August 6, 2005

Purdue graduates more than 1,300 at summer commencement

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue University President Martin C. Jischke today (Saturday, Aug. 6) encouraged new graduates to use their dreams, imagination and courage to realize their goals for the future.

Jischke spoke to approximately 1,320 graduates and their families and friends at the commencement ceremony in Elliott Hall of Music. Purdue has been holding summer commencement since 1984; it also was the university's 195th commencement.

"Hope truly fills this beautiful hall today," Jischke said. "These students are harboring great hopes for their future. The family and friends who have joined us here are united through the hopes and dreams they have for these graduates."

Jischke used another dreamer, medical pioneer Jonas Salk, as an example of someone who, despite obstacles, persevered to achieve his ultimate dream, the polio vaccine. Polio was a summer epidemic that hit the United States hard in the early and mid-1900s.

"No one likes to see summer end," Jischke said. "But there was a time not long ago when fear and even panic lurked around the edges of summer for people in this nation and around the world.

"Many people with us today can remember those summers of fear and dread."

After the first major polio epidemic hit the United States in 1916 and left 27,000 people paralyzed, the effects of polio grew worse each decade. Instead of spending summer days playing outside, many children were kept inside due to fear of polio, Jischke said.

"It was 50 years ago this spring that the dreams, imagination and courage of Dr. Jonas Salk and others brought an end to that with a vaccine for a dreaded disease named poliomyelitis," he said.

Jischke told graduates that while their Purdue education will open many doors to them, their degrees do not guarantee they will not face difficulties and challenges in their lives.

"The amazing story of the polio vaccine has significance today for you graduates as you enter a difficult world and a future of unknown but surely incredible opportunities," Jischke said. "Albert Einstein noted years ago what you too will discover during your lives: 'In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.'"

While most of the world remembers Salk and Einstein for their incredible successes, this was not always the case, Jischke said.

"Salk's courage emerged throughout this process as he failed time and again in his research, which stretched over many long years," he said. "But he always continued pursuing his goal.

"He is reported to have failed in his research up to 200 times. That is nothing compared with inventor Thomas Edison.

"Edison tried more than 2,000 experiments before he was able to get his light bulb to work. Upon being asked how he felt about failing so often, he replied: 'I never failed (even) once. I invented the light bulb. It just happened to be a 2,000-step process.'"

Jischke told graduates they will learn that same lesson after they leave Purdue.

"There will be many setbacks on your road to success," he said. "But the only time we ever truly fail is when we quit and give up."

Salk was determined to rid the world of polio, but without the help of community volunteers, it would not have been possible, Jischke said. Dating back to the first half of the 20th century, volunteers have led efforts to care for polio victims and raise money to stop the spread of the disease. An organization that came to be known as the March of Dimes collected nickels, dimes and dollars from individuals to help fund Salk's research. More recently, Rotary International launched the international battle against polio. Beginning in the 1980s, Rotary volunteers have administered the oral vaccine and raised more than $500 million to fight polio around the world.

"Thanks to this and other efforts, last year only 480 polio cases were reported on the face of the Earth," Jischke said. "It is my hope that you will take part in service that will impact the 21st century as enormously as the last hundred years were changed by individuals joining together in the fight against polio.

"Albert Einstein said, 'The aim of education must be the training of independently acting and thinking individuals who see in service to community their highest life achievement.'"

Jennifer Pate Offenberg, a Concord, Calif., graduate who received her doctoral degree in economics, was the student responder during the commencement ceremonies. Offenberg was one of four graduate students in 2005 to receive the Purdue University Committee for the Education of Teaching Assistants Excellence in Teaching Award. She also was involved in the Krannert Doctoral Student Association and the Purdue Graduate Student Government.

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

Sources: Martin C. Jischke, (765) 494-9708

Abby H. Bryant, assistant registrar for academic programs, (765) 494-8219, bryantah@purdue.edu

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

Note to Journalists: A copy of President Martin C. Jischke's speech is available online.

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