After receiving an honorary degree of humane letters in December, Melissa Jamula, Ph.D., spoke to the graduating class. These are excerpts of her remarks.
Friends, we live in the most intensely intellectually stimulating of times. More than ever before, we need to consider the skills that will be essential to thrive in this world. We need to embrace creativity, not conformity. We need to create environments that encourage, not quash, risktaking. Do you know that some studies show that 4-yearolds exhibit greater divergent thinking skills than 18-yearolds? Though we have the best of intentions, by honoring that concept of “one and only one right answer,” we have
beaten our kids into compliance. Are we up to the task? I’m not sure. In 2002, alone, Nintendo invested more than $140 million in research and development. The U.S. government spent less than half as much on research and innovation in education. Ten years later, perhaps we are witnessing the fruits of both levels of commitment.
Jamula’s full remarks can be found at alvernia.edu/news/archive Alvernia University Magazine
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