Daley urges NU grads to stick to ideals, promotes 2016
NORTHWESTERN | Daley: 'You can make a difference'
(Chris Sweda/Sun-Times)
Bryan Lochman, 21, mechanical engineering
"I never had a problem with him speaking in the first place. He charged us with .. . helping the community. We are more privileged here, and it is nice if we can help out [the] less fortunate."
Gina Lee, 22, economics, business
"He didn't really say anything that we shouldn't already feel inspired to do. Overall, it was enjoyable. It was short. . . . Everybody just wants to get out of here."
Alex Davis, 21, psychology
"I thought a lot of people made a bigger deal out of it than necessary, but that's Northwestern students. He talked about Chicago a lot, and when he talked about us, it was encompassed in what he had done in Chicago."
Gina Lawrence, 20, psychology, African-American studies
"I thought the speech overall was kind of talking about himself and what he wants to do for Chicago. I thought it didn't work for graduation. I thought the focus should have been on our futures rather than what we can do to help him."
Mayor Daley called on graduating Northwestern University students not to give up on their ideals and to try their best to make the world a better place.
One way, he suggested, would be to tutor young people who lack the same advantages as a graduate of a top university like Northwestern.
Another way, Daley suggested, would be to spread the word that Chicago would be a great place for the Olympics:
"Reach out to your friends to build excitement about Chicago's bid, show your support, sign up on the 2016 Web site or be a volunteer."
A Chicago Olympics "would restore our image to the world as a place where people from different backgrounds and ethnic origins can live together and pursue their dreams," he said. "In Chicago, we live that ideal every day."
The mayor also told graduates that "treating people the way you would like to be treated seems like a simple rule to practice." But, "politics today has become an exercise in tearing down other people."
Compromise, both in politics and life, is essential, Daley said.
"I deeply believe that the people in our city, our state and our nation expect their leaders to work together. Even when there are differences on policy, they want public discourse to be respectful, they want things to get done."
Northwestern's choice of the mayor as this year's commencement speaker had sparked some criticism from students who said he lacked star power. Yet, despite bobbling the name of the school official who introduced him and calling them the 105th rather than the 150th graduating class, Daley got a warm welcome from the nearly 4,000 graduating students and about 15,000 guests who filled half of the Ryan Field football stadium.
The mayor's final words were borrowed from architect Daniel Burnham: "Make no little plans, hold on to your ideals and principals. Pursue them with the steadfast notion that one determined person can power change that lifts a generation and, yes, even a nation.
"Don't let the cynics and skeptics discourage you," he said. "You can make a difference. In fact, we're counting on it."