Ann Moore, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Time Inc., and Herbie
Hancock, Jazz Pianist, Composer and Music Impresario, Give Advice to Bentley
University Graduates at May 16 Commencement
Bentley Awards First-Ever Doctoral Degree
WALTHAM, Mass., May 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In a keynote address to
approximately 1,100 Bentley University undergraduates at the 90th commencement
ceremony on May 16, Ann Moore, chairman and chief executive officer of Time
Inc., shared life lessons as she urged graduates to follow their passion and
take an active role in the community.
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"As you leave here today, don't be intimidated by a tough job market as you
search for your place in the world ... follow your passion," she said. Citing
her choice to join Time Inc. in the late 1970s, she continued, "I took the
lowest offer on the table and I took it because I loved magazines. So forget
the clock; get yourself a compass instead, because the direction you are
headed is far more important than how fast you're going."
Moore's second lesson went beyond a paycheck and the four walls of an office.
"Whatever career path you take, whatever choices you make, try to go home to
Sunday dinners, not to an empty palace. There is certainly nothing wrong with
money, but the richness of your life won't be measured by it."
Underscoring the importance of mentorship, Moore shared what she learned from
others: the power of gratitude. Inspired by a woman who worked hard for little
money, yet donated impressive scholarship funds to a college, she asked, "What
are you and I going to do for the rest of the children of this planet?"
She continued by discussing how graduates will be called to fill a hole left
by baby boomers. "That flight of talent to the business world left a big void
in our schools, medical care and nonprofits. The next corporate leaders -- you
Millennials -- need to fill the void ... you may well need to commit to public
education and closing the dangerous gap between the rich and the poor for the
rest of your lives. You need to chase the real long-term solution to peace and
prosperity."
Noting life pressures, she concluded, "...you are all champions, and pressure
is a privilege ... the here and now is all we have, and if you play it right,
it's all you need. Seize the moment."
Moore received an honorary doctor of commercial science degree at the
ceremony.
MCCALLUM GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
At the 34th commencement ceremony, Bentley awarded its first-ever doctoral
degree to Kwadwo N. Asare who earned a PhD in Accountancy.
Addressing more than 400 graduate students during the McCallum Graduate School
ceremony, Herbie Hancock, jazz pianist, composer and music impresario,
advocated the importance of bringing tolerance, benevolence and generosity to
business.
Hancock began by sharing his passion to represent and embody the elements of
humanity, recalling a seminal breakthrough where he learned he needed to
define himself as a whole human being rather than only by his job. "I've
learned that to define success solely as affluence is an illusion ... The
greatest treasures in life are priceless. Courage, compassion or openness
cannot be bought; yet these intangibles -- once uncovered -- add texture and
meaning -- and thereby true affluence -- to one's life."
Emphasizing a contribution to broader society, Hancock said, "When making any
business decision, I unfailingly ask myself how I can improve the lives of
others as a direct result of pursuing my dreams ... Your future depends on
what you create, and my greatest hope is that over time, you will develop
lives of ever increasing value to yourself and others."
He encouraged graduates to bring humanity to work, to think outside the box,
to show compassion and respect, and to serve others. "Make yourself wealthy by
using humanity and ethics, and your fortune will have real and lasting value."
Hancock concluded with, "Recognize, celebrate and nurture your inner
creativity and remember to listen to the music of your soul. Bring your
imagination and artistry with you because it will serve you well as you try to
make a much-needed difference in this big, wonderful, complicated world that
awaits you."
Hancock received an honorary doctor of humane letters degree at the ceremony.
ABOUT THE GRADUATES
At the undergraduate ceremony, 1,053 Bachelor of Science degrees, 24 Bachelor
of Arts degrees, two Associate in Science degrees and five certificates were
granted to 1,084 students.
At the McCallum Graduate School of Business ceremony, Bentley awarded its
first-ever doctoral degree. In addition, 402 Master of Science degrees, 236
Master of Business Administration degrees, and 48 certificates were granted to
686 graduate students.
FACULTY AND STUDENT AWARDS
The Gregory H. Adamian Excellence in Teaching Award was presented to George P.
Fishman, senior lecturer in astronomy, for full-time teaching and also to
William Starner, adjunct lecturer in management, for part-time teaching. Jean
C. Bedard, Timothy B. Harbert Professor of Accountancy, received the Bentley
University Award for Excellence in Scholarship. The Joseph M. Cronin Award for
Excellence in Academic Advising was given to Charles R. Hadlock, professor of
mathematical sciences and Trustee Professor of Technology, Policy and
Decision-Making.
Student honorees included Julia A. Fee, winner of the Professor Robert J.
Weafer Award for Undergraduate Academic Excellence. The Professor William E.
Dandes Award for Graduate Academic Excellence went to Timothy Haley, Kevin
Hansberry, and Judith Keeley. Cheryl Morello was recognized as the Outstanding
Evening Student.
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
Ann Moore was appointed chairman and chief executive officer of Time Inc. in
July 2002. She had previously served as executive vice president of Time Inc.
since June 2001, responsible for the business and development operations for
several of the most popular consumer magazines in publishing: TIME, People, In
Style, People en Espanol, and Real Simple. In addition, she managed the
consumer marketing division of Time Inc.
Moore joined Time Inc. in 1978 as a corporate financial analyst and
subsequently served in key executive positions at Sports Illustrated, FORTUNE,
Money and Discover magazines. She was the founding publisher of Sports
Illustrated for Kids in 1989, until moving to People as its publisher in July
1991. She was named president of People in 1993. During her tenure, Moore took
what was already the most profitable weekly magazine in the U.S. to new
heights of success, both domestically and internationally. Under her guidance,
People grew from a single title to the centerpiece of a thriving magazine
family -- spinning off the Australian Who Weekly, followed by In Style, People
en Espanol, and Real Simple, as well as In Style's growing international
franchise.
A native of McLean, Va., Moore graduated from Vanderbilt University in 1971
and received her MBA from Harvard Business School in 1978. She joined Time
Inc. later that year. Moore serves on the board of directors of Avon Products,
Inc. and the Wallace Foundation. Her numerous awards and honors include
appearing on FORTUNE magazine's list of "The 50 Most Powerful Women in
American Business" for all 11 years of its existence. In 2003, Moore received
the first annual Time Warner Civic Leadership Award, which recognizes a senior
executive at the company who does the most to foster a spirit of employee
volunteerism and corporate responsibility.
Herbie Hancock's creative path has moved fluidly between almost every
development in acoustic and electronic jazz and R&B since 1960. He recorded
as a solo artist on the legendary label Blue Note Records at age 20, and then
joined the Miles Davis Quintet, securing his place in jazz history. After
numerous successful jazz recordings and awards, he branched into an
accomplished career composing and performing feature film and television
music.
Hancock stepped full time into the electronic jazz-funk era with his band The
Headhunters in 1973 and recorded the first jazz album to go platinum. The
music he recorded then has been an inspiration for generations of hip hop and
dance music artists to this day. In addition to numerous Grammy and MTV Award
successes, Hancock won an Oscar in 1986 for scoring the film "Round Midnight"
-- in which he also appeared as an actor. His tribute album, "River: The Joni
Letters" won the 2008 Grammy Award for Album of the Year, only the second jazz
album to win the award.
In 1999, Hancock formed Transparent Music. This multimedia music company is
dedicated to the presentation of barrier-breaking music of all types, at all
tiers of distribution including recordings, films and TV, concert events and
the Internet.
Hancock also maintains a thriving career outside the performing stage and
recording studio. Since 1991, he has been the Distinguished Artist in
Residence at Jazz Aspen Snowmass in Colorado, a nonprofit organization devoted
to the preservation and performance of jazz and American music; he also serves
as chairman of the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, the foremost
international organization devoted to the development of jazz performance and
education worldwide.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Further details on Commencement 2009 can be found on the Bentley University
commencement web site: http://www.bentley.edu/commencement.
SOURCE Bentley University
Michele Walsh, Bentley University, +1-617-875-0909, mwalsh1@bentley.edu
