This evening Dr. Dula brings a special message of inspiration
to our graduates in his presentation on
the meaning of honor. It is with great pleasure
that I ask you to welcome this distinguished ETSU faculty member,
Dr. Chris Dula.
How many people have had me before in class? Alright, then ya'll know how to do it, right? Hello!
Hello! No, no, no. Teach them people that you came with.
Hello? ... Hello! That'll work,
for academic purposes. I brought my own water.
It's bubble water. In August, I'll be 22 years without a drink of alcohol,
and I found that that's a good thing for me, but in adopting bubble water as
as my drink of choice I find it tastes a lot like Coors Light.
You students are all here to be honored for your achievements, as you should be,
and I was honored to be asked to do this speech. It's somethin'
I've never done before, has come about as a result I actually wrote a speech.
I wrote it. Thank you, thank you I'm very proud of it.
I finished it at 6:30 tonight. That's the way we do when we
are academic excellers, right? Procrastination builds pressure.
Then, that deadline draws near and you put that energy into it and you get it done,
and it's good. So, I didn't just write it tonight. I've been reflecting on it ever since
Dr. Piles invited me to do this speech. She assured me it would be a fun time so I
agreed to do it,
but I thought, wow that's heavy. I'm glad to be able to do this, and I wanna think
about it. I've been thinking about it
ever since that invitation. I've been reflecting on the meaning of the word, honor.
Or if you're of the English persuasion the word, honour.
They have a "u" in it, see? There's a very a
very big difference. I even looked it up in various dictionaries and found some agreement
on various interpretations. To do honor to my academic training let me also
cite the sources, yes? Yes.
Ya'll know, cite your sources. Merriam Webster online, Dictionary.com,
Wikipedia,
and a print version entitled, The New International Websters Pocket Dictionary
of the English Language
New Revised Edition", and by new I mean it has a copyright of 1998.
So, it's not quite two decades out. But ya' know, the meaning of honor doesn't change that much.
It doesn't change really at all.
Down through the years it may have shifted in the way you pronounce it,
and certainly shifts from language to language, but
what it means doesn't change at all, and I'm a read some of the
definitions to ya'. It's a noun.
It can be used as a noun; it can be used as a verb, as we'll see shortly.
High respect, esteem, and synonyms include: distinction, recognition,
privilege, prestige, merit, credit. A person or thing that brings credit. You are all an honor
to ETSU,
and to your families, and to your friends. By being the best you can be,
and you'll be an honor to your professions if you continue this route, and by
extension to our society.
Additional synonyms: integrity, honesty,
up-rightness, I didn't even know up-rightness was a word, it is.
It's got a lot of syllables in it. Ethics, morals, morality,
principals, and I am assuming that you honored
students adhere to a moral code. By which you do not cheat, shortchange, or slide
by
in your academic work. Doing right for the sake of doing right. Captain America is a
fictional exemplar of this code.
I saw Captain American last night; it was very good.
Winter Soldier, I highly recommend it. But, ya'll are true to life
exemplars of this code. In my youth, I didn't always do right.
I was a delinquent who made bad choices, and I can't really blame anyone but myself for
those choices in hindsight.
At the time though, I had plenty of blame to go around for everybody but myself, but in
maturing and living through
those experiences of my youth were some my friends and family did not live through their
youths.
I learned the meaning of honor and disregard. I falter still,
and I am by no means a saint. But, I actively strive everyday to be a better
person, better than the day I was before. I like being able to emphasize
things by banging on this podium. Usually I walk around a lot, but then
I can't read.
But I'm serious, I make slip-ups and I have imperfections,
but I try to live every day to be a better person then I was the day before.
Never be perfect, but progress is always possible.
And, I'd like you all to abide by a moral code that leads you to do the right thing for
the right reason, no matter the personal cost.
At least to strive for that goal cause sometimes it is
overwhelmingly difficult and almost impossible to achieve.
Number 2: A privilege. Golf.
That's in the dictionary, golf. The right of teeing off first having won the previous
hole.
I don't play a lot of golf. I played one round with my chair and he told me, he's like I
get really upset when I play golf, if that's okay with you. I'm like, well I don't get upset
when I play golf and I play horribly; I hope that's okay with you.
Because, I'm gonna mess it up and laugh and laugh and laugh. I might even aim for the
lake
and be hittin' the green. So, it could be an official award for
act of bravery or an achievement. We've all heard of people who have given their all
and received the highest military honors,
for example. And I'd like to take a moment to say that we all get to do what we do
by virtue of the fact that some of our citizens take on the greatest of dangers.
Military, firefighters, police rescue personnel, and the like
to make our United States safe for the types of pursuits we engage in on a day-to-day
basis.
They risk everything so that we can have the privilege of living the lives we lead,
and often take for granted. There are others to whom we owe many "thanks" for our
opportunities.
We call them family and friends. But for the mothers, the fathers, the grandparents,
the aunts, the uncles, the siblings, the step-family, the adopted family, the foster family, the
church family,
the family of our choosing by which we mean our closest friends.
Without their love and support we may not have made it this far,
and we certainly would have less meaningful achievements without them to
share it with us.
Another subdivision,
a special distinction for proficiency and an examination. For example,
"she passed with honors." Ya'll did that; that's how you got here.
You passed with honors. I really didn't know what that meant, and
when I started college, community college, in my early mid-twenties
I did well, I did really well. I worked
really really hard, and I sat there and saw an induction ceremony,
much like Jason whose filming this one from the back. I was working the lights,
and I was working the sound for this honors ceremony, where people were being inducted,
and I thought to myself, what a buncha BS.
People paying fees to get honored by
some organization. You're paying money to have people tell you you're smart; that don't sound very
smart to me.
But, I was purely ignorant, right. I didn't really know what it meant. And when
we're ignorant of things
we don't seek to become more enlightened; we just disparage that which we don't
understand,
and later somebody told me, they said, oh wow
those are honors that go on your vita, which is a fancy word for
resume,
right. And it was considered a mark of distinction such as one was more likely
to be seen as worthy candidate for a job,
or admission to graduate school. So, I properly paid my fees and joined
four such societies,
and I changed my views because it turned out I was wrong.
I've often been wrong, rarely in doubt, but often wrong.
I like to think I change when I'm confronted with my mistakes, and become
better
as a result of being confronted by others with my mistakes.
A class or course of degree studies more specialized than that of the ordinary level.
For example, an honors degree in mathematics.
If you get a degree in mathematics, I'm honored to hang out with you cause
I have respect for those who can accomplish what I cannot.
In general though, ya' know I do mathematics. I am a scientist, but
actually the software does the mathematics.
I just know what they mean. I don't actually do the equations.
They are beyond me, but other people do and I
I have high praise and respect for those who can think that way.
In general the Honors College and honors programs we have at ETSU, they challenge
the student who wishes to be challenged.
To do more than he or she would ordinarily be expected to do,
and you get out of life what you put into life. So to step up and do more, you thus gain
more.
A title of respect given to
or use in addressing a judge or mayor. Now,
I currently have to serve jury duty for three months. Let me rephrase,
I get to serve jury duty
for three months in a country that has as its basis of a system of justice
the right to trial by jury of ones peers, to be confronted by ones accusers, to be
presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, and so on.
And the judge who presides over this court, certainly seems to me, to deserve the
title "your honor".
I've seen some politicians that deserve the title your dishonor.
True? Mmm...
true. But in truth we absolutely rely on citizens to serve in so many ways, and
I hope you of true honor
will go on to become those leaders who do not sully the honor done to you by
being chosen
as a representative of the people. Now we gonna get to a verb.
I've been engaging in verb activity. Regard with great respect.
Synonyms: esteem, respect, admire, differ to, look-up to, pay public respect to,
commemorate. I hope we will honor those that have come before us as we honor those in our
midst tonight. My grandfather, Clyde Dula, my last living grandparent died
and left me a tiny sum of money that I wasn't expecting. It wasn't massive, but it
was
it was helpful, right? He thought about me
and I didn't even know he thought about me and my brother in the way that he did. He just
did.
He was a man who challenged me in my life. He served as a consummate role
model for doing the right thing in all circumstances.
I lived long enough to make him proud of me, an honor that words fail to describe.
We're gonna build a new performing arts center at ETSU,
and in addition to making some much needed home improvements and car repairs,
I donated enough of that money to put his name
and my grandmother's name on two seats in that center. In my home I still need to
make a sign that says, "The Clyde and Helen Dula Memorial Deck
and Drive,"
and I will, I assure you. I'm shopping around
for pricing. He was a frugal man
Brought up in the depression. You don't waste money, right?
I also wrote a song for my other grandmother, and a poem for my other grandfather
because I was likewise blessed to have Tommy and Hyna
Thomas as guiding lights in my life. Other synonyms: acclaim, praise, solute,
recognize, celebrate, commend, hail, exalt, make tribute to, sing the praises of.
We're here to celebrate all of you tonight. We, faculty, are most proud when our students do well.
And our own accomplishments are made possible
by our positions in this institution. Which are made possible by students making
ETSU their school of choice.
You also make your families and friends proud. I've seen that so poignantly in a
man who became my friend.
Who went from being an industrial worker, to a man disabled by an industrial
accident,
to an undergraduate student using vocational rehabilitation funds.
Who accomplished at the highest level he could achieve as an undergrad. Did so
well that he got into our doctoral program, which only takes five or six
people a year.
And, excelled there and now makes his living as Dr. Brandon Bogle
providing desperately needed psychological care
to people in rural Virginia, serving. I know his family,
and I've seen all of them beam with pride when they attended ceremonies such as these,
and graduations.
And, I encourage you to attend your graduation ceremony.
They are boring, make no mistake.
I aint kiddin'; you know this, right? But,
but, but, big, I got all caps, but
but they constitute a singular moment where you can really reflect on
what you've accomplished.
What it took to accomplish it, who you love and care for,
who loves and cares for you, and just relish that moment.
It's a moment that you should take out of your life and out of your day,
out of that mornin' to just really think about and reflect upon what's
happened. You'll figure out soon enough what comes next. I'm guessing most of ya'll
are planning types,
and likely have some idea where you're headed, right?
But in your place I really didn't know what I was going to do, but as you can see
it all worked out okay for me.
And, in your celebration you get to wear some fancy clothes.
Many faculty I know grip about having to wear this get-up,
but I think they secretly enjoy it, right. I openly enjoy it,
right. Ya'll know Stevie Nicks?
Why not?
How often do you get to play dress up in a crazy looking costume?
This costume was expensive, and my mommy and daddy bought it for me when I won
the University Teaching Award.
So, I wear this funky hat and ridiculous dress with pride.
I find you gotta hike your skirt to climb the stairs. Now,
getting near the end of this. Fulfill an obligation
or keep an agreement, verb. Synonyms:
fulfill, observe, keep, obey, heed, follow, carry out, discharge,
implement, execute, and effect. So you're supposed to honor
the agreement you make when you pay for a class, and then are given a list of
tasks
in a syllabus. The better you do in meeting the terms of the contract; the better
your course grade.
And you ultimately exchange the knowledge and skills you gain for money and
security at a place of future employment.
And, you're statistically more likely to make more money and to have better job
security as a result giving that little piece of paper
at the end of your academic journey, that diploma. Cause after all your
blood, sweat, and tears, money, effort, sleepless nights, etc. etc.
You get a piece of paper when you're done.
It's fancy; I highly recommend that you frame it.
You have to honor your agreement
with the bank to pay back your student loans, and that is no small thing.
I have a similar agreement with the bank that lets me stay in their house as long
as I pay them a big chunk of money every month.
One day, theoretically, I'll get to stop paying them and then honor my agreement with
Washington County and Johnson City,
and give them property taxes in exchange for the privilege of living in a
house I bought from the bank.
But, beyond these types of agreements.. Pause for bubble water..
In a moment a little bit more, depth. We have more sacred obligations, in my mind.
You see, our academic achievements allow us some privileges in society
like, money and job security, but they also give us the opportunity to get paid
doing something we love. Dr. Piles is going to leave a job she loves to go do a job
she loves cause she has the credentials
to do the job she loves, and that's a blessing.
Alright, we also have the opportunity to make a real difference in this world.
Our achievements don't make us better people than anybody else, but they open doors
that might otherwise be shut to
us, and they allow us a bit more freedom in that respect. But, as Victor Franklin once said,
the statue Liberty on the East Coast
should be supplemented by a statue of responsibility on the West Coast.
I think we all have a responsibility to give back to our communities.
I think when you reflect on how lucky we are to live in a land that allows us
this kind of freedom,
and a time in our history that allows us to dream unbelievable possibilities
knowing that they might become realities within our lifetime,
and that most other people in this world are not born in such lands,
nor the true possibility for accessing such opportunities,
or are faced with other kinds of barriers to fulfill in their potential as people.
That leads me to think that we
have a responsibility to do what we can
to make this country and this world a better place. Final set of synonyms: privilege,
pleasure, joy, and pride. I can say without a doubt that speaking to you tonight has been a true
privilege.
It has given me great pleasure and joy, and I couldn't be more proud than I am to
work at ETSU,
and serve the students who make this institution a great place of learning.
It has been an honor. Thank you, and go Bucs.
Thank you, Dr.
Your love for those animated reflections this evening.