On occasions like this, people like me feel compelled to give advice. Well, today I’m going to resist the temptation to give advice, but I’m going to make a request.

The request is that you get involved, don’t stand on the sidelines. Scholars have documented the growing detachment on the part of the American people—loss of a sense of community, loss of civic involvement, increased and gated communities around the United States in isolation. Most Americans don’t know their neighbors.

I ask you to involve yourself in the life of your community. Raise your family. Turn your ideas into new inventions. Leave your mark on the world. Write your book. Create music and art. But most of all, open your minds so you can feel the joy and the pain and suffering of your fellow Americans. By getting involved you can enlarge your own life and you can make a difference in the lives of millions of people worldwide.

Kenneth Olden, Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, honorary Doctor of Science (College ceremony)