Wisdom From the Sages
David Sowell
In welcoming the class of 2011 to campus, Dr. David Sowell presents succinct advice
from administrators and members of the faculty. In the spirit of suggesting to students
how they can make the most of their college experience, he urges them to get to know
the faculty, to take advantage of the diverse opportunities available on campus, and
to be willing to stretch the social, relational, cultural, intellectual and experiential
boundaries that they have brought with them to Juniata.
Telling Lies and Inventing Rhetoric In Ancient Greece
David Hutto
The origins of rhetoric are put into the context of Greek cultural and literary analyses.
The significance of its Greek origins is illuminated by the contrast of Egyptian culture.
Whether or not a group of people value rhetoric is demonstrated to be a function of
the acceptance and frequency of lying as demonstrated in the myths and morality of
a culture.
Oatmeal
Galway Kinnell
The Pulitzer Prize winning poet Galway Kinnell tells the previously unpublished story
behind his humorous poem, "Oatmeal." The poem is also reprinted with permission.
In May
Joann Condellone
Poem by local poet and midwife Joann Condellone.
Islam and Democracy in Indonesia
Ambassador (ret) Alphonse F. La Porta
Retired Ambassador La Porta, who served in Indonesia for part of his career, points
to the importance of Indonesia as an enormously complex Islamic country successfully
striving to combine democracy and moderate Islam. In the process Indonesia is “pushing
back” against Islamic extremism.
The Illegitimacy of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew
Robert J. Miller
The Gospel of Matthew tells us that Jesus was "begotten by a Holy Spirit" and born
in fulfillment of a prophecy that "a virgin will conceive." Christians have traditionally
understood Matthew to mean that Jesus was born to a virgin. This article questions
that traditional understanding and argues for a different interpretation. When we
look at Matthew's story against his own Jewish background in the Old Testament, instead
of against the background of pagan stories about gods fathering human children, we
can see that Matthew is not telling a story about a virgin birth. Rather, Matthew's
story is about God rescuing an endangered pregnant woman and her child and using her
pregnancy to serve His plan for salvation.
Disconnect: The Gulf Between Scientists and Journalists
Cornelia Dean
Dean, New York Times Science journalist and former Kennedy School Fellow, describes the reasons that scientists
and journalist have misunderstood and mistrusted one another. She also covers the
improvements in this relationship and points the way to additional changes in the
training of journalists and the need for a cooperative professional exchange between
scientists and journalists for the benefit of having informed policymakers and citizenry.
"Have Some Madeira, M'dear": The Unique History of Madeira Wine and its Consumption in the Atlantic World
James Tuten
James Tuten traces the history and legacy of madeira, "the most unique wine of the
Atlantic World," from its inauspicious beginning as a cheap wine selected for its
availability at the last port of call before making the voyage from Europe to the
Americas, to the subject of Google searches by wine aficionados willing to spend hundreds
(if not thousands) of dollars to indulge in its coveted taste.
Passion and Belief: The Story of the Untold Story of the Colfax Massacre
LeeAnna Keith
Historian LeeAnna Keith, author of a recent book on the massacre of African Americans
that took place in 1873 at Colfax, Louisiana, recounts the events that led up to this
terrible incident. Keith argues that, not only was the massacre successful in using
violence to restore white supremacy and undermining black independence in Reconstruction
Louisiana, the incident is a powerful example of how some of the ugliest parts of
history, ignited by "passion and belief," have been ignored or forgotten.
Prizes and Gifts
Dave Hsiung
The Spring Awards Convocation speaker, Dr. David Hsiung, addressed the assembly about
gifts and prizes that many faculty and students should receive for both their eclectic
bad habits, such as habitual tardiness, as well as noble efforts inside and outside
the classroom. Although Dr. Hsiung won a teaching award, he believes that many others
on the faculty should be honored as well. Lighthearted and humorous examples of both
student and faculty behavior are mixed throughout this paper along with examples of
teaching and service that are worthy of noting.
Welcome To The Real World
Andy Murray
In this Baccalaureate address, the retiring director of the Baker Institute for Peace
and Conflict Studies challenges the usual meanings of the phrase "the real world."
He shows how the real world is usually employed to describe the worst aspects of the
human existence. He challenges graduates to redefine the real world as human existence
at its best.
Commencement Address 2008
Michael Klag
Dr. Michael Klag, Juniata alumnus (1974) and dean of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School
of Public Health, assures the 2008 graduates that they have received a fine education,
tells of some of the current major problems in public health, and urges the graduates
to make a difference by daring to tackle big problems in their professional lives.