"What Does the World Need from Us?" INAUGUR AL ADDRES S
The Rev. Brian E. Konkol, Ph.D. P R E S I D E N T, V A L P A R A I S O U N I V E R S I T Y F R I D AY, S E P T E M B E R 2 5 , 2 0 2 6 CHAPEL O F THE RE SURREC TIO N VA L PA R A I S O , I N
SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION
Whenever we get somewhere good, we got there because others were good to us. To move forward is to be brought forward, by those who lived before us, those who shaped us, and those who sometimes carried us, all because of love for us. Today, because of all your love, and with the help of God, I accept this awesome opportunity. To be brought forward, by all of you, to this very good day, is a dream come true.
SECTION 2: APPRECIATION To the Chair of the Valparaiso University Board of Directors,
you have provided to myself and my family during this
Dr. Jon Steinbrecher, thank you for the honor of being called
important time.
upon to serve. I marvel at the quality and character of your leadership. I share your vision for this campus community,
To all faculty and staff, to all students and alumni, to all
and as I receive this responsibility, I promise you, with the
community members and partners, thank you for your
help of God, I will give to us my very best.
warmth and your welcome. And I must say, to all here in Northwest Indiana, thank you for your good humor,
To all members of the Board of Directors, thank you for your
especially the various look-alike references I have received
confidence, thank you for your dedication, and thank you for
about Orville Redenbacher!
your care. To Chancellor J. Michael Haynie, Senior Vice President To all members of the Presidential Search Committee, thank
Candace Campbell Jackson, the staff and chaplains of
you for your time and effort. Thank you for your discernment,
Hendricks Chapel, and all who are visiting from Syracuse
and I must say, thank you for your final selection! I am
University, thank you for being here, it means so much, and
pleased with the result of your search!
please know a part of my heart will always be with you in Central New York.
To the Provost, Eric Johnson, you are a godsend. Thank you for being a daily example of faithfulness, and please always
To Syracuse University Chancellor Emeritus Kent Syverud,
know that I am one of the immeasurable number of people
who is not here in person, and is, and always will be, at the
who are indebted to you, for all the ways you shape life
center of my soul. Thank you for mentoring me to do better
and learning.
and be better, as this day does not happen without you.
To the Reverend Doctor James Wetzstein, to all on the
To our educational delegates and congregational
inauguration planning team, and to all with facilities
companions represented here today, and to those who
management, catering, and countless others, thank you for
traveled from South Africa and Guyana, Gustavus Adolphus
your thoughtfulness, your compassion, and for all the ways
College and Luther Seminary in Minnesota, Viterbo
you helped to make this all happen.
University, Lake Edge Lutheran Church, the Tomorrow River
To the former presidents of Valparaiso University in
numerous others, thank you for making the time to share
attendance today, Dr. Mark Heckler and Colette Irwin-Knott,
this experience together.
Lutheran Parish, and Amherst High School in Wisconsin, and
thank you for your service, and thank you for the hospitality
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To Pastor Terry Peterson, who baptized me, Pastor Rudy
To my children, Khaya and Tobi, I am so proud of you. Thank
Kolberg, who confirmed me, Pastor Dwight Anderson and
you for helping me, each and every day, to love more fully
Pastor Gretchen Anderson who continue to support me,
than I ever could have imagined. If I make you half as proud
and to all my colleagues and friends in the clergy and all
of me as I am proud of you, then I will have lived a good life.
ministers, thank you for your witness to the Gospel, and
Khaya and Tobi, I love you, and I thank God for the happiness
thank you for holding me and this campus community in
of being your Dad.
your prayers. And finally, to my wife, my partner, and my best friend, To my parents, George and Judy Konkol, thank you for
Kristen, the love of my existence. We met when I was
requiring me to go to Sunday School! Thank you for helping
eight years old, we started dating in college, and what an
me to believe in Jesus, and thank you for helping me to trust
adventure it has been. Following our third date, my mother
that all things are possible, even for a small-town kid with
gently and truthfully told me not to mess it up, because you
big-world dreams. Dad and Mom, you are the best parents
were the best I was ever going to get. She was right. Kristen,
on the planet. I love you. Thank you for loving me. I am, and
being married to you is the treasure of my life. You are more
always will be, honored to be your son.
than I deserve. I love you, and I admire you, with all that I am, and as we celebrate 20 years of marriage this week, I cannot
To my brother, Eric, thank you for being my coach and for
imagine this is what you had in mind! If there is anything
always being my hero. Thank you for encouraging me toward
I do right today, it is to ensure that you, Kristen, receive
excellence, thank you for teaching through your words and
the public appreciation that you so richly deserve and so
actions how to be a good man. And of course, since we
rarely receive. And so, I ask this assembly to please do me
shared a bedroom with bunk-beds for 16 years, thank you for
one favor today, and please join me in showing our shared
not killing me!
appreciation to my wife, Dr. Kristen Konkol.
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SECTION 3: THE QUESTION
What does the world need from us? This is the question. What does the world need, from us?
the nourishment that our world is hungering to receive from us? What is the world seeking to hear from us? What is the world yearning to feel from us, see from us, and breathe in from us?
Frederick Buechner famously remarked that “The place
To learn how to live these questions, requires us to face
God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and
these questions, which compels us to examine the world at
the world’s deep hunger meet,” so the consideration for us
the center of these questions.
becomes, what are the deep hungers of our world? What is
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SECTION 4: THE WORLD WE INHERITED So, what is going on in our world today? As a society, are we
During an era of remarkable transformation, when people
moving forward or moving backward? Are the people of our
wondered about what a human life is actually for, 500 years
planet wonderfully good or woefully bad? Are we becoming
ago Martin Luther proclaimed that each and every vocation
more united or increasingly divided? Are these the best of
could be understood as a sacred calling from God, because
times or are these the worst of times? Is our world beautiful
each and every person is fully and forever loved by God.
or is our world broken? The Lutheran response, to all of this,
Today, we continue to wrestle and wonder about why this
is both “yes” and “no.”
thing called life even matters.
While there is much to be said about the current state
As Mark Twain is often credited with stating, history does
of civilization, what is most remarkable is that, the world
not repeat itself, yet history does often rhyme. And in
of today, is – in many ways – like the world the Lutheran
many ways, our present moment is a 500-year-old rhyme
tradition was born into 500 years ago. Although much has
of the Reformation that shaped the Lutheran tradition and,
changed, much has also remained the same.
ultimately, helped to form Valparaiso University.
Five hundred years ago, the printing press revolutionized
The seeds that would eventually grow into what is now this
how people shared and received ideas. Today, the internet,
campus community, were planted during a season that
online search engines, and artificial intelligence are
rhymes with this one, which is one of the many reasons why
reworking and rewiring how we create, communicate
we are uniquely equipped to meet this moment, and every
and learn.
future time our history continues to rhyme.
Five hundred years ago, people wrestled with whom to trust
Valparaiso University was made during a time such as this,
and what to trust. Today, we are asking similar questions
for a time such as this.
about what is real, whom we can believe, and how to find truth amid an unprecedented abundance of information.
And this is why we are now being called to look outward, not inward, to deepen our Lutheran roots and expand our public
Five hundred years ago, longstanding institutions were
reach, by courageously and collectively asking: What does
challenged and conventional authorities were questioned.
this world need from us?
Today, we too are scrutinizing what has long been established and confronting the people and institutions that hold power.
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SECTION 5: WHAT OUR WORLD NEEDS FROM US Over the past weeks I invited our campus community to respond to this question. I asked others what they thought the world needs from us. I received numerous email messages in response, most of them were helpful. All of them left me grateful. From students, faculty, staff, alumni, community members,
First, we build lives for good by learning without fear. Second, we build lives for good by serving with love.
and others, there were some who wrote to me and shared how the world needs people who refuse to equate different with deficient, those who pay attention to what is lasting, instead of what is loud, and those who are disciplined
Third, we build lives for good by leading with hope.
enough to choose what they seek most, over what they want now.
First, those whose lives are built for good, are those who learn without fear, as they understand that learning is about
There were some who wrote to me and shared that our world
far more than information, as learning that liberates is about
needs people who choose optimism over pessimism and
formation through death and resurrection, as every time
abundance over scarcity, those who make real friends and
someone learns something new, they unlearn what they
not merely deal friends, and others who wrote to share that
thought they once knew. Because God is still creating in this
we need people who stop hoping for a better past and start
world, to learn without fear is – in the words of Dorothy
focusing on a better future.
Day – to concentrate on being faithful to the truth, which inspires us to listen with the intent to understand, not the
There were others who wrote to share that the world needs
intent to respond, to trust that truth should be pursued, not
people who bring together devout Christian faith with
protected, and to know that changing your mind should be
determined academic inquiry, and others who shared that
celebrated as courage, not criticized as concession.
our world needs lifelong learners who bring love through action into the world.
Second, those whose lives are built for good, are those who serve with love, for they understand that no good life is lived
And of course, there was that one person – and you know
for itself, a person is only a person through other people,
who you are – who took the time to write me, to share their
and freedom is not about doing whatever it is you want to do
fervent belief, that what the world truly needs from us, are
whenever you feel like doing it, as faithful freedom is about
no classes on Fridays! Nice try!
what we are free from and what we are free for, and why.
Through it all, based upon all the messages I received, also
As Jesus displayed on the cross that fateful earth-shattering
because of what is true about these times, and most of all,
Friday, our lives were given to us so we can give our lives for
because of the Good News made known to us in Jesus, what
others, and those who serve with love will ultimately spring
I do believe is that today, as was the case 500 years ago, our
forth something truly special.
world needs more people whose lives are built for good. And third, those whose lives are built for good, are those At a time that rhymes with the Reformation, when people are
who lead with hope, as they choose to be living and
both good and bad, and when civilization is both beautiful
breathing carriers of good news. They choose to close the
and broken, because of what God has done, is doing, and
gap between the world that is and the world that ought to
will continue to do in us, through us, and for us, what the
be, as they do have a vision for what the ideal world ought to
world needs from us, are more people whose lives are built
be. Instead of complaining about what is bad, they campaign
for good. For us to embrace this calling and provide for
for what is good, and instead of venting old frustrations they
the world what it needs, such good lives are built in three
invent new creations. For in the end, those who lead with
primary ways:
hope are like Easter people, as they know how the story is ultimately going to end.
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What does the world need from us? The world needs those
In other words, the world needs more people whose lives are
who learn without fear, serve with love, and lead with hope.
built for good.
To borrow from David Brooks, our world needs people of character who care more about what is said in their eulogy
To state this more clearly, people who value principle over popularity, those with the world needs more strong convictions and spirited curiosities, those who prefer Valpo graduates. intelligence that is abiding and beneficial, not quick and
than what is written on their resume. Our world needs
artificial. And, the world needs those who recognize that just because you can, does not mean you should.
This is the headline of the story for today. What does the world need from us? The world needs more Valpo graduates. This, I do believe, is most certainly true.
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The world needs more Valpo graduates, as there is
they do better! The world needs more Valpo graduates,
something special that happens with our students here, and
because our graduates seek far more than a ticket to
something special about the graduates who commence from
an entry-level job, as they seek a trajectory toward an
here. Because of the way we take seriously both religious
extraordinarily good life.
devotion and intellectual exploration, because of the way we choose to know students by name, and not by number,
Which is to say, to all those who dispute the value and values
because of the way we prepare students to take personal
of a university such as this one, I simply invite you to meet
responsibility and give to a larger beloved community,
one of our graduates, for when you do, I am confident that
because of the way we help people to turn toward each
your doubts will quickly turn into belief. Our graduates are
other, rather than turn against each other, and because we
like hands that bless our world, so we need to send more of
embrace each and every student as a Child of God:
them out into the world, and we need to tell this good news to the world.
At Valparaiso University, we build lives for good.
To all here today, if I am allowed to offer one homework assignment for all of you, it is simply this: Please, go and tell others, that the world needs more Valpo graduates. Please, go and tell others how Valpo graduates learn without fear, serve with love, and lead with hope, and the world needs
And because we build lives for good, our students
more of that. Please, go and tell others how Valpo graduates
are thoughtful, they are ethical, and their impact is
are rooted in the Lutheran values of scholarship, freedom,
immeasurable. Our students are resilient, they are inquisitive,
and faith, and the world needs more of that. Please, go and
and I can assure you from my experience in the residence
tell others how Valpo graduates are reaching into the world,
halls, our students love to have fun!
and committed to excellence, to lead and serve in both church and society, and the world needs more of that.
Our students become graduates and these graduates are a blessing to our world, as they are connectors in a divided
Please, and this one is specifically directed at my fellow
world, peacemakers in a conflicted world, and innovators in a
Lutherans, especially those who are sometimes a bit too
changing world.
timid and far too quiet. We must be done with being the best
The world needs more Valpo graduates, because our
of “tooting its own horn,” please be assured, there is nothing
graduates are scientists who both advance discovery
wrong with “tooting your own horn” if the sound of that horn
and affirm discernment, educators who both awaken
helps someone else to find their way! We must be done with
kept secret. If you are worried about Valpo being accused
the mind and ignite the soul, and business executives
being silent. We must be done with being shy. We must be
who both lead with intellect and serve with integrity. Our
done with being the best kept secret, for now is our time, to
graduates are engineers who solve daunting problems and
be the best told story.
ask big questions, healthcare professionals who innovate with courage and heal with compassion, and artists
The students we send out as graduates into the world are
who challenge longstanding assumptions and inspire
good news for the world, and if we have good news to share,
breathtaking beauty. Our graduates are pastors who preach
then we must tell others about it. We cannot not speak
and listen, public servants who collaborate and compete,
about it, so let us speak about all of it, with confidence and
and neighbors who embrace rights and responsibilities. Our
with clarity. As those beautiful words from the 5th Chapter
graduates are friends, husbands, wives, sons, daughters, and
of Matthew’s Gospel remind us: “You are the light of the
citizens, who learn throughout the ecosystem of their lives
world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. People do not light
that faith and learning can and must intertwine.
a lamp and put it under the bushel basket; rather, they put
To borrow from Maya Angelou, our graduates do the best
the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they
they can until they know better, and when they know better,
may see your good works and give glory to your Father
it on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In
in heaven.” 1 0 | " W H AT D O E S T H E W O R L D N E E D F R O M U S ? "
SECTION 6: SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? To all my dear Valpo friends, I will conclude where I began,
life. Every once in a while, a small group of people live the
with the recognition that whenever we get somewhere good,
questions of their time, and because of their example,
we got there because others were good to us. The truth of
others are given the confidence to take part. May we be
today is that, each and every person here is surrounded
such people.
by the great cloud of witnesses, those who lived before us, who shaped us, and who sometimes carried us, all because
May we be the people who are moved by the spirit of God to
they love us. To move forward is to be brought forward, and
live differently, and then inspire others to join in, so that, 500
now is our time to help bring others forward. As others have
years from now, those who come after us, may look back to
helped each and every one of us to get to where we are, now
us, and hopefully, give thanks to God for us.
is the time for us to help others get to where they are being called by God to be.
My hope and my prayer, is that, 500 years from now, when history rhymes once again, they will look back and say that
This is why we are here. Valparaiso University, at its best, is
our time, was a special time, when we embraced our calling
far more than an institution of higher education, as we are
with courage. May this be such a time.
purposeful participants in the Mission of God. We are not here merely to enroll students and produce graduates, as
May we be such people, and may this be such a time, where
we are here to participate in God’s work in the world. Which
we deepen our roots and expand our reach. May we be such
means, we are not here today to celebrate a moment, as we
people, and may this be such a time, when we listen for the
are here to take part in a movement. And by God's grace,
words of God while also turning up the volume of our voices.
we are here to take part in a movement that becomes
May we be such people, and may this be such a time, when
momentum in service to God’s mission. Momentum that
lives were built for good, and through those lives, the world
responds to the needs of the world, by sending out more
was changed for good.
Valpo graduates into the world. To each and every person gathered here today, my final words for you on this day are this. Every once in a while, a small group of people is moved by the spirit of God to live differently, and then others are inspired to join in. This is the story of the Bible, and this is also the story of human
To all who are here, the future is calling. By God's grace, let us answer. Thank you, may God bless you, and may God bless Valparaiso University.
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