“Every single day, every single one of us is going to make decisions and take actions which will either bring us together or tear us apart. And by doing nothing, we’re contributing to the latter outcome.” —Bill Clinton
Former President Bill Clinton addressed a crowd of MSU students, alumni and friends on public service, saying that it is more important than ever for each of us as private citizens to look for ways to “make something good happen,” even things seemingly small.
He spoke as the first recipient of the Spartan Statesmanship Award for Distinguished Public Service, which was created along with a forum by former Michigan Gov. Jim Blanchard and his wife, Janet, through a $1 million gift. Blanchard, the first MSU alumnus to serve as Michigan’s governor, also served in the U.S. House of Representatives and was Ambassador to Canada under Clinton. At the forum, he praised Clinton’s activities in public service which he said could fill ten lifetimes.
In his speech, Clinton told students that the first key to making good things happen is to truly see people as individuals. After that, he encouraged having clear purpose, the right policies for that purpose and the knowledge necessary to turn good intentions into positive change in people’s lives.
Creating an Engine of Opportunity for all students is just one goal of MSU’s $1.5 billion Empower Extraordinary campaign. We’re also working to support academic programs and expert faculty, build a more vibrant community and provide resources to those working to solve the world’s most pressing problems.