Troy University News

May 9, 2003

Contact:
Tom Davis
Troy Office of University Relations
334/670-3196
tomdavis@troy.edu

Office of University Relations
253 Adams Administration
Troy, AL 36082
(334) 670-3196
(334) 670-3274 (fax)

TROY STATE UNIVERSITY
OFFICE OF UNIVERSITY RELATIONS PRESS RELEASE
FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL 1-334-670-3196

   TSU graduates urged to have global perspective
   The members of the class of 2003 must be ready to perform on a worldwide stage, Dr. Deno Curris, President of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, told more than 460 Troy State University graduates Friday.
   Dr. Curris was the keynote speaker for TSU’s spring commencement ceremony, which drew a capacity crowd to Sartain Hall. Students from 22 U.S. states and 10 foreign nations received diplomas.
   “When I graduated from college, my classmates and I speculated whether careers and fortunes would lead us to Cincinnati, Louisville, Lexington or perhaps back to one of the smaller Kentucky towns and hamlets from which we came,” Dr. Curris said. “Today as you bid adieu to alma mater, careers and fortunes may take you anywhere on the planet.”
   Dr. Curris said the new global economy will place a great premium on education, so graduates must be prepared for a lifetime of learning. Much of that learning will concern other countries and their religions and cultures.
   “I doubt that six months ago very few in this facility knew the difference between Shiite and Sunni Muslims, yet a full understanding of those difference is important to success of our policies in the Middle East,” Dr. Curris said. “Today it is the Middle East; tomorrow it may be the Far East or sub-Saharan Africa.”
   Dr. Curris urged the graduates to take an active role in their communities and remember their responsibilities as citizens—especially when it comes time to vote.
   “From Valley Forge to Vietnam, from Manassas to Mosul, Americans have fought and died to ensure the future of our democracy,” he said. “But no military force can preserve our democracy or guarantee our personal freedom if we neglect our responsibilities as citizens.”
   Dr. Jack Hawkins, Jr., Chancellor, introduced Dr. Curris as “one of our nations’ foremost advocates of public higher education.”
   Friday’s ceremonies also included the recognition of the first students from China to complete their studies in Troy as part of the 1-2-1 Sino-American Educational Strategies Program. This program allows students from partner Chinese universities to study their first year in China, spend their sophomore and junior years in Troy and then return home to China to complete their degree.