09 autumn reporter 1-20 - Franklin College

PHOTO BY RENEE KEAN ’06
AROUND CAMPUS
Lugar urges education reform, direction in Afghanistan
By Samantha Parker ’11
Pulliam Fellow
U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar kicked off the
Franklin College 175th anniversary convocation
series on Sept. 20 with a lecture
focused on education reform and the
future of American troops in Afghanistan.
“I still believe that the educational
system in our country remains an area in
great need of bold reform and courageous
leadership and vision,” said Lugar. “The
issues may be different than during my days
Former Lugar interns include Cathleen Nine ’11,
Amanda (Personett) Shelley ’07, Colleen
Merkel ’07, Wayne Stanley ’08, Rochelle Revor
’08, Zach Watson ’10 and Renee Estridge ’11.
Kayla Cash ’11 is the current Franklin College
intern in Washington, D.C., this semester.
on the [Indianapolis] school board [in the
1960s], but our country currently faces an
enormous challenge in strengthening and
adapting our educational system to meet
higher standards, improve accountability
and increase our country’s competitiveness
internationally.”
He cited that Indiana’s high school
graduation rates range from 13.3 percent
to 99.3 percent, with the average hovering
around 70 percent over the past several
years.
He also noted that the U.S. doesn’t
stack-up internationally; 40 years ago,
America had the best graduation rates in
the world. Now, the U.S. ranks 18th.
“Estimates show that if the gap in
performance were closed, the GDP
would be 1.3 to 2.3 trillion dollars higher,”
Lugar said. “This number represents a
staggering 9–16 percent of our Gross
Domestic Product. Consider, in the midst
of the current financial crisis, what such a
boost would mean to the economy.”
Lugar said one key to raising the
standard of American education is to
ensure that teachers meet minimal
requirements for the subject which
they teach. Lugar said he will try to
champion education reform efforts at a
federal level.
Journalist promotes peace, builds schools
By Amy (Kean) VerSteeg ’96
Editor
The co-author of the New York Times bestseller Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s
Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time was a guest lecturer in October.
Journalist Greg Mortenson spoke to a full house in the Spurlock Center
gymnasium during his lecture, which was part of the college’s 175th anniversary
convocation series.
Mortenson’s book tells the story of his attempt to reach the peak of K2 in
1993. After a failed attempt, he was exhausted and disoriented and wandered
away from his group into the most desolate reaches of northern Pakistan.
Alone, without food, water or shelter, he stumbled into an impoverished
Pakistani village where he was nursed back to health.
Lugar also touched briefly on America’s
involvement in Afghanistan, saying
President Obama faces a major political
problem within the Senate.
“There are a number of members
questioning what our objectives are in
[Afghanistan] quite apart from whether
we ought to have more people there,”
said Lugar. “[Some suggest] Al Qaeda
may be in 10 or 20 places.”
Lugar said one solution filtering
through the Senate is a mobile force
comprised of land, water and air forces
stationed across the Middle East in
hospitable locations.
Since 2004, Lugar has partnered with
Franklin College on an intern program,
giving journalism students the opportunity
to work with the press team at his office
in Washington, D.C. One past participant,
Wayne Stanley ’08, joined Lugar’s Fort
Wayne, Ind., press office as a full-time
staff member upon graduating from
college. Stanley and several other former
interns attended Lugar’s recent lecture.
The college’s convocation series will
continue through April. To view the
full schedule of speakers go to
www.franklincollege.edu and click on
the anniversary logo or request a brochure
at (317) 738-8185.
New York Times best-selling author Greg Mortenson autographs
Three Cups of Tea for Natalie Snyder ’13 while DeAmber
Jaggers ’13 waits her turn.
While recovering he observed the village’s 84 children sitting outdoors, scratching their lessons in the dirt with sticks. The village
was so poor that it could not afford the $1-a-day salary to hire a teacher. When Mortenson left the village, he promised that he would
return to build them a school. Since then he’s made his life’s work a humanitarian campaign to help the children of Pakistan and
Afghanistan. To date, Mortenson has helped establish 78 schools.
During his lecture, the audience had a chance to ask questions about the book and hear Mortenson’s message about how character
and determination really can change the world.
16 FRANKLIN REPORTER WWW.FRANKLINCOLLEGE.EDU