(intense music)
- The human brain is the most complicated object
in the known universe.
It's more complicated than the working of a star.
It's more complicated than solar systems.
It's more complicated than the objects in galaxies.
- I have a dream.
- I can't imagine that nature,
whatever you believe,
nature or the creator,
put that thing between your two ears
so that you would use some tiny percent of it.
I can't believe that that's the case.
The notion of education being for a few people,
that's absurd. That is literally absurd.
(intense music)
Our why, our reason for existence
is to construct the public university,
which is serving the success of the democracy,
the success of the people and their families directly
with intent, with purpose, with differentiation,
with responsibility, with measurement,
with creativity,
with all the things that we can bring to bear,
that's what this is about.
- If you think about the audaciousness of that
that an institution says,
it's going to take fundamental responsibility for society.
For someone like me, I want to be part of that.
- Every single one of us is a one of a kind.
We exist on earth for this brief period of time
and that one unique opportunity that you have
cannot be wasted.
It needs to be maximized to its fullest extent.
- What does it mean for us
to be able to say we have something for you,
specifically for you
and for the six other people in your small town?
I think that's one of the things that gets missed
is the fact that we can reach 10 million people,
or we can reach 10 people.
And all of them get the same kind of engagement
from us and the same kinds of commitments to say,
we want to help you create a future of your own making.
(intense orchestral music)
- Access and excellence.
We need to give access.
We need to create inclusive communities
but it's because that's going to make us all more excellent
in our sciences and our ability to use
our scientific knowledge to solve grand challenges.
- The dual pursuit of access and excellence
is not just operationally expedient,
it's not just economically expedient,
it's not just fiscally expedient,
it's morally expedient.
It's the path to a meaningful social progress
for this country and for the world.
- To take an institution and reorient it to
a social impact is something that is
what universities should be about
but we've forgotten about.
- There's a reason why over a hundred thousand students
go to ASU because their doors are open to everyone.
Everyone deserves an education.
Everyone deserves an opportunity.
And Michael Crow has, almost single-handedly,
cracked the code on the role
and responsibility of a public university.
- Well, one of my favorite moments I was on onstage.
Mike said, "I want you to pay attention
to what we're about to say."
And then he announced,
all of you who have someone getting a college degree
for the first time,
maybe for the first time in your family, stand up.
70% of the crowd stood up.
That says it all.
They were there because they wanted an education,
it was their opportunity.
- I think we're at a time where higher ed has to transform.
We have to, we can't keep going with our old ways.
And I think that ASU is incredibly well positioned
to make that change as we lean into the future.
- We have to take on responsibility.
So this notion of taking on responsibility
is really, really important.
- We have to change the world now.
We have to change it now.
We cannot wait.
And ASU is the place that says, you have to change it now.
What do you need to take it to the next level?
- It is important that we have models.
It is important that young people look and say,
"Oh, I belong there."
So that gives me great joy and the responsibility
of knowing that it's my shoulders they're going to stand on.
I often tell them, I'm just holding the space for you.
I am holding this space for you.
And when you're ready, I'll be ready to go.
- I felt like I was bringing my personality
and, like, my value to the school.
And I felt like I was a part of something
that was going to be really big.
- My voice has been something
that I have discovered within the years.
And it's something that I will forever be grateful.
- What you can achieve here
is limited only by your imagination.
- It's a really unique situation to be here at ASU.
It's like being in the front seat
of the educational revolution.
- What we learn here has a potential to influence
the entire globe and humans living everywhere.
- I want to be at a place that believes that
it can keep improving every year
and wants to improve every year
and expects that the way that we impact our community
and the world should improve every year.
That's where I want to be.
- And what drives me is this notion of the individual human
and the individual human mind
of being able to become this powerful force.
You know, we've dreamt about this in art
and literature and culture for thousands of years
and we're just now to the point
where I'm 100% convinced that we can make it happen.
(upbeat music)