Standing on the verge of entering a world that has changed significantly over the past eight months, Penn's 246th graduating class received their degrees last Monday morning at the University's commencement ceremony.
But in spite of the uncertainty and instability that accompanied September's terrorist attacks, the graduates left Franklin Field with an optimistic outlook on the future as the words of keynote speaker Jim Lehrer echoed in their minds.
The author of twelve novels and host of PBS show The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer reflected upon how the field of broadcast news has evolved -- especially over the last year.
Lehrer compared televised news to professional wrestling by explaining that journalism has become more of an entertainment commodity than a means to obtain information.
"Journalism has fallen in the public esteem polls down there with Congress, the lawyers and now the accountants," Lehrer said. "Journalism is in trouble for reasons that are obvious for all."
In addition, he commented on how the lines between straight news, analysis and opinion have been blurred by many journalists.
Lehrer's critique of the news media, however, ended in an optimistic tone, as he spoke about how the aftermath of the terrorist attacks has forced journalists to turn back to the root of their profession.
"Amidst the horror and awful, there have been some heartening things happening, and one of them is what it has done to American journalism," Lehrer said. "It has brought home a message... that there is and has been a serious world out there that deserves to be covered seriously."
Lehrer noted that although it took such an enormous event for people to acknowledge the importance of journalistic integrity, he said that he had seen a "glimmer of hope"for the future of news media.
Even though Lehrer's affiliation with the University -- and the city of Philadelphia, for that matter -- does not extend much further than the honorary degree he received at the ceremony, he did his best to connect himself to the Penn community.
"Let it be known that Philadelphia played a slightly unusual part in my life: for nearly two years, I yelled out the word 'Philadelphia' in a microphone several times a day," Lehrer said.
Reminiscing about the days when he worked as an announcer at a Continental Trailways bus terminal in the 1950s, Lehrer recited the stops on the bus route from Texas to Philadelphia using an exaggerated Texan accent.
"That proves that if you learn something early and it's totally irrelevant, you'll never forget it," Lehrer said.
The Kansas-born journalist ended his address by quoting parts of a fictional speech given by a character in his 1990 novel, The Sooner Spy.
"As you search for your place in lives, I advise you to take risks," Lehrer said. "Be willing to put your mind and your spirit, your time and your energy, your stomach and your emotions on the line."
Coining these words as "the ultimate recycled quote," Lehrer expressed his doubts that the audience would remember much else from his speech except the word 'risk' -- which he repeated several times.
In addition to Lehrer, the other honorary degree recipients included Co-founder and Chairman of the Sesame Workshop Joan Ganz Cooney, Professor Emeritus of Economic and Social History at Birkbeck College Eric Hobsbawm, QUALCOMM Chief Executive Officer Irwin Jacobs and Rice University Professor of Chemistry and Physics Richard Smalley.
University President Judith Rodin and Provost Robert Barchi made brief remarks to the graduates as well.
"Within each of you lies a seed... that can change the world, but only if you have the courage to cultivate it," Rodin said.
