SU chancellor: Remember sacrifices

• By JORDAN BLUM
• Advocate Capitol News Bureau
• Published: Jul 26, 2008 - Page: 4A - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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In his first public speech as Southern University chancellor, Kofi Lomotey remembered the golden rule of graduation speeches — staying short and to the point.

On a Friday morning when 269 students graduated from Southern, Lomotey reflected on the sacrifices others made for today’s newest scholars to succeed. “None of us achieves anything on our own,” Lomotey said.

“This is not an end, but a beginning,” he told the graduates. “That is why they call these ceremonies commencement exercises.”

Lomotey, a New York native, said he saw his mother sacrifice for years after his father died when he was 6 years old. His mother, who never went to college, worked for the Internal Revenue Service.

“My mother would check the math on 1040s (IRS forms) year after year after year for 35 years,” Lomotey said. “She didn’t enjoy it. She did it because she didn’t have any choices.”

But her hard work gave Lomotey and his sister the opportunities to thrive, he said.

Lomotey’s cardinal commencement robe — in stark contrast to the Jaguar blue and gold — demonstrated his success. The colors represented his Stanford University education.

Southern University System President Ralph Slaughter introduced Lomotey on Friday, describing the new chancellor as an “exceptional academian, researcher, passionate student advocate, administrator and visionary.”

Slaughter cited Lomotey’s student-centered education philosophy — “commitment, confidence, compassion.”

Lomotey then urged the graduates to “play your part in addressing the injustices in our world.”

Every day, people are still discriminated against for their race, religion, sex, income, size and beauty, Lomotey said.

The moment that college graduates feel a sense of superiority is when they have failed, he said.

Lomotey encouraged the graduates to fight homelessness, illiteracy, racism, sexism and many other of the world’s ills.