Matthew King: Sometimes i think Duke should have come
with a warning label,
"warning you are entering a magical place."
Georg Vanberg: Hello and welcome to this graduation video for the Department of Political
Science at Duke University. We're here to
recognize you,
the class of 2020, as you graduate with
bachelor's,
master's, and phd degrees, in political
science.
My name is Georg Vanberg and i serve
as the department's chair.
Ordinarily we'd be celebrating this
occasion in Penn Pavilion
on our beautiful campus, and while a
virtual celebration is no true
substitute, we hope that this video will help you
and your family and friends
mark the moment
Jay Bilas: As the urban philosopher
Young Jeezy once said,
"Real recognize Real"
Amy Gravitt: To me perspective is
paramount, whatever career you choose.
Most people never feel successful, it's
difficult to measure and hard to embrace.
It's just not something you feel for
yourself.
Dan Abrams: You know one of the most
memorable or lasting courses that I took
at Duke, was one about comparative international
politics it was critical to my
understanding of the world and
recognizing similarities and differences
in
other governmental political systems, but
it just expanded me as a person.
Adam Silver: Each of you graduating today will have the opportunity
to use the skills and passion unique to
political science students
to impact your government your economy
and your culture.
Dan Abrams: Congratulations to all of you, I know this may not
feel like a typical graduation
and i know that many of you are
disappointed and frustrated 
and even angry.
Amy Gravitt: But you've got
a whole network of people
here, out in the world , who are ready to help you
Dan Abrams: Don't forget that duke will still be
with you that it's sort of like 'The Force'
it remains with you, you just have to
know how to use it.
Jay Bilas: What you have accomplished in graduating
from duke with a political science
degree
is really special, and the people with
whom you've accomplished that
are incredibly special as well. And don't
ever take that for granted. 'Don't take special for granted' that's
something i learned years ago from Coach
K,
and it's something i remind myself every
day. And it's especially true
on the day that you graduate ... and also,
take as many pictures
as you can because your hair looks
spectacular!
And i can tell you in 1986 when I
graduated from Duke with my political
science degree
my hair looks spectacular too
and look at me now.
Adam Silver: Congratulations to the Class of 2020 and
all your families.
I wish i could be there in person to
celebrate with you.
In challenging times like this, our
political science degrees
become more important than ever and I
often use what i learned as a political
science major at Duke.
I think of three important lessons,
#1: relationships matter 
#2 values matter, that's something i learned
often at Duke through the political
science department.
And #3: stay grounded in facts.
If you follow those three principles
your political science degree will serve
you
incredibly well as you venture out into
the world
I use my political science degree
virtually every day
in what i do at the NBA and I'm
absolutely confident that no matter what
career path you choose,
you'll use your political science degree
in the same way, so congratulations to
all of you and your families.
Jay Bilas: You know, you hear
people say that 'nobody loves Duke more
than i do' and 'nobody has cornered the market on loving duke'
I love duke with all my heart, it has
been an extraordinary relationship
that I've been fortunate enough to have
with all the people at Duke and with the
university itself,
and Im sure and hope that that you feel
the same way.
There's one thing i know that:  I
don't love it more than you do,
I've just loved it longer. And you'll be
in a position to say that someday
to the next graduating class, but
congratulations on your graduation from
Duke especially the political science
degree.
There's a a lot of great moments
ahead of you and I can't wait to see
what you're going to do and how proud
you're going to make all of us that have
graduated from duke as well.
Georg Vanberg: Congratulations, you now have a degree from one of the world's great universities
and one of the premier political science
departments in the country
majoring in political science you have
learned about the complexities
of social economic and political systems
around the world.
You have honed your analytical skills in
constructing arguments and examining
them critically
you've also developed a toolkit that
allows you to bring
systematic data to bear on important
questions confronting societies
around the globe you have wrestled with
the connections between our normative
commitments
and values and the manner in which
real-world social systems
operate. In the time you've spent at duke,
you've also become young adults,
ready to face the world, we the staff,
and faculty of the department are
thrilled to have been along for the ride
and we're incredibly proud of you.
TV narrator: "a half century ago two former rodeo men went into the woods with a 16 millimeter
camera
and stumbled on Bigfoot!"
"When she's walking across a sandbar and
spreads her arms out and looks at the
camera
frame 352."
Michael Munger: Alas, poor Uniyork
I knew him well! Good luck seniors.
Adriene Fresh: Congratulations Class of 2020.
Daniel Stegmueller: Congratulations, well done.
i know that you're leaving duke for a
world of a lot of challenges
but i firmly believe that you'll be able
to meet those challenges
thanks to all that you've learned at
duke hey there sorry we're all apart
but i hope you all have a happy
graduation and congratulations so
stay safe be healthy but also
lead the world well congratulations
again
hello hello seniors congratulations you
made it you did it hey 2020 political
science graduates congratulations
congratulations political science class
of 2020. to all our seniors
in political science who are graduating
this may great achievement and you
should be very very
proud congratulations congratulations
good luck and good luck congratulations
on your accomplishment
good luck in your new adventures and
remember you are
forever doing
congratulations duke graduates
congratulations class of 2020.
congratulations class of 2020. massive
2020
i will never forget the spring of 2020
and so i will never forget you
thanks for the memories and stay in
touch
i haven't been out of yoga pants for the
last six weeks but today i decided to
break out the fancy robes in order to
honor your accomplishments and toast
your future
congratulations graduates i just have
one thing to say
which is that we need you as we're
discovering in this pandemic
the normal way of doing things just
isn't going to cut it and so we need
innovative and creative people like you
and i look forward to having you lead us
into the post-pandemic world i do hope
that you have an
opportunity to celebrate congratulations
congratulations
every year our department recognizes an
outstanding alumnus of our program
past winners of the distinguished alumni
award include
dan abrams jay bilis amy gravette pamela
hawley
david rubinstein adam silver and judy
woodruff
this year we are honored to present this
award to laura koller
in addition to receiving her degree in
political science from our department
laura holds mma in fine arts from the
catholic university of america
she serves as the senior vice president
for human resources
sustainability and stewardship for the
kohler company
on whose board she has served since
1999.
in addition to her leadership at kolar
laura has wide-ranging philanthropic
interests
including serving as chair of the kohler
trust for the arts and education
the kohler trust for preservation and
the actors center in new york city
she has also served as a member of the
school board and been recognized as a
leader for education
with the wisconsin state superintendents
award for friends of education
laura we are proud to call you an alumna
of our department
and to present you with the 2020
distinguished alumni award
hello duke family chair van berg faculty
graduates
and families i am honored to speak to
you today to be chosen
as the distinguished duke alumna for
political science
what a journey you have had in four
years of your duke experience
the classroom is just one aspect of your
education
many times it is actually what happens
in between classes
that will shape you forever that was my
experience
for me i came from a small town in
wisconsin of 32 people
i was known as toilet girl within the
first week of freshman year
i was laura kohler from kohler wisconsin
and many of the dorms had kohler toilets
so i could run from that small town but
i couldn't hide
first lesson embrace your difference
i thrust myself into tons of activities
at duke and quickly learned that
i was not good at all of them i walked
onto that varsity volleyball team
and i only practiced and never played
second lesson develop self-awareness
fail fast and recover i plunged into
duke theater and i loved it i belonged
and it was my passion
branson and reynolds were my second
homes third lesson
find your passion but it was my
experience in political science that
shaped me and changed the course of my
life
i was in a poli sci class on developing
countries and the curriculum took us
around the world
we studied cultures economies frameworks
but what the professor wanted us to
experience was a different culture
in our own backyard i chose a durham
soup kitchen and meals on wheels
what i experienced was jarring at the
time
minutes away from our campus were people
who didn't have enough food or
shelter right here in the community that
surrounded my school
from that moment on i knew that i needed
to understand more about context
community culture and circumstance
i graduated from duke and went on to an
mfa
i managed and acted in a national
theater company and i quickly learned
that i was much better at the managing
part than the acting part
that experience helped me connect the
dots between what i was passionate about
and what i was good at which turns out
to be lesson four
the nexus between passion and your
talent
i moved to chicago where i found a way
to merge my love of the theater
and my interest in working with
under-resourced populations
by day i worked in the chicago public
schools as an artist in residence
and i worked at a homeless shelter
called christopher house by night
as i listened to stories of the people
that we served i got the idea to form an
improv group within the shelter
community
we eventually became known as a dress
unknown an improv company of homeless
actors that performed
all over chicago we were covered by the
chicago tribune and picked up by cbs
that experience taught me that if you
have a good idea
combined with passion and energy doors
will open of course the rest of the
story
is that i returned to wisconsin 27 years
ago and joined this company called
kohler
and today i can honestly say that i have
the opportunity to combine my passion
with what i am good at to deliver
impact i lead human resources
stewardship sustainability and our
innovation for good
a small business unit safe water for all
is our global water initiative and we
believe in better by harnessing
the power of our people to improve the
communities where we live
and work so for me my duke education was
a life-changing experience
where i truly began to understand the
importance of community
and the connection that it has on the
institutions that exist
within it the strength of community
for instance durham gives dukkha context
if durham doesn't thrive it is hard for
duke to thrive
the strength of community enables
families businesses and economies to
thrive
those communities need food systems
water education and health systems to
all come together
and it doesn't matter where in the world
you are a strong community in jagadia
india that has access to safe drinking
water and sanitation
is a healthier community that supports
parents working and children going to
school
just like durham does lesson five
what you do makes a difference
so now you have this amazing education
from duke
and the department of political science
you have seen the world
and debate and dialogue lecture and
projects with this very talented faculty
and now you have to take this education
and put it together with your
experiences
and apply it can you use your duke
education to inform activate and to make
a difference
i urge you to get involved in something
when you leave duke
start with your community what does it
need is it divided
can you build bridges between people and
help them find common ground
what is your passion and what are your
talents
you will find a need you just have to
look and listen
the world needs you all and we need you
now
to whom much is given much is expected
it is time to use your gifts and your
duke education
put your passions and your talent
together
i wish you the best life and i wish that
each of you
will have a life of impact thank you
as we come to the end of our virtual
celebration i want to recognize those
who've made possible what our graduating
students have achieved
of course they have worked hard to
develop their talents and their gifts
but nobody accomplishes great things
without help from family and friends
and so on behalf of our graduating class
a deep felt thank you to all of the all
of you
whose love and support over the years
have made it possible for them to
achieve this milestone
class of 2020 you have graduated from
college
finished a master's degree or earned a
phd
this moment has been years in the making
both through your own efforts
and the help and support of those around
you
no matter what is next for you we hope
that all of you
will look back on your duke experience
with a sense of pride
and perhaps a little nostalgia we also
hope that you come to think of it as a
time
during which you grew intellectually and
personally
and a time that expanded your horizons
teaching important life lessons
and giving you the breadth of knowledge
experience curiosity
and resilience that make it possible to
live and to appreciate life to the
fullest
we hope that you will cherish the
relationships that you have formed here
with each other and with staff and
faculty and finally
we hope that you will come back to duke
soon and often
especially so that we can celebrate your
achievements with you
in person thank you for having allowed
us to be a part of your
journey and a heartfelt congratulations
