmark on the University Park campus, this building embraces the future with its elegant design, dramatic form, wireless surroundings, technology-enhanced learning environment, and open spaces that encourage people to come together.

As many of you know, the inspiration for this 768-foot structure came from the Ponte Vecchio bridge in Florence, Italy, a place where Renaissance Italians gathered to share ideas and transact business of the day. It is now the most famous and oldest bridge in Florence, having weathered many storms and storming legions of invaders. But like this new building, the Ponte Vecchio is a symbol of progress, having gone from carrying soldiers, to a place of commerce, to a vast gathering place for people from all walks of life.

Put simply, the Information Sciences and Technology Building connects people, resources, information, and disciplines. In high-tech language, I believe this is what we call "intelligent design."

But there is no one here who can better describe the vision of this building and its design, than one of the world's most brilliant and creative architects, Rafael Vi'oly, whose firm took the lead on this project to create this beautiful landmark structure on our campus. Mr. Vi'oly's buildings stand on five continents. His work has been called unconventional, elegant, and breathtaking. Our Information Sciences and Technology Building matches this praise.