DATE 4/12/01 www.elon.edu/penduIum
Former President George Bush speaks at Convocation
Elizabeth Sudduth
News Editor
Former U.S. President
GeorgeBush was on Elon College’s
campus Tuesday to deliver the key
note address during Spring Convo
cation at 4 p.m. in Alumni Gym.
“This is a historic day in
Elon ’ s history,” Elon president Leo
M. Lambert said. Lambert recog
nized the students who made Dean’s
and President’s List this past fall
semester as well as the Class of
2001, for whom the ceremony also
honored.
Bush served as the nation’s
41st president from 1989 to 1993.
During his term in the Oval Office,
Bush witnessed the fall of the Ber
lin Wall and reunification of Ger
many, the Gulf War and the col
lapse of the Soviet Union and nego
tiation of the North American Free
Trade Agreement.
His appearance at the invita
tion-only event marked the celebra
tion of the successful conclusion of
the Elon Vision, a strategic plan
launched in seven years ago to en
sure Elon’s position as one of the
premiere undergraduate institutions
on the eastern seaboard.
“Since 1994 and the begin
ning of the Elon Vision, you have
seen Elon gather momentum, trans
form it’s facilities, create new and
exciting programs, attract the best
faculty and students and build a
national reputation,” Lambert said.
The Elon Vision is the most
ambitious strategic plan in school’s
history. The campaign for the Elon
Vision, which had a goal of $40
milUon, raised atotal of $46,708,468
to help fund the strategic plan.
Among honored guests in
vited to join to the former president
were Ernest A. Koury, Sr. and
Maurice J. Koury. These men
joined with former President Bush
to receive the honorary Doctorate
of Laws Degree.
These honors were presented
to the recipients by J. Harold Smith,
Trustee Emeritus, Dean E. Smith,
Head Coach Emeritus of Men’s
Basketball at UNC-Chapel Hill and
Gail Drew, Chairman of the Board
of Trustees.
Adam Waterson / Photography Editor
President Leo M. Lambert and Former U.S. President
George Bush speak at convocation.
A gift given by Maurice J.
Koury, in honor of his brother
Ernest, will allow for the school of
business to name their new building
for the in his honor.
Bush, an unlikely comedian,
spoke of 43, a reference to his son,
the current president of the United
States, George W. Bush and even
mimic Dana Carvey’s impression
of himself saying, “Not gonna do it,
wouldn’t be prudent while shaking
a finger at the audience.”
On a more serious note. Bush
discussed importance of giving
back. “I would encourage you to do
it all,” he said. “Don’t be afraid of
triumphs and dreams, don’t even be
afraid of failure or tears, we all
stumble we all fear and that’s what
makes us human.”
Bush focused on a new sense
of American patriotism, a new sense
of pride and purpose coming from a
new generation that should take the
country new heights of achieve
ment.
“For America is never fully
herself unless she is engaged in a
higher calling, moving forward,
reaching higher,” Bush said. “I chal
lenge you to be bold in your charac
ter, be bold in your dreaming and be
bold in your caring and compassion
for humanity.
Fifty-three years ago, the
former president was in the same
shoes and most of the students at
Elon on verge of experiencing some
thing new. “It’s doesn’t seem pos
sible, but I was sitting right there,
where you are, bursting to get out,
play my stake-and take a crack at
anything,” Bush said. He stressed
to never regret the future. “You
have a lifetime of chances at your
grasp right now so don’t lose any of
the, don’t give up the chance to take
a risk, hug a child or change a life,”
he said.
The former president stressed
the importance of giving back to
your community
and your sur
roundings. “I
hope for you all
challenges and
successes,” Bush
said. “But most of
all I hope every
one of you fmd the
depth and mean
ing of life that
comes from ser
vice to others.”
Former U.S.
President
George Bush
said he was
the proudest
father in the
world on
Tuesday.
Adam Waterson / Photography Editor
College remembers
biology professor
Jennifer Guarino
Managing Editor
The sly smile and twinkling
eyes that captured the hearts of
students and faculty no longer
graces Elon’s campus. Dr. R.D.
Rao a professor of biology at Elon
College for over 30 years, died
Tuesday, April 13 at Durham Re
gional Hospital. He was 63 years
old. Rao is survived by his wife,
Kathleen W. Rao.
Lisa Carloye, an assistant pro
fessor of biology said she remem
bers Rao’s sense of humor made
him fun to work with. “He had that
twinkle in his eye and a sly smile
as he came to the punch line of his
story and wagged his head in sat
isfaction in remembering the
event,” she said. It was “evidence
of the generous, fun-loving and
people-centered person I came
to know and love over the last
four years.”
Rao earned a Ph.D. degree
from North Carolina State Uni
versity in the areas of Cell Biol
ogy and Microbiology. He also
did post-doctoral work in ge
netic engineering and biotech
nology at East Carolina Medical
School’s microbiology depart
ment.
Rao used humor to hold his
students’ attention. Cindy Rhine
took Rao’s biology class in the
fall of 1993. “Dr. Rao would put
on a white glove because he was
allergic to the chalk. Then he
would raise his hand and say,
‘Look, I’m Michael Jackson,”’
she said.
See RAO on page 3