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June 17, 1997
JEANE KIRKPATRICK SPEAKS AT SIMON SCHOOL COMMENCEMENT
Former U.S. Representative to United Nations Tells Graduates: "Business Is an Essential Institution."
Jeane J. Kirkpatrick, the first woman to serve as United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations (1981-1985), addressed graduates at commencement ceremonies of the William E. Simon Graduate School of Business Administration, held Sunday, June 15, at the Eastman Theatre in Rochester, New York. She received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Rochester.
"Business is an essential institution in today's world," Kirkpatrick told the Simon School Class of 1997, "democracy is the essential political form, and freedom is the central value." The United States has become the model of that freedom, said Kirkpatrick, the "example that other countries emulate as they seek to enjoy more fully that central value and its associated institutions--the rule of law, a constitutional government and a free economy."
During her years at the UN and as a member of Ronald Reagan's Cabinet and the National Security Council, Kirkpatrick had a remarkable impact in the United States and in the world body. Today, she is considered one of America's few true experts on world politics and international affairs.
The commencement ceremonies were presided over by University of Rochester President Thomas H. Jackson. Simon School Dean Charles I. Plosser gave the salutation to the Class of 1997.
Awards Karen A. Smith-Pilkington '88, general manager, Camera Business, and vice president, Consumer Imaging, Eastman Kodak Company, received the Simon School's Distinguished Alumna Award. Arunas A. Chesonis '91, president and chief operating officer, ACC Corp., received the Richard L. Rosenthal Award for Financial Innovation. The $7,500 Rosenthal award recognizes innovation in the fields of investment management and corporate finance, and was established by The Richard and Hinda Rosenthal Foundation.
The Philip T. Meyers Scholarship Award for highest record of academic achievement in the full-time Master of Business Administration Program was presented to Ian H. Turvill, who will join Mercer Management Consulting in Chicago as an associate. Turvill, a native of the United Kingdom, also received the Karl Brunner Award for the highest record of academic achievement by a non-U.S. student in the Master of Business Administration Program.
The Hugh H. Whitney Award for highest academic achievement in the Executive Development Program was presented to Elizabeth Spiegel Anderson, director/Prepaid Development and Operations, Frontier Communications Services Inc.
The John M. Brophy Award for the highest record of academic achievement in the part-time Master of Business Administration Program was presented to Surya M. Mantha.
The Operations Faculty Award for excellence in academic work and high career potential in operations management was won by Alicia D. Strout, who is an employee of Eastman Kodak Company.
Three Superior Teaching Awards for 1997 were presented to Simon School faculty. Clifford W. Smith Jr., Clarey Professor of Finance and Economics, received two--from the graduating classes of the Executive Development and full-time M.B.A. programs. Shailendra Pratap Jain, assistant professor of marketing, received one from the first-year M.B.A. class.
Class of 1997: Full-Time M.B.A. Program Statistics The Class of '97 includes 299 graduates of the full-time and part-time M.B.A. programs, 55 graduates of the Executive Development Program, 9 graduates who will receive the M.S. degree and 7 graduates who will be awarded the Ph.D. in business administration. The areas of concentration by percentage of this year's full-time M.B.A. class are finance (75 percent); accounting (25 percent); marketing (22 percent); competitive and organizational strategy (16 percent), and entrepreneurship (11 percent). [Graduates may have concentrations in as many as three disciplines, so the foregoing numbers do not total 100.] Other concentrations include business environment and public policy, computers and information systems, international management and operations management.
As of May 31, the number of job offers to Simon Class of 1997 full-time M.B.A. graduates increased by an impressive 22 percent over offers made (by the same date last year) to 1996 graduates. Base salary has increased over 20 percent to $69,969. Offers by functional area in 1997 are: finance and banking, 55 percent; consulting, 18 percent; marketing 14 percent; and operations/information systems, 12 percent. Firms that have made three or more offers this year include: American Management Systems, Inc.; The Bank of Nova Scotia; Chase Securities, Inc.; Citicorp/Citibank; Coopers & Lybrand LLP; Credit Suisse; First Boston Corporation; Eastman Kodak Company; First Empire State Corporation; G.E. Capital Corporation; General Motors Corporation; I.B.M.; Intel Corporation; McKinsey & Co., Inc.; NationsBank; Procter & Gamble Company; SAP America; Stern Stewart & Co., and Xerox Corporation.
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NOTE TO EDITORS: Background material attached.
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