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[MUSIC]
>>Dr. Seganish: Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. I'm W.
Michael Seganish, Professor of Legal Studies. As Grand Marshal,
it's my pleasure to welcome you to the spring commencement
exercises for the College of Business and Economics. I would
like to introduce Dr. Maravene Loeschke, the 13th president of
Towson University, a very good friend of mine for a long time
and a great friend of Towson University. Madame President,
the University community is assembled for commencement.
(APPLAUSE)
>>Dr. Loeschke: Good afternoon, everyone. Faculty, family,
friends and especially to our new graduates. I welcome you to
the 148th commencement in the proud history of Towson
University. Today we are very excited to be in our new arena.
You all can say forevermore that you graduated on the first day
it was open. And last week we weren't even real sure we were
going to be open. Hundreds of people worked diligently to make
sure we were in here and I want to take a moment to thank them
for that. So let's thank the people who got us in here today.
(APPLAUSE)
>>Dr. Loeschke: Today we celebrate you, of course, and
your significant academic achievements. It has indeed been
our pleasure to guide and mentor you and to watch your
transformation. I want you to think for just a second about
your very first day here. Maybe where you parked -- if you could
park -- your first class, your meeting your advisor,
orientation, your first day in the student union, how you were
wondering where you would be, when you would be able to
graduate and now here you are. It is one of the most remarkable
days of your lives. Please stand now for our national anthem.
We're going to be led in the singing by Ms. Katherine Hosier,
who will graduate with a Master of Music in Vocal Performance.
Gentleman, please remove your caps.
>>Ms. Hosier: (singing) Oh say can you see, by the dawn's early
light, what so proudly we hailed, at the twilight's last
gleaming. Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the
perilous fight, o'er the ramparts we watched, were so
gallantly streaming. And the rockets' red glare, the bombs
bursting in air, gave proof through the night that our flag
was still there. Oh, say does that Star - Spangled Banner yet
wave o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
(APPLAUSE)
>>Dr. Loeschke: You may be seated. At this time, I would
like to pause for a moment of silence in honor of the faculty,
staff, and students who have passed away during this year.
Students Kelsey Allen (ph), Devin Spence (ph), Hassan
Mahmoud (ph), and Ryan Bailey and staff member Larry Long. A
moment of silence, please. (MOMENT OF SILENCE)
Thank you. The flags on display represent the 29
countries of the 70 international students
graduating from Towson University. Also on stage are
flags representing the 77 nations of our current total
international population of 570 students. We are so very pleased
to have each of you in our Towson family. As you can see,
an education at Towson University not only serves our
region and the state of Maryland, but also reaches
across the nation and around the globe. And in addition to the
international flags, you will notice a number of the
graduates, faculty and staff, wearing black and gold pins and
this signifies their support of the Tiger commencement pledge.
This pledge is a voluntary commitment to our graduates,
faculty, and staff to become more active in their communities
and to work for positive change in social and environmental
conditions. We applaud their efforts. I now call upon
Charlotte Ridgeway, our newly elected President of the Student
Government Association, to introduce representatives from
the University's various boards. Charlotte Ridgeway.
(APPLAUSE)
>>Ms. Ridgeway: This afternoon, we are pleased to have with us
two members of the University's Board of Visitors, Mr. Ted
Zaleski and Mr. Dennis Mather, who will be delivering remarks
to the graduates. The Board of Visitors is a group of
professionals who advise and guide the president. Dennis
Mather, a 1972 graduate of Towson, holds more than 35 years
in the insurance industry. Having climbed the ranks from
insurance agent to founder and CEO of his own Mather Companies
before he sold the successful business to a national insurance
distributor. Today, Mr. Mather is a member of Long and Foster's
Bethany, Delaware office, specializing in residential
sales and is committed to giving back to the community through
service and Cynthia and Dennis Mather Charitable Foundation.
Dennis currently serves on the Towson University Board of
Visitors and Foundation Board, has also served on the boards
for Maryland Stadium Authority and Baltimore Reads, a literacy
nonprofit. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Mr. Dennis
Mather.
(APPLAUSE)
>>Mr. Mather: Thank you, Charlotte. Good afternoon,
President Loeschke, Provost Chandler, distinguished guests,
honored faculty, family, and graduates. On behalf of the
President's advisory group, the Board of Visitors, I bring you
greetings and congratulations on this significant accomplishment.
It is our pleasure and pride to see graduate today as you become
part of the prestigious legacy of scholarship, personal
excellence, and public service. Before today, you may have
thought of the Board of Visitors of people who have incredible
stories of success that share their experience with the
President. Excuse me -- but in fact, the diverse backgrounds
and experiences of the Board membership are what make us
valuable advisers to the President. Currently, the Board
is comprised of an architect, a professional dancer, a student,
a faculty member, a former state superintendent, a community
leader, a realtor, and several business executives. With all
those differences, we are all identical in one way and that is
our passion and commitment to advance this University. Each of
you hold within you a unique story of success. Your story may
have a humble beginning, a stroke of luck, a triumph over
adversity, or your story may still be in the making. No
matter, your story and all of its twists and turns, never
underestimate its potential to inspire or to help others. So as
Towson graduates, when you're called upon to share your
leadership and experience in any capacity, embrace the
opportunity to serve, but also be prepared to learn. Whether
you view today as a milestone or capstone in your educational
journey, it is indisputable that significantly more opportunities
now lie ahead of you. As graduates -- Towson graduates
you now hold an important responsibility, to be good
stewards of your education and use it to make a difference in
the world. On behalf of the Board of Visitors, I once again
offer our sincerest congratulations. Wherever like
takes you from here, continue to seek out opportunities to lead,
to serve, and to learn. Thank you.
(APPLAUSE)
>>Ms. Ridgeway: Thank you, Mr. Mather. We are also fortunate
this afternoon to welcome Mr. Lance Johnson, President of
Towson University's Alumni Board, who will bring words of
welcome and congratulations from the Board of the Alumni
Association. Please welcome Mr. Johnson.
(APPLAUSE)
>>Mr. Johnson: Greetings from the Alumni Association and good
afternoon. As a member of the Alumni Association Board of
Directors and the proud class of 1993, I am honored to be here
representing more than 133,000 alumni who have graduated from
this remarkable institution. Each of these alumni has their
own story to tell about the success they have achieved as a
result of their education at Towson. My own story would not
have been possible without the education, experiences, and
connections I made here at Towson. Today you join 3,444
fellow graduates that make up the class of 2013. 2,684 of you
are receiving a bachelor's degree, 742 of you are receiving
a master's degree or certificate, and 18 of you are
receiving your doctoral degree from Towson University. Your
class is 68% female and 38% -- sorry, 32% male. The average age
of the undergraduate students in this year's graduating class is
23 and of graduate students is 30. The youngest graduate in the
class of 2013 is Hannah Carr, who is receiving a bachelor's
degree in psychology at the age of 19. Our most -- our most
seasoned graduate is Andrea Gorton, who at the age of 70 is
receiving her bachelor's degree in English. Congratulations.
(APPLAUSE)
>>Mr. Johnson: Your class represents 24 out of the 50
states, with New Jersey and New York having the largest number
of graduates outside the state of Maryland. And for the record,
206 of you are from New Jersey and 124 of you come from New
York. Nine of you are the sole representatives of your home
state. For those of you receiving your masters or
doctoral degree today, we know that over 23% of you also
received your bachelor's degree from Towson, so a second
congratulations is in order. We know that this class was very
engaged and active, as a majority of the current
students, seniors, and graduate students participated in an
internship or experiential learning project this past
semester. Additionally, members of this graduating class were
involved in intercollegiate athletics and a variety of
co-curricular activities, all of this while averaging a GPA of
3.35. We know that most of you will stay right here in Maryland
after graduation because, on average, 73% of alumni call
Maryland home, although alumni live in every state across
America and 82 countries. Perhaps you will join nearly
6,000 alumni that married a fellow Towson graduate or you'll
become one of over 1000 alumni who came back to their alma
mater in either a faculty or staff position. Whatever path
you decide to take, you will always be part of the growing
Towson alumni network and we want you to stay connected with
your alma mater. The Alumni Association will help you do
this and we'll look forward to hearing about your
accomplishments and successes. So on behalf of thousands who
have preceded you, it is my privilege to congratulate you on
your outstanding achievements. Congratulations, again, on this
very special day.
(APPLAUSE)
>>Dr. Loeschke: Thank you, Mr. Johnson. And speaking of alumni,
now if you are in the audience now and you are an alumni of
Towson University and you also happen to be the parent or the
grandparent or maybe even the child of one of our graduates,
please stand. Good, let's give them a hand. Very good.
(APPLAUSE)
>>Dr. Loeschke: I now call upon Charlotte Ridgeway again to
introduce our first student speaker.
>>Ms. Ridgeway: Madame President, ladies and gentlemen,
it is now my pleasure to introduce our undergraduate
speaker, Ms. Erin McGall, who is receiving her Bachelor's degree
in Business Administration with a concentration in marketing.
Ms. McGall is originally from Belvedere, New Jersey. During
her time here at Towson, she has completed three internships in
e-commerce and digital marketing, has been involved
with Habitat for Humanity. Additionally, she is a member of
the Honors College and spent a semester studying abroad in
Rome. After graduation, Erin plans on taking a summer off to
travel while she continues her job search for the position in
digital marketing and analytics. Ladies and gentlemen, please
welcome Ms. McGall.
(APPLAUSE)
>>Ms. McGall: Hello, everyone. Thank you, Charlotte Ridgeway,
our SGA President, for that introduction. Good afternoon,
President Loeschke, Regent Slater, distinguished guests,
honored faculty, family, and last, but most importantly,
fellow graduates. When I was originally asked to speak at
commencement, while I was extremely honored, I couldn't
help thinking, "So you want me to finish four years of school,
all of my finals, and get up in front of thousands of people to
speak in my final moment of relief." Seemed a little crazy.
But I was encouraged by two very sweet people, my Dean and
associate dean. And I also thought of my family. They are
all very proud of me and have been there to support me, and I
wanted to take this opportunity to thank them publicly. In
addition, to the many supporting families here today, thank you
all very much. As a teenager, I will admit - I'm sure some of
you are guilty of this as well - but I thought I was never going
to be just like my mom. Now, I'm happily forced to eat my own
words. A number of years ago, my mom stood at her own graduation
from Towson University, just like myself. After earning her
Towson degree, she has been not only a teacher, but a mother, a
singer - the list gets rather long - to, finally, a very
talented financial advisor. While moms may seem to know
everything, I'm sure she didn't have that path mapped out in her
mind, sitting where we are today. But she wasn't supposed
to. Through each stage of her journey, until now, she has
worked just as hard at every single thing she did, continued
to learn, and as this led her from one opportunity to the
next, she was never afraid to take a risk at trying something
new. And, mom, I truly admire you for that. So for those of
you, such as myself, who don't have a set plan or your dream
job right after today, my point is don't worry and don't close
yourself off to any opportunities. The wise Steve
Jobs once said, "Believing that the dots will connect down the
road will give you the confidence to follow your heart,
even if it leads you off the well-worn path, and that will
make all the difference." As this is the grand finale to our
journey as Towson undergrads, again, we didn't get here alone.
So instead of just sharing with you what I have learned, I
thought that I would ask all of you in an anonymous survey a
little bit on what you had learned, and I'm sure our
parents are interested as well. The question I asked was, "What
is one thing you learned at Towson?" and you had some pretty
great thoughts that I would like to share. Many of you mentioned
time management skills and how vital they are. Many more spoke
of seizing the day and making the most out of every precious
second. You learned how to be leaders and effective
communicators. You learned about friendships and relationships.
Some of you might have been struggling with finals because
you thought life was pretty tough. Others said "Don't give
up." Oh, and don't worry, professors, one person did
mention the four P's. But my favorite wrote that life is
unpredictable and that is what makes it so beautiful. So as I
don't want to delay all of you from getting on with the rest of
your beautiful lives ahead, I would like to share one last
thing. My internship supervisor told me that she used to only
higher students from a nearby private school, until she had
one Towson student. Since that first hire, she now only takes
Towson students. I asked her why and she responded, "Because
Towson students have more integrity and work harder than
any students I've ever had the opportunity to work with." I
took this as a huge compliment and you should, too. Take pride
in where you came from and your Towson degree. It will get you
far. Take pride in your family. Take whatever it is you've
learned up until this point, and apply it wherever possible.
Always continue to grow. And if you aren't certain of your next
step, I promise that this will lead you to where you are meant
to be. In all of your futures, after today, as my mom has told
me, shoot for the stars. Congratulations, everyone. We
need it.
(APPLAUSE)
>>Ms. McGall: Thank you.
>>Ms. Jackson: Thank you, Ms. McGall. Good afternoon. I am
Lisa Jackson, the president of the Graduate Student
Association. Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, it is now
my pleasure to introduce the graduate student speaker, Ms.
Stephanie Shenton, who is graduating with a Master of
Science in Accounting with Business Advisory Services.
Stephanie Shenton is originally from Trenton, Maryland. Upon
graduation, she plans on taking a CPA exam and continue to work
in public accounting. Ladies and gentlemen, please help me
welcome Ms. Shenton.
(APPLAUSE)
>>Ms. Shenton: Hi. Thank you, Lisa Jackson, our GSA president.
Good afternoon, President Loeschke, Regent Slater,
distinguished guests, honored faculty, family, and fellow
graduates. I would like to thank Dr. Martin Freedman for his
assistance and guidance as my advisor, professor, and Director
of the Master's of Accounting and Business Advisory Services
program. Each of you has someone special that you are here for
today, and I am honored to have been asked to say a few words.
When I graduated with my bachelor's degree, my uncle
Barry wrote me a letter with his advice for the road of life.
Referencing author L. Frank Baum's classic, "The Wizard of
Oz," he proposed that, like the yellow brick road, we each have
our own personal life highway. However, it can be cleverly
camouflaged, so it's not always easy to recognize or navigate,
just like the one in the story. But don't let the fear of not
knowing whether it's the right path paralyze you into inaction.
Sometimes, you don't know until you're on it, so you pick a
path, and you start your journey. The first path may not
be the one for you, but how will you know unless you try? My
Bachelor's degree was in Exercise Science and here I am,
seven years later, changing careers and graduating with a
Master's in Accounting. There can be countless reasons why a
particular path turns out to be the right or wrong one for you,
whether they are personal or professional, but only you can
make that determination. My particular journey from one
career to another is unique to me, as yours may be to you. Your
path in life and your decisions along the way are your own. It's
okay if you need to make a few twists and turns along the way,
but unfortunately, there's no GPS for the yellow brick road of
life. You have to make your own navigational choices. If you
make a wrong turn, don't give up. Just forge a new path. It's
better to have tried and learned something from your endeavors,
whether it be new skills or just something about and your
personal preferences when it comes to jobs, than to have
never tried at all and let life pass you by. When the
metaphorical flying monkeys show up in your life, bringing
trouble, don't run for cover and back down. Stand your ground and
overcome the obstacles in your way. Running into a few
stumbling blocks along your road of life is inevitable. We all
trip and fall, sometimes. The key to success is to always get
backup one more time than you fall down. Remember, everything
happens for a reason, whether or not that reason is clear to us.
Perhaps there's more to be learned from, "The Wizard of Oz"
than we think. Remember that you have a brain, so use it. Find
your courage, you can do it. Follow your heart, and believe
in yourself. In closing, my grandmother has always said that
your education is one thing that no one can ever take away from
you. So fellow graduates, be proud of your accomplishments
and the degree that you've earned today and good luck as
you continue down your own yellow brick road of life. Thank
you.
(APPLAUSE)
>>Dr. Chandler: Thank you, Ms. Shenton. Today, Towson
University is proud to present the honorary degree Doctor of
Humane Letters, which is conferred upon an individual
whose service has resulted in significant contributions to
higher education, the community, to his or her field of endeavor,
or to society in general. It is with enormous pleasure that I
introduce the recipient of our 2013 honorary degree, Dr. P.M
Forni, and I ask Dr. John McLucas to escort Dr. Forni to
the center podium, please.
>>Dr. Loeschke: P.M. Forni is widely regarded as a scholar of
the highest order. He is a superbly educated and productive
scholar and teacher, fully engaged in the issues of our
day. Dr. Forni is an award-winning professor at Johns
Hopkins University, where he has taught since 1986. In 1997, he
cofounded the Johns Hopkins Civility Project, aimed at
assessing the significance of civility, manners, and
politeness in contemporary society. Dr. Forni contributed
to the founding of many such projects on college campuses and
in our communities across the country. He now directs the
Civility Initiative at Johns Hopkins University, which he
founded in 2000. His bestselling book, "Choosing Civility: The
Twenty-Five Rules of Considerate Conduct" has been translated
into German, Italian, Portuguese, Korean, Japanese,
and Chinese. In 2008, he published his second book, "The
Civility Solution: What to do When People Are Rude." His work
has been mentioned in the New York Times, the London Times,
the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal. He has appeared
on a number of radio and television shows, including "ABC
World News Tonight," "CBS Sunday Morning," and "Oprah." Dr. Forni
is not only - he not only champions, but also embodies the
honorable values implied in the word "civility." I can think of
no one more appropriate to recognize at Towson University
because we are adopting and embracing our own institutional
values and commitment to civility. Towson University
presents the Honorary Doctorate of Human Letters to Dr. P.M.
Forni, for his pioneering work and his success in awaking
public conversation about how politeness, kindness, and
self-control promote constructiveness in public
discourse and in the life of our community. It is, indeed, my
distinct privilege to confer upon you, Dr. Forni, the
Honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters. Please join me
in saluting Dr. Pierre Forni.
(APPLAUSE)
>>Dr. Forni: Madam President, Mr. Provost, Professor McLucas,
distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, I thank you for
bestowing upon me this prestigious recognition. I truly
do not know whether I deserve it. What I do know is that I am
humbled by it. However, in my beloved books of manners, I find
the notion that second-guessing those who select us for an honor
such as this one would be impolite. So you can rest
assured that I am delighted with this recognition and that I am
going to display my diploma from Towson University proudly and
prominently. I also wish to express my gratitude to
Professor John McLucas, head of the Department of Modern
Languages at this University. Professor McLucas has supported
my work on civility through the years, and I would not be here
today if our paths had not connected. So thank you, John.
You are a gentleman and a gentle man. It is an honor to be your
friend. This afternoon, I came to you with one message - only
one. But it is the core of the message - is "The Thinking Life:
How to Thrive in the Age of Distraction," which is the book
that I wrote and published after my first books on civility. My
message is short and it is simple, but I guarantee that if
you put it into work and through your lives, you will increase,
exponentially, your chances of avoiding misery and attaining
happiness. So here is the message, which I present in the
plain, no-nonsense words of someone dear to me - give your
brain a chance. That means in every circumstance of life, put
yourself in the position of listening to what your powers of
attention and reflection have to say about that circumstance.
This may be intuitive, yet it is certainly more easily said than
done. In our overly formed, overcommitted, and
over-connected age, we seem to find it increasingly difficult
to shut the world out and sustain that cognitive state of
exclusive engagement with initial of importance, which
allows us to do full justice to it. In sum, we need to think
more and to think more deeply. There is virtually only one way
for human beings to get in trouble in life, and that is by
arriving unprepared at the crossroads of life, where we are
required to make enlightened decisions about our future. The
shape of our lives depends upon the quality of our decisions,
but the quality of our decisions depend upon the quality of our
thoughts. Life is a journey which, even when glorious, never
fails to be arduous. Our destiny is determined by how well we
prepare ourselves for the difficulties of the journey.
That equipment is a working brain. Whatever else you want to
be in life, if you are smart, you want to be prepared.
Prepared for what? Prepared for any challenge that you will
encounter in your journey, and to prepare you for the voyage of
your life is your brain. It is your brain's job to prepare you
for life. As the greatest Brit bard of Stratford-upon-Avon
stated, "The readiness is all." Indeed, thinking is important,
but sometimes having thought is crucial. And readiness is about
having thought. So whenever reflection, introspection, and
just plain thinking come knocking at your door demanding
to be heard, welcome them as old friends. They come to make you
ready for your future. What do I mean by that? I mean that they
are willing to help you rehearse your future in your mind before
it happens so that you will avoid facing it unprepared. In
every circumstance of life, thinking widens the gamut of our
options and allows us to choose more wisely among those options.
That is quite a service. The readiness is all, indeed. Thank
you.
(APPLAUSE)
>>Dr. Loeschke: Commencement is one of the happiest days of the
year on this campus. We celebrate, first and foremost,
the graduates, but we are also happy and have been so
passionate about serving you. To watch you achieve this day is a
very beautiful thing for all of us. There is, in particular, one
very special group whose contributions deserve full
recognition. We have one of the finest graduating classes in
Maryland because we have one of the finest faculty assembled
anywhere. Will the faculty of the University please rise and,
students, why don't you tell them what you think of them, in
your applause.
(APPLAUSE)
>>Dr. Loeschke: Also joining me on stage today are leaders of
the University, those responsible for facilitating our
academic and student programs and who, through their
dedication and expertise, enabled the success of all of
you. You may not see them each day as you do the faculty and
the staff, but I can assure you that each day they are dedicated
to your success. So I ask these individuals to please rise and
remain standing as I introduce them. Now hold your applause
until we're all finished. First, the vice presidents of the
University and members of the leadership team, the Dean of the
Honors college, the Dean of the College, the Dean of University
Libraries, and the Associate Dean of the College, members of
the Board of Visitors, the Alumni Association, the
University Senate, the American Association of University
Professors, the Towson University Staff Counsel, and
members of the Student Government Association and the
Graduate Student Association. What a group. It's my pleasure
to work with them every day. Please, let's give them a round
of applause.
(APPLAUSE)
>>Dr. Loeschke: I'd also like to thank the faculty members who
are serving as faculty marshals and student marshals and faculty
readers for the ceremony. These are the people who helped to get
you pinned and robed and answered your questions and are
going to read your names, a lot of extra work for people who
are, again, very dedicated to this day for you. In addition to
the faculty, there're over 100 people who have worked on this
ceremony today. The Commencement Committee, students, facilities,
police, bus drivers, grounds crew, food services,
photographers, event staff, custodians, parking, volunteers.
Let's thank them.
(APPLAUSE)
>>Dr. Loeschke: Now if I may have the lights up, please. You
have not done this alone, graduates. There've been a lot
of people around to support you. So I'm going to ask, first of
all, the mothers and fathers of our graduates, please stand and
remain standing. Mothers and fathers, please stand.
(APPLAUSE)
>>Dr. Loeschke: All right. Now we're going to hold our applause
till the rest of the group is finished, but parents, you stay
up, please. The grandparents, great grandparents,
grandchildren, the brothers and sisters, spouses, partners, sons
and daughters, please stand. How about the aunts and the uncles
and the godparents and the friends, everybody, let's thank
them.
(APPLAUSE)
>>Dr. Loeschke: Great. Everyone may be seated.
>>Faculty Member: Madame President, this concludes the
undergraduates from the College of Business and Economics and
all graduates from this ceremony.
(APPLAUSE)
>>Dr. Loeschke: Graduates, I ask that sometime this weekend that
you sit very quietly amidst all the celebration, reflect a bit
and ask yourselves how this world is going to be better
because of your education. How are you going to use this
education to make positive change in your professions and
your families and your communities, the state and the
world? This uncertain world needs you. It needs you very,
very much. It needs your leadership and your passion,
your civility, your vision and your commitment in business and
economics. As your president and someone who sat right where
you're sitting many years ago awaiting my next life's journey,
I send you forward with pride, respect, love, and gratitude for
all you have given to Towson. Now all bachelor's degree
candidates please rise and, as a symbol of your new status,
please move the mortarboard tassel from the right to the
left.
(APPLAUSE)
>>Dr. Loeschke: Now everyone please stand and join Ms. Hosier
in the singing of "Maryland, My Maryland." The words are on page
63 of your program.
>>Ms. Hosier: (singing) My thankful heart with rapture
fills, Maryland, my Maryland. When I behold thy rolling hills,
Maryland, my Maryland. I love your rocks and rippling rills,
your waterways where beauty spills. And nature holds a
thousand thrills, Maryland, my Maryland.
(APPLAUSE)
>>Dr. Seganish: The president, her party, the faculty, and
graduates will begin the recessional. I would ask that
members of the audience be seated until all have left the
arena. The guests may join their graduates outside the Tiger
Arena courtyard, which is over this way. Again, we offer our
best wishes and congratulations to the class of 2013. Go Tigers.
(CHEERING)
(MUSIC)