Thank you for the introduction, Dean Wiltzius. Chancellor Yang, Executive Vice Chancellor Lucas, Deans of Letters and Science, Department Chairs, faculty, and most particularly to the students before me, it is a great honor to have been invited to speak to you today. The College that I lead, Scripps College, is one of the most beautiful campuses in the world, but we don’t have an ocean breeze! On a day like today, even with June gloom, how can any of us think that there isn’t something magical in the environment and setting of the University of California at Santa Barbara!
My experience as an undergraduate here was a time of exploration, although I was a rather directed student who applied to the university with the specific intent of pursuing a degree in geology. It was the inspirational 1979 Nova program on the discovery of black smoker systems in the east Pacific, showcasing UCSB Professor Ken MacDonald, that set me on my pathway to the university in the fall of 1980. As a student at UCSB, I was supported by the faculty of the Geology Department and my fellow students; I enjoyed the wonderful campus environment and surrounding community; and, yes, Chancellor Yang, I had a great deal of fun!
I have so many fond memories of my experiences here—from the impenetrable fog in the mornings, parties in Santa Rosa Hall (I suspect the rules have changed a bit since the early ’80s), and Halloween night in Isla Vista to the challenge of my courses and field experiences with my fellow geology students, including Dr. Sylvester’s legendary 104A and the community-building Geology Department fall and spring field trips. The Department was very well known for its field program, and I hope that continues today. I remember aspects of each and every class I took, culminating with the Department’s summer field course; partly spent mapping the Poleta Folds, this course not only helped me learn the mapping skills necessary to interpret complex geological relationships, but it helped me realize that I was the type of geologist who, after a long hot day in the field, preferred the comfort of a hotel room to that of a tent!
I began writing this address in earnest the weekend of May 21, which was the date of the predicted rapture and end of the world. What song might have been going through my mind at the time? I think in this multigenerational audience, you might all be familiar with the REM tune: It’s the End of the World as We Know It. Right? What era or generation hasn’t felt the impending end of time? World wars, the Cold War, the threat of nuclear war, and now an oddly intangible war—the economic crisis. I recently heard Gale Anne Hurd, the science-fiction film producer, talk about the popularity of her new show The Walking Dead (have you seen it?), which she said is so popular because a show about a zombie apocalypse is far less scary than the current financial meltdown. Imagination provides a release for anxieties about the future.
In many ways, it really is the end of the world as we know it—for you as individuals and for where we are as a society. And, as I said, there’s really no surprise in that. But let me give you a few thoughts I hope you will carry with you as you go forward.
Many of you are graduating after a traditional four-year college experience. Your time at UCSB has been a time of transition. I remember my commencement day with clarity—family joined together to celebrate the crossing of a threshold, into a new era of responsibility. My eyes were fully opened as I was officially launched by my family—that gentle push: “We love you, but now it’s time to fully stand on your own two feet.”
Your families are here with you today; they will be there to help you, even let you come home to your old room until you make your way out, be your safety net. And they will always be that for you, but it’s time for you to take the plunge.
Dr. Sylvester told his 104A class that the bus left for his field trips at 7:00 a.m., and if you weren’t there, you would get left behind. I missed one of those trips—stayed up too late the night before—and the bus left without me. That never happened again, and it was an important lesson for me. This is a really big day for all of you. It is the end of the world as you know it, and you open the door into your future. Get on the bus; don’t get left behind!
In 1983, the year I graduated from UCSB, President Reagan declared the Soviet Union the Evil Empire, and proposed the Star Wars defense system. The U.S. Embassy was destroyed in Beirut. The oil bubble had burst, and there weren’t many jobs to be had for graduates with geology degrees. I went on to graduate school. It just seemed like the natural next step because I had many unanswered questions; or at least that’s what I told myself. It really wasn’t a tactic to avoid the dismal job market! I had no end game in mind. I certainly never envisioned that I would be a college president some day!
When I was close to completing my master’s degree, I had a few interviews—one at a community college to be a faculty member and another as a geologist for a geotechnical consulting firm—a clear difference in opportunities, providing a clear choice. At that moment, I made a conscious decision to continue on for the PhD because what I really wanted to do was make a difference through teaching—teaching college students like you. I entered my future with gusto, taking a pathway that fulfilled my desire to lead a purposeful life. Life is a curious mix of serendipity, being open to opportunity when it arrives at your doorstep, and intentionality. It may take you awhile before you figure out your next steps.
Today, our threats in the geopolitical global world have dramatically altered, and the revolutions in Egypt and Tunisia and the Libyan Civil War speak to the ever-changing political environment. One aspect of this that we all find amazing is the role our new powerful communication tools have played in these events. With one in 12 people in the world now active users of Facebook, we are connected in a global network far beyond anyone’s comprehension even just a few years ago.
Frankly, I barely understand the new social media, but you do—and you will tap the power of the global network in the decades to come. It grossly understates reality to say that our world has been changed in this digital era! Google CEO Eric Schmidt told an audience last year that every two days now we create as much information as we did from the dawn of civilization up until 2003. That’s something like five exabytes of data, he says. From the dawn of civilization up to 2003—five exabytes of data every two days, with an exabyte being one billion gigabytes. Yes, I had to look that up.
What do we do with all that data? How is it used to our advantage? To our disadvantage? How do we manage it? The next level will be created by your generation; keeping it in control will be your greatest challenge.
However, while you may be the most “connected” generation ever—and savvy about the use of this new media—I cannot help feeling that you might possibly be developing an isolation masked by a notion of interconnectedness. Behind your phones, your keypads, and your computer screens, you communicate. You will be faced with an even greater daily rush of information to sort through, and e-mails will pile up in your inbox. You will quickly generate new data in your careers, and friends will fill new pages on your Facebook wall. Please, do not underestimate the power of face-to-face human connection in developing partnerships, solving disagreements, and sustaining relationships.
I encourage you to unplug and disconnect. Take time to act on your need for human connection and to reflect on the world around you. I can say this because my family thinks I’m addicted to my iPhone! In the constant overload of information, the pressure to react immediately to an email or text feeds the cycle that leads to the non-stop pace at which our world works. Self-reflection is often lost. What are my values? What assumptions are guiding my thinking? Is my first reaction the best I can do? These are questions that will lead you to transformative thinking, rather than rote and rapidly generated responses that may not tap your true capacity for thoughtfulness and creativity.
Just yesterday, I was reading an article entitled “Geek at the Beach” in the Chronicle of Higher Education that showcased recent summer reads on technology. One of the recommended books, written by MIT professor Sheryl Turkle, is Alone Together: Why We ExpectMore from Technology and Less from Each Other. I’ve just added this to my reading list and hope you will as well. The message is simple: Intentionally carve out time to enjoy your families, be in the physical company of others, and guide your use of technology rather than let it control you.
Now, a word about privilege. Today you enter a privileged class; you now have a college degree, a degree that will offer you a much better shot at economic stability than those without. The media has focused a great deal of attention on the question of the value of a college degree. But make no mistake, the data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics make it quite clear: College graduates have higher earning potential and lower unemployment rates than those individuals without a college degree. In fact, young adults without a college degree are almost entirely pushed out of our current labor market. This is a particularly important message for all constituencies in the State of California to hear. The budget cuts to the UC and California State systems will not just have short term impact; the long term economic health and vitality of this state are at stake. I ask that you, as proud graduates of the University of California, consider this when you think about how to give back to your alma mater. And yes, Chancellor Yang, I have my annual fund check here with me, which I give to you in honor of the Class of 2011. In turn, I ask all of you, when you have the means, whether it is $1 or millions more, remember the importance of supporting your alma mater!
And let’s take a global view of your privilege. Every day I appreciate that I was born into the privilege of a loving family, a family that could provide for more than just the necessities in life, and a life of freedom in this country. Put yourself in the shoes of others less fortunate. Learn from their challenges, their stories, even though the limitations of your experiences might prevent the fullest understanding. Empathy is a powerful tool for change. I suspect many of you have heard of the Giving Pledge. Initiated by Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, the goal is to have the wealthiest families pledge to give half of their wealth to charitable causes—to generate a culture of philanthropy among our nation’s wealthiest families. This is an admirable and important goal, and one that recognizes the growing gap between the haves and have-nots. But, don’t rely on the millionaires club to be the only philanthropists; each of you needs to make a difference as well. All of us must give our time and even our smallest donations to support those in greater need. We must do this in order to make the world a better place for all. I know that you—a generation of students who have already given countless hours of your time as volunteers—understand this message.
As Thomas Paine said, “We have it within our power to begin the world over again.” And history tells us this is true. Like generations before you, it is now your turn to be a part of the new makeover. Perhaps you are anxious, maybe even a bit afraid of what lies ahead; that’s perfectly normal! You bear the burden of responsibility as others have before you—the cliché, but true fact, is that you are the hope for the future. It is up to you to use your degree to innovate, to create, to build metaphorical bridges, to educate, and to lead a purposeful life. But, having spent my professional life supporting the intellectual and personal growth of students like you, I know what you are capable of and that you dream about making the world a better place. And I believe in your ability to not only navigate the changing environment that will always be your future, but to shape it as well. You will change the world as you embrace the risk—you won’t be left behind. Take time to reflect, and act on your empathy for those less fortunate than you. Thus, going back to the reprise of the REM song, I take the optimistic view: It’s the end of the world as we know it…and I feel fine!
Congratulations, Class of 2011. You have made your family proud. Now, go off to seek your destiny!