Observer Online, IN
May 13 2005
ND brings Gregorian to speak
By Maddie Hanna
A leader, an author and a native Iranian, the multi-faceted Vartan
Gregorian will address Notre Dame’s 2005 graduates Sunday at the
University’s 160th commencement exercises.
Gregorian, president of the Carnegie Corporation and former president
of Brown University and the New York Public Library, will be the
principal graduation speaker. This wide variety of high-ranking
positions makes him an ideal selection, University President Father
Edward Malloy said in a press release.
“In all his many roles in public life, Dr. Gregorian has displayed
extraordinary leadership,” Malloy said. “I know that his remarks will
be an ideal capstone for [our graduates’] educational experiences on
our campus.”
Gregorian has served at the helm of New York’s Carnegie Corporation
since 1997. The corporation, which was founded in 1911, seeks to
carry out founder Andrew Carnegie’s vision of philanthropy, which
Carnegie said should aim “to do real and permanent good in the
world.” Awarding grants in four areas (education, international peace
and security, international development and strengthening U.S.
democracy), the corporation expects its fiscal year 2004-2005 grants
to total over $80 million.
>From 1989 to 1997, Gregorian served as the president of Brown
University, where he taught freshman and senior history seminars and
a course on Alexis de Tocqueville. In addition, he led capital
campaigns that helped triple the endowment there.
Prior to that, Gregorian served for eight years as president of the
New York Public Library – a system that has four research libraries
and 83 circulating libraries. He is credited with pulling the library
out of financial crisis. Gregorian was born to Armenian parents in
Tabriz, Iran. After receiving his elementary education there and his
secondary education in Lebanon, he enrolled at Stanford University in
1956. He graduated with honors just two years later.
In 1964, he earned a doctorate in history and the humanities, also
from Stanford.
Gregorian taught European and Middle Eastern history for eight years
at San Francisco State College, the University of California at Los
Angeles and the University of Texas. He then joined the University of
Pennsylvania faculty. In 1972, he became the founding dean of the
Faculty of Arts and Sciences there; in 1972, he became the provost.
Notre Dame has welcomed other academic officials in the past, such as
former Yale University President Kingman Brewster, Jr. in 1972,
former Harvard University President Derek Bok in 1987 and Stanford
Provost (now Secretary of State) Condoleezza Rice, a Notre Dame
alumna.
Father Peter Jarret, counselor to Malloy, said Notre Dame’s emphasis
on intellectualism in choosing commencement speakers reflects the
University’s values.
“Given Notre Dame’s academic reputation,” he said, “that’s the type
of person that would come here.”
Gregorian has received myriad accolades and grants during his career,
including honors from U.S. presidents. In 1998, President Bill
Clinton awarded Gregorian with the National Humanities Medal; last
year, President George W. Bush awarded him the Presidential Medal of
Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian award.
Gregorian is the author of “Emergence of Modern Afghanistan: Politics
of Reform and Modernization, 1880-1946,” “Islam: A Mosaic, Not a
Monolith” and his autobiography, “The Road to Home.”