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Parting Thoughts

By John Cahoy

Over the past few years, I have had the privilege to get to know my former calculus professor very well. During one of our discussions, he noted: "You know, school and life are funny. Somehow, when you get more involved in things, feel a bigger stake - you get to know people better, and they push you to your limits, they give you a chance to see 'what you got,' and tell you unvarnished truths about yourself."

There is a lot of truth in this statement, and it seems to me that when we look back on our college careers, what we will value most will be those interactions with our fellow students and professors who pushed us a little bit further than we thought possible - whether it was in the classroom, during independent research, or just having serious fun. Those human connections that helped us succeed are going to be among our most valuable and long-lasting memories.

Our class survived significant changes here at the U. While we were being challenged by our peers and instructors to go the extra distance to learn the concepts and skills required for our degrees, we were also jumping through the hurdles of semester conversion, dodging the obstacles PeopleSoft put in our paths, and surviving Y2K. (Yes, we can laugh about it now, or perhaps I should say once we have our diplomas in hand.)

John Cahoy

During our years here we were also among the world's most active participants in a worldwide revolution. The Internet and information technology rapidly became integrated into all aspects of everyday life. This technology has the potential of dramatically revitalizing our individual and collective lives; however, during these revolutionary times we must not forget the human component of our education that pushed us beyond our comfort zones, allowing us to learn new and exciting things. The subtlety, the feeling, the passion of interacting with real human beings will always be the most critical motivator of success - not just in education, but in any endeavor we undertake.

Tonight, I would like to suggest that the functioning of democracy will be significantly impacted by the revolution in information technology - that it will lead to a new kind of democracy. What are our opportunities, what are the pitfalls - what parts of the fundamental foundation need to be protected?

What does the Internet mean for democracy? One of the opportunities we will have in the future is voting on the Internet - and actually, this opportunity has already come during Arizona's Democratic primaries, when they held the first legally binding public elections in which votes could be cast over the Internet. Amazingly, voter turnout increased by over 600% from 1996. At first, this sounds like the rebirth of democracy - but is this really true? Who are the people we are disadvantaging when voting takes place over the Internet? Are we sending the message that only those with computers will have the right to vote without a hassle? The strength of democracy rests in its diversity, and in its respect for diversity; how can we avoid sending the wrong message? These are the kinds of questions we must grapple with as we integrate this new technology into the democratic process.

One of the great potentials of the Internet is its use to raise the standards of participatory democracy, freeing ourselves from the standard sound bite mentality of network reporting and political spin doctors. Quality Web sites dedicated to disseminating information on where candidates stand in regard to the environment, education, and social issues will allow in-depth investigation of the issues that matter the most to us, although we must remember that the Internet is not a substitute for creativity, and for the passion of actually getting involved.

Hopefully, with such efforts we can avoid a future in which the new emerging and merging media giants control who gets elected. It will be up to us to ensure that the Internet is used to advance democracy and not used to funnel power into the hands of a few.

What is the connection between our University experience and democracy? Just as the need for human interactions remains in the forefront at the University, the need for human interactions in our democracy continues to be vital. We must actively reach out to others in order to motivate and challenge. One of the most important places to do this is in the schools, educating the next generation. Even though many of us will never be teachers, our opportunity to be educators is unlimited. As your careers advance, remember to return to your local schools, talk to students there, and tell them about your careers, the opportunities open to them, the challenges in achieving those opportunities, and what they need to do to become successful like you. Also, becoming involved in mentorship programs will enable you to establish even closer connections - connections where you can really make a difference in one person's life. We all have stories of someone who took the time, who cared enough to encourage as well as raise the bar, who pushed us beyond our supposed limits, so we could go further than we ever dreamed. Now it is our turn, our chance, to pass on that personal touch to another generation, while at the same time adding that satisfaction that we did make a difference. Don't miss the opportunity to become a mentor.

We are the new youthful spirit entering the workforce. The bridge to the 21st century has been crossed, although certain problems managed to tag along with us - not the least of which is that we are still human. Now is our chance to challenge ourselves and others, to come up with novel solutions to the problems we continue to face. We have been preparing for this opportunity our whole lives - the opportunity to be not only concerned citizens but also trained experts in our fields. Although technology will be a critical tool in our efforts, it is only through continuing to challenge each other, to push our limits, and to live and think with passion, integrity, ingenuity, sensitivity, boldness, and insight that we can tackle the problems we face. We can make a difference!

We are the first graduating class of the new millennium. Head on, we must face the challenges presented to us. One of the first and foremost is ensuring that the foundation of our society remains based on individual freedoms and a strong democracy. Technology can assist us, but only through maintaining a balance with our personal human interactions can we really move beyond just 'good enough' and do something better.

Thank you for your attention tonight. I wish you all the best of luck in the future - let's make the world proud of the first graduating class of the new millennium!

AUTHOR'S NOTE: The themes in this address grew out of many discussions with Professor Dennis Hejhal. I am also very grateful to Pamela Drake, Stephanie Stathopoulos, and Professor Toni McNaron for their helpful suggestions and stylistic critiques.