Distinguished colleagues, friends, families, and especially the Class of 2004 – soon to be alumni of Central Connecticut State University:

I am keenly aware that my talk is the only remaining hurdle separating you from your diploma, so I promise to remain within my 10-minute time limit.

What I would like to talk to you about is that very diploma you have worked so very hard to achieve. More specifically, I have a question – what is the value of that cherished diploma? What is the value of a college degree, specifically a CCSU degree? What is the value of education in general? These questions become even more vital given the daily deluge of email spam we receive reminding us how easy it is to buy diplomas and degrees without any work whatsoever. There have been numerous studies that demonstrate that a college degree will increase your lifelong earning power, job satisfaction, and career opportunities. But I’m speaking in a more philosophical context – what is the real, fundamental value of being able to call yourself “college educated”?

Some years ago there was a popular book that claimed that all you needed to know you learned in kindergarten. While I’ve never read that particular book, I find the title inherently untrue, as education is a lifelong process, and there is no such thing as “all you need to know.” But it is true that the chapter of your life that you end today, your CCSU education, and the one that you begin, namely the rest of your life, both have their foundations in those earliest educational experiences.

All academics accumulate a number of diplomas over the tenure of their careers; one might say that we collect them. I am certainly no exception. But the one that I hold most dear is the very first one I received -- that from nursery school, what some people call preschool today. It hangs above my Ph.D. on the wall of my home study. Among the other treasured trinkets of those childhood days, I have several “award banners” I earned in nursery school, celebrating important educational milestones.

They say things like “I know my ABC’s,” “I can count to 10,” “I know my colors,” and “I know my shapes.” Those milestones formed the very foundation of what is known in college circles as a “liberal arts education.” You probably know it best as General Education. You may have asked yourself, “why did I have to take all these courses outside my major?” Think back to nursery school, or kindergarten, and it will become crystal clear.

Your ABC’s eventually led to Freshman Composition, the ability to write clearly and persuasively. Regardless of your career path, you WILL have to write reports, business letters, and job applications (but hopefully not too many of those). Counting to 10 was the basis of the study of mathematics at CCSU, perhaps statistics, and maybe a computer science class. The ability to manipulate numbers (in the mathematical sense, not the Enron sense) will play an important role in your life. Again, regardless of your chosen profession, you may be called upon to manage a budget, for your office, your classroom, and definitely for your home. You may not have always enjoyed your math courses, but believe me, you WILL find them useful one day.

Shapes and colors lend an aesthetic dimension to our lives, from our earliest moments in the cradle. Perhaps you took an art class at CCSU, or computer graphics. In the business world, and in education, we deal with manipulating shapes and colors all the time – we call it PowerPoint. How many times have you scrolled through the design templates going “Nope, nope, nope, hmmmmm, maybe… but I’ll have to change the color scheme….” In the years to come, you may have to make presentations to clients, supervisors, or potential customers. You may have to design packaging or other products. Knowing your shapes and colors – and understanding how to manipulate them – is very important in the real world. It also won’t hurt a bit when you try to decorate your first house.

What other activities did we engage in during nursery school? There was story time, always a favorite. Here you began to understand the true power of the written word, and appreciate literature. You sat cross-legged on a foam mat or carpet remnant, mesmerized as your teacher brought to life those strange letters printed on the page. Who knew that green eggs and ham could be so riveting?

When you attended a literature class with Dr. Doyle or Dr. Nunn or any of their colleagues at CCSU, you had a similar experience. “Oh, I didn’t know Shakespeare was trying to say THAT!!!!”  You came to learn the ways that writers not only communicate ideas, but manipulate their audience. Whether you eventually become a journalist, economist, scientist, educator, or historian, the power of the written word to influence and convey information will be an important part of your professional life.

Playtime was probably one of your favorite times in preschool. You were able to explore your particular interests in greater depth, working independently but with the capable and patient aid of your teachers. At CCSU, this was your major.  You studied what you loved best, but it was only a portion of your education, just as is in preschool it was only a portion of your day. Sometimes the toy you most loved in preschool became broken or lost, and you were forced to adapt and find new toys to play with – or, if you were really creative, you adapted other toys to the same game you enjoyed. Real life is like that. There is no guarantee you will get a job in your major, but the skills and knowledge you have obtained at CCSU can be creatively tailored for another career, one that can be just as satisfying and challenging, if not more so, than your original plans.

I always loved the field trips in nursery school. We would go to the Peabody Museum where I could gaze up at the gigantic Brontosaurus towering over me and just go “Wow,” or to a petting zoo and giggle at the camels and llamas. We would collect leaves and flowers and put them into construction paper scrapbooks to proudly bring home to our parents. We were always reminded never to litter outside, and to always put our art scraps in the trash. We learned about the wonder and beauty of the natural world, and how precious it was. That is an important lesson to keep in mind as we face serious environmental and technological challenges today. Your science courses at CCSU may have had equations and charts and diagrams which you sometimes found difficult to understand, but you discovered that at the very heart of those courses there was still that very same wonder and respect for the world around us, and the impact we as humans have on our environment.

Snack time – always a favorite. Back in nursery school we sat with our friends and devoured graham crackers and milk. At CCSU you ate in the cafeteria, or the Devil’s Den, or at Tony’s Pizza. But you did more than just eat. You were networking. You learned that sometimes vital information is exchanged, and important decisions are reached, over a pizza or French fries. That’s a key concept in business. How many millions of dollars – billions of dollars – have been exchanged thanks to deals closed over a business lunch or dinner?

Recess was another crowd pleaser in nursery school. We could jump and run around, and sometimes we skinned our knees, and our team didn’t always win, but we learned that those experiences, too, are a natural part of life. Sports at CCSU, whether varsity or intramural, and all extracurricular activities you participated in, reinforced those important lessons of life. Most importantly, what you learned is that when you try your very best, you never really lose, and that you should ALWAYS play nicely with others.

So what do I want you to take away with you today, besides a tassel and a diploma cover? Hopefully considerable pride at what you have accomplished, and an understanding that your education did not begin at CCSU, and it will not end here. The diploma you have earned today is just one link in a chain, the chain of lifelong learning, where each educational opportunity builds upon the last and strengthens the whole length of the chain. Some of you may go on to graduate school, either immediately or at a later time. Others may attend classes or certification programs through your employer. Some people find great satisfaction taking non-credit courses entirely for fun through their local library or community college. But all of you will continue to learn, whether it be in a classroom, online, or just curled up on your couch with a good book, or watching CNN.

Yes, education is a lifelong journey, and I and all your professors are honored to have played a very small part in that process. Your experiences at CCSU, both inside and outside the classroom, have helped to prepare you for the “real world.” It’s a scary place sometimes. But as social worker Rodney Smith reminds us, “The most valuable learning is not about memorizing facts and figures. It is not about higher grade point averages and accumulating degrees. It is about life itself, and its impact is on the heart.”

So just remember to share your time, your toys, and your snacks with friends and colleagues, always play nicely with others, remember to gaze at the world with wonder, and most importantly never stop learning, and regardless of what your resume or bank account says, you will truly be a person of immeasurable wealth and success.

Again, congratulations to the Class of 2004!