[Y]ou are entering a different world than I entered when I earned my Ph.D. from this institution. The world you enter is the world of Enron, Tyco, and WorldCom. It’s a world where tensions erupt between cultures in ways that threaten regional and even world peace. It’s a world in which the technology that delivers knowledge to the doorstep of the most remote places also provides the tools to manipulate the truth.

As you begin your new role as citizens of the world, I have a message for you that is vital to your future happiness and even more important, the happiness of those with whom you will meet, work, and love throughout your life. This message pertains to all that you do, from the playing fields of the University to the boardrooms of tomorrow. The message is simple, but powerful: Treat others with respect and compassion, as you yourself would like to be treated.

Myles Brand ’67 (Ph.D.), President of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, recipient of the Hutchison Medal, the highest honor the University presents to its alumni (College ceremony)