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Show V : i I :- l - Then there came hope . . . hope from Senator Jake Garn after the Jan. 23 explosion of the space shuttle Challenger. His message was one of promise and of wonder as he told of his experience in space. 'The thing that bothers me most is what I would call vultures who seem so intent on finding someone to blame," said Garn about the government investigators and the media. He also told the story of a man who asked what planet we would first explore from space. The answer was "the earth." have been "an actor, a comedian, a coach, a mountain climber, a college president, a Coke lover, a millionaire, a multi-millionaire, and a cookie queen with lots of dough, a cameraman, an astronaut, a shrink, Mr. Universe and a KGB agent." Still, for all of the different people from a variety of backgrounds and from many places world-wide, the subject they chose was the same. It was one of peace and success, one of prosperity and fulfillment. "If you learn well what you are being taught . . . you will effect tremendous changes in the marketplace," said Gordon Jump, best known for his role of Arthor Carlson in the hit TV serial WRKP in Cincinnati. "This is the 'effort pit' right here. Most of you, while you're in the academic environment, don't realize your potential," said Jump. Dr. Mary Conroy, a professor at California State University and expert in self-defense, taught the practical lessons of avoiding a rape situation as well as teaching some basic principles of life. She said, "Luck is when opportunity meets preparation. Life is not a dress rehearsal this is it." Signpost photos of Sen. Jake Garn, Dr. Mary Conroy and Dr. Henry Kissinger: Scott Miller) - J " : if -V, The modern-day hero, Vance Anderson, who sacrificed his ability to walk to save a little girl from a falling weight, surprised the audience with his humor and his determination. He told the story of a particularly difficult race in which he lost a bolt from the wheel of his chair and had to finish the race leaning to one side. To commemorate the event he sang, "You Picked a Fine Time to Leave Me, Loose Wheel." Then he said, "If I'm failing in my life, I look at myself and take responsiblity." For most of us, Vladimir Sakharov was the first KGB agent we had ever seen. He was open and honest, saying that the U.S. and the Soviet Union needed to cooperate to combat "family recreational terrorism," which is currently controlled by neither side. He explained that the only possible brightness he saw for the future was cooperation between the two countries. In -If Dr. Henry Kissinger, former Secretary of State in the Nixon administration, spoke of the time period in which he received the Nobel Peace Prize. He said, "It is important not to forget and not to repeat what America did to itself. There are only two choices for America when faced with a war situtation to win or not to get involved." Although Dr. Kissinger expressed doubt in the reality of world peace, saying "there will never be a point at which we can say, 'now peace is assured,'" he did state that "I would leave you with this message of hope . . . we could, within the rest of the century, live in a world of peace." Dr. Kissinger summed up the message of all this year's convocations with two statements: "We are uniquely blessed in the country," and 'There is nothing we can do more important than to make a contribution to peace." o c n 3 3 Co 2 H c CJ a CD c 3 ft t ID 03 to 03 |