Strive to understand other cultures, values, YSU grads told

Saturday’s graduates were compared to the hero in Homer’s ‘The Odyssey.’

By BOB JACKSON

VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT

YOUNGSTOWN — Diversity seemed to be the theme of the day Saturday during spring commencement activities at Youngstown State University.

Nearly 1,000 degrees — 853 bachelor’s and 140 associate — were awarded during the ceremony inside a packed Beeghly Center.

Each of the graduates wore a YSU Alumni pin outside his or her gown. The pins were given out before the ceremony by the YSU Alumni Association.

The featured speaker was Dr. Constantine William Curris, president of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities. He also received an honorary doctor of humanities degree from the university.

In his remarks, Curris compared the graduates to Odysseus, the hero in Homer’s “The Odyssey,” who left his home to fight in the Trojan Wars and encountered countless perils along the way. Like Odysseus, Saturday’s graduates are setting off into the unknown, a world often fraught with peril, largely because of wars and conflicts in so many areas, Curris said.

He said graduates nowadays can find themselves living and working most anywhere in the world, compared to generations ago when simply moving to a larger city in the same state was considered a bold step.

“It is into this new world, both exciting and dangerous, into which you now venture,” he said.

For that reason, he encouraged students to learn about other world cultures and be prepared to live among them, should their travels and careers place them in unfamiliar surroundings.

“Our challenge is to better understand other people, their cultures, their values and their motivations,” he said.

He also challenged the graduates to become involved in their communities and in national affairs by participating in the electoral process.

“Today, our greatest challenge may be the apathy of our own citizens,” Curris said, noting that the United States ranks 139th among world nations in voter participation.

Curris said he was impressed by YSU’s growth, both in facilities and programs, since his last visit here many years ago.

“But what has made your university stand out is its engagement with the city of Youngstown,” he said, citing numerous projects in which the university has worked with the city.

Jennifer Houston, one of two student speakers during the ceremony, said the multicultural environment at YSU was a boon to her education, both academic and otherwise. Learning to understand and accept other cultures is essential for modern students who have more access than ever before to the world.

David B. Spatholt, who received bachelor’s degrees Saturday in political science and philosophy, also said the university’s diverse student and faculty population were a huge benefit during his years at YSU.

“You meet so many people here and they come from all over the place,” he said.

Spatholt, 23, said the depressed national economy isn’t such a concern to him as it might be to other graduates.

“I have a job, and I’m going to school to get my master’s degree, thank God,” he said.

The Columbiana native is moving to Cincinnati, where he will study community planning at the University of Cincinnati. He also will work for a community improvement corporation in the Cincinnati suburb of St. Bernard.

After he receives his master’s, Spatholt said he would like to form his own nonprofit organization and focus on community development work.

“I like the nonprofit structure because nobody makes a profit off of it,” he said. “It all goes back into the community.”

Spatholt, who was active in the Student Government Association at YSU, said his interests in politics and community service were fostered by his parents, David Sr., an electrician and the mayor of Columbiana, and Virginia, who works for the Burdman Group in Youngstown.

“They were definitely big influences on me,” he said.