TULANE TALK

April 4, 2014

Good Morning:

In addition to celebrating the academic achievements of our graduates, Commencement 2014 will also offer a great opportunity to honor those who have shown the true value of success.

Saints quarterback Drew Brees and jazz clarinetist Dr. Michael White will receive the President’s Medal at commencement, while honorary degrees will be given to Carnegie Corporation President Vartan Gregorian, World Bicycle Relief founder F. K. Day and musician, and keynote speaker, Wynton Marsalis. You can read more about http honorees here.

These individuals have enjoyed extraordinary success in their professional careers but have found their greatest fulfillment in serving others. To me, this is the true purpose of education and why public service is such a vital part of Tulane’s curriculum. Our emphasis on public service, social entrepreneurship and civic engagement has sometimes been misinterpreted as anti-wealth, anti-business or anti-success.

Actually, it is not “anti” anything. Nothing would please me more than for every Tulane graduate to create a new and wildly profitable business. But turning a profit while also solving problems such as poverty, environmental degradation, health disparities and educational inequities offers not only success but purpose and meaning. That’s the final lesson I want our graduates to learn.

Have a great weekend,