TORONTO - At the request of Michigan State University, Roots Co-founder Michael Budman was the keynote speaker at today’s commencement ceremony of MSU’s College of Communication Arts and Sciences. The event, which took place at the Breslin Center on the MSU campus in East Lansing, also marked the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the College of Communication Arts and Sciences. The college is known throughout the world for its excellence in research and professional education.
Budman, who received his BA in Communication from MSU in 1968, was introduced to the audience by Dean Chuck Salmon. Some 3,000 people, including more than 800 new graduates of the college, were in attendance. (In 2004, the College gave Budman its Outstanding Alumni Award, the highest honour the college bestows upon a select number of alumni each year.)
In his address at the Commencement ceremony, Budman spoke of the enormous impact that MSU had on him. He also told the graduates of new opportunities that await them in their field of study given the role of communication in modern society.
“…In many ways, you have infinitely more options than we did at your age,” said Budman midway through his speech. “When I think of the field you’ve been studying – communications – and how it’s evolved in the course of one generation, I’m blown away by how much it’s been transformed by technology. No less staggering is how communication has become so strategic in today’s society. In my opinion, it’s become the key component in remaining a successful business and projecting a strong, positive image for my brand.”
Budman then cited an example involving Roots and the media at the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City in 2002, and how the massive, almost instantaneous international coverage of Roots changed the company forever.
“…That moment reflected how the world is more and more a global village. It illustrated vividly how the world communicates today and how the media – all components of it – have such an impact on our lives. Communication may not be everything but it’s pretty close to it. Increasingly, people recognize how much perception governs reality. So much is tied in to how we communicate…”
“…Earlier, I mentioned how modern technology has transformed communication and impacted our lives so much. And yet, for all the technological advances and innovation, it’s easy to lose sight of some timeless human basics without which all the technology in the world means little. By basics, I mean such human ingredients as intelligence, common sense, talent and skills. All vital but still not quite enough.
“At the end of the day, positive mental attitude, creative thinking, sound human values and the ability to remain current are no less important. In fact, there are times when I think positive mental attitude and common sense, more than anything else, make the difference between success and failure, victory and defeat, right and wrong…”
(For a transcript of the entire speech, please click here)
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