Purdue president urges graduates to follow their dreams

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Jischke spoke to more than 950 candidates in the School of Management and College of Technology, their families and friends during the first of four spring commencement ceremonies in Elliott Hall of Music. Commencement continues Saturday (May 13) with ceremonies at 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. and concludes with a ceremony at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday (May 14).

This weekend marks the university's 198th commencement.

"We are entering a golden age in science, agriculture, medicine, health care, technology, engineering, education, business, the arts and much more," Jischke said. "New fields are emerging; new possibilities are coming into view. In your lifetime, the world will be changed, dramatically and forever. You will play an important role in this."

New grads celebrate
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Jischke told graduates that as the 21st century begins, they cannot know what lies ahead, much like Gordon Moore and Robert Noyce when they launched their new company, Intel, in 1968. Little did they know that Intel would become one of the most widely recognized corporate brand names in the world.

"Most of our graduates today were born since 1980, 12 years after the founding of Intel," Jischke said. "It does not seem so long ago, but the society these graduates were born into is dramatically different from the world we live in today."

Day-to-day life seemed very different in 1980 when compared to today, Jischke said. Innovations that changed life in the past 26 years include the Internet, fiber optics, personal computers, DNA fingerprinting, ATMs, the space shuttle and nanotechnology.

Jischke said that as fast as things have changed in the last quarter century, the future years will be even more exciting.

"There is a convergence taking place of math, science, technology and engineering that is about to change the world," Jischke said. "You are building your future at perhaps the most exciting time in all of history. Even still, as you leave this campus, you will move into a world of naysayers, filled with people who will tell you your dreams are impossible.

"Never allow anyone to dissuade you from your goals, just because something has never been done before. Maybe the only reason it never succeeded before is because you weren't there to do it."

Jischke suggested that graduates take the advice of Intel co-founder Noyce: "Do not be encumbered by history. Go off and do something wonderful."

Kurt Luther, a graduate of the College of Technology from Pittsburgh, was the student responder during the first commencement ceremony.

Saturday morning's commencement ceremony includes graduates of the College of Engineering and the School of Veterinary Medicine, with a class response provided by Sara Lynn Connolly, a graduate of the School of Veterinary Medicine from Hammond, Ind.

The Saturday afternoon ceremony includes graduates of the colleges of Agriculture; Consumer and Family Sciences; Education; and Pharmacy, Nursing and Health Sciences, with a class response provided by Todd Alan Walroth, a graduate of the College of Pharmacy, Nursing and Health Sciences from Lowell, Ind. The Sunday morning ceremony includes graduates of the colleges of Liberal Arts and Science, with a class response provided by Harold W. Drozdowski Jr., a graduate of the College of Liberal Arts from Warren, Mich.

An estimated 5,648 degrees will have been presented when the four ceremonies are completed this weekend at Purdue's West Lafayette campus, including 4,343 undergraduate degrees, 213 professional degrees and 348 doctoral degrees.

At a cost of $30, DVD footage of the West Lafayette commencement is available to graduates and their families. Order forms are available at Stewart Center's Loeb Playhouse box office or by calling (765) 494-3933. Order forms can be submitted both before and after each commencement ceremony.

Writer: Christy Jones, (765) 494-1089, christyjones@purdue.edu

Sources: Martin C. Jischke, (765) 494-9708
Christine L. Leasure, assistant registrar, (765) 494-6163, clleasure@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

A publication-quality photograph is available at http://news.uns.purdue.edu/images/+2006commence06-hats

A publication-quality photograph is available at http://news.uns.purdue.edu/images/+2006/commence06-hifive.jpg

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