Contact: Sammy McDavid
STARKVILLE, Miss.--On a bitingly cold and often overcast weekend, retired business executive Will Carpenter and Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour helped usher in a bright Christmas for many families this weekend at Mississippi State.
The two were respective speakers for the university's Friday night and Saturday morning graduation ceremonies at Humphrey Coliseum.
Though not all chose to take part in the commencement ceremonies, a total of more than 1,300 students were candidates for MSU degrees at the conclusion of the fall semester. Nine seniors completed their studies with perfect 4.0 grade-point averages.
While much of Barbour's address dealt with traditional send-off themes of belief in God, self, state, and nation, his concluding remarks brought those thoughts together in an, at times, emotional focus on the Hurricane Katrina-ravaged Mississippi Gulf Coast.
"A terrible thing like this brings out the best in most people," he said. Specifically citing the entire Waveland Police Department that remained on duty throughout and long after Katrina had wiped out the entire city, he praised the courage and will of all coastal residents now working to rebuild their lives, homes and businesses.
"For us, the issue is how to we take up their banner and go forward from here," Barbour said. "We are going to need people like you, the best and the brightest, to stay and be part of rebuilding the coast and South Mississippi bigger and better than it's ever been before.
"We see now a terrible tragedy and utter destruction, but I believe that if you will lift your horizons, you'll be able to envision the coast as it can be," he continued. "That is, Mississippi reaching the expectations we should reach out for, and we can only do it with people like you."
Barbour's extemporaneous address drew loud applause and numerous shouts of high approval from both students and audience members.
Following his remarks Friday night, Carpenter was awarded an honorary doctorate in science by MSU president Charles Lee. A 1952 MSU agronomy graduate who holds advanced degrees from Purdue University, he is a retired Monsanto Co. senior executive now living near St. Louis, Mo.
In part, MSU's highest honor was given in recognition of Carpenter's professional achievements as a nationally recognized figure in biotechnology development and as an international advocate for chemical and biological warfare prohibitions.
Much of his presentation centered on the American men and women who came to adulthood during World War II--the oft-described "Greatest Generation."
He told the graduates they "are in a position to be that generation's rightful successors." Unlike the "greatest" and other earlier generations, Carpenter said, "The challenges of today are not in a world war," but in "more subtle battles, such as feeding a burgeoning world population, overcoming poverty, quashing racism, ensuring ethical business conduct, and helping responds to natural disasters like Katrina."
The weekend ceremonies marked the final commencements for President Lee. MSU's 17th chief executive recently announced plans to conclude his long higher education career prior to the end of the 2006 spring semester.
The official search for his replacement began last week.
Barbour, before beginning his formal presentation, took a moment to praise Lee's service to the institution and the state. "I applaud and appreciate what Charles Lee has done for Mississippi State and what he has meant, not only to this university, but to the State of Mississippi," he said.
Barbour also observed that Lee's son, John Charles Lee Jr., was among those receiving diplomas at the Saturday morning ceremony.
President Lee's wife, Pat, was the featured speaker Friday morning for graduation ceremonies at MSU's Meridian campus.
Since Katrina struck in late August, the school's first lady has led a campus-wide effort called Bulldogs in Response to help coast residents recover from what now has been declared the most destructive storm in U.S. history.