Diamond Jubilee Celebration - Speeches
Regent Elridge McMillan
Let me begin by thanking Governor Perdue for his presence today and for his support of the University System.
His partnership, along with that of the General Assembly, reflects a 75-year tradition of exceptional state support for public higher education.
Without that support, we could not honestly celebrate this "diamond jubilee" today.
“Much have I seen and known; cities of men
And manners, climates, councils, governments,
Myself not least, but honour'd of them all;
And drunk delight of battle with my peers,
Far on the ringing plains of windy Troy.
I am a part of all that I have met.”
Alfred Tennyson's poem “Ulysses” is a tale of courage, of fear, of trial, of setbacks, but ultimately, of personal growth and triumph.
Likewise my personal and professional trajectory has been a winding road filled with unexpected challenges and tremendous opportunities. Despite what others may hint, and despite my long tenure on the Board of Regents, please note that I was NOT present at its creation. But I have been privileged to participate in a significant part of the System's history, change and growth. And, I assume, this personal record resulted in my invitation to make a few remarks.
As a Regent for over 32 years, I have participated in Georgia's steady transformation.
Though I have not yet celebrated my 75th birthday, I have been a citizen of this great state since my birth in Barnesville, Georgia.
As a child, I was certainly not aware of the University System of Georgia nor would I have had access to most of its institutions. Yet its mission to strengthen the state's system of higher education would intersect and become inextricably intertwined with my life's work.
My remarks today are part reflection and part expectation; an effort to glance back while marching forward.
Both journeys, mine and Ulysses, are fitting allegories for today's celebration. The history of this System is not a smooth one. It is a history inseparably linked with the history and times of this state and its people. But it is a history that is marked by progress - progress in access, in opportunity, in excellence - for ever-increasing numbers and segments of Georgia's population.
I and all of the Regents with whom I have served have contributed to the System's history, change and growth.
As I thought about this anniversary, I turned to an old friend for inspiration. Thus I began my remarks with an excerpt from Tennyson's “Ulysses.”
"Much I have seen and known - cities of men, and manners, climates, councils, governments, and drunk delight of battle with my peers. I am a part of all that I have met."
And we have indeed, if not "done battle," participated in many pivotal discussions as the University System has expanded in terms of opportunity for all. And I am proud to state that we are a part of all that we have met part of this fascinating and important story.
A celebration such as we hold today must, in the end signify not just mere existence, but triumph over all manner of obstacle and adversity. Otherwise, such an event rings hollow.
Today we sound out a full, ringing tone of achievement, of hope and of promise.
We say we have made the investment - in coin, in toil, in seat - to shape a sturdy vessel in which to carry this state and its citizens to new lands and new, life-changing opportunities. But this journey is never finished.
In the final paragraph of his autobiography “Long Walk to Freedom,” Nelson Mandela writes "I have walked that long road to freedom. I have tried not to falter; I have made missteps along the way. But I have discovered the secret that after climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb. I have taken a moment here to rest, to steal a view of the glorious vista that surrounds me, to look back on the distance I have come. But I can rest only for a moment, for with freedom comes responsibilities, and I dare not linger for my long walk is not yet ended."
Like Mandela, today we have taken a moment from our ceaseless climbing to, "rest, to steal a view of the glorious vista, to look back on the distance (we) have come."
But, also, we must heed Mandela's words, that "I can rest only for a moment, for with freedom comes responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not yet ended."
As the words of Nelson Mandela remind us, unlike Ulysses, we will never see the completion of our journey. For in the end, the University System is of and for people. We make it what it is.
Today is a day to celebrate, but also to remind us of our responsibilities - to the state and to it is citizens.
Again, returning to Tennyson, "Some work of noble note, may yet be done."
We do, indeed, still have work of noble note to do. As Regents, we must, "strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield." We must strive to ensure the University System of Georgia remains this state's best hope for improving the lives of its citizens. We must seek the answers to meeting the increasing needs of this state for higher education. We must not yield in our commitment to make the University System of Georgia a beacon of excellence, of opportunity, and hope.
Thank you.