American Association of State Colleges and Universities
Commencement Address > University of Kentucky
Constantine "Deno" Curris
“Odysseys”
Today you commence your odyssey; an odyssey hopefully not as perilous as that of Odysseus, but clearly with unknown hazards. This is a far different world than that in which my class ventured four decades ago. Then we chose whether to return to where we had lived - for me that was back to Grant County - or to remain in Lexington or move to Louisville or Cincinnati. Tomorrow, your wanderings are likely to take you to Lisbon, London or Lagos as you are to remain in Lexington. Ours was a mono-cultural world; yours, one noted for its diversity and multiculturalism. We have entered a new era characterized by quantum technological change, a globalized economy where capital and labor freely flow across national boundaries, the massification of higher education, and the near-universal adoption of the English language. These significant changes have been punctuated by three ominous developments: the possession of nuclear weapons by a growing number of nations, the ascendancy to power of religious extremists of all faiths, and unnerving and bloody ethnic conflicts. The 21st century is a far more dangerous time than that which my generation, even with the Cold War, experienced. It is in this new world, both exciting and dangerous, where you must now find your rightful place. As you embark on your odyssey, I offer a few thoughts drawn from mine.
http://www.aascu.org/leadership/curris_uk1.htm
Constantine "Deno" Curris
“Odysseys”
Today you commence your odyssey; an odyssey hopefully not as perilous as that of Odysseus, but clearly with unknown hazards. This is a far different world than that in which my class ventured four decades ago. Then we chose whether to return to where we had lived - for me that was back to Grant County - or to remain in Lexington or move to Louisville or Cincinnati. Tomorrow, your wanderings are likely to take you to Lisbon, London or Lagos as you are to remain in Lexington. Ours was a mono-cultural world; yours, one noted for its diversity and multiculturalism. We have entered a new era characterized by quantum technological change, a globalized economy where capital and labor freely flow across national boundaries, the massification of higher education, and the near-universal adoption of the English language. These significant changes have been punctuated by three ominous developments: the possession of nuclear weapons by a growing number of nations, the ascendancy to power of religious extremists of all faiths, and unnerving and bloody ethnic conflicts. The 21st century is a far more dangerous time than that which my generation, even with the Cold War, experienced. It is in this new world, both exciting and dangerous, where you must now find your rightful place. As you embark on your odyssey, I offer a few thoughts drawn from mine.
http://www.aascu.org/leadership/curris_uk1.htm
posted by aascu.news at 12:25 PM
