They Said It! Over the years, many prominent visitors have commented on the leadership role Lawrence Tech plays in educating generations of engineers, architects, scientists, and managers.
"I feel a particular affinity for this university.... My great-grandfather, Henry Ford, and his company played a major role in its development.... Since the opening [in 1932], Ford has contributed time and financial resources. In return, Lawrence has repaid us a thousand-fold. It has given us back something far better than money, something even more valuable than time. It has given us human resources.... The long relationship between the corporation and the university is a pioneering example of cooperation between business and academia."
Edsel B. Ford II,
Great-Grandson of Henry Ford Director, Ford Motor Company
"Lawrence Tech is a special place.... and people from Lawrence Tech can have a real impact....I hope you'll take this opportunity to push for bold new ideas and innovations that will improve choice, efficiency, and quality of life for all of us."
Spencer Abraham,
Former U.S. Senator from Michigan; Former Secretary, U.S. Department of Energy
"I am deeply honored and grateful to be counted among the degree holders of Lawrence Tech....To me, the intellectual potential and humanistic resources of you young men and women and others in your generation loom larger than all the promises of science and technology put together.... You are the best hope for the future, and I, for one, am confident you will respond to the challenge."
Lee A. Iacocca,
Former Chairman, Chrysler Corporation
"Whatever be the field of endeavor you [Lawrence Tech graduates] choose to follow, you modern-day pioneers must be problem solvers and long-range thinkers. You must be opinion leaders and policy-makers. You must be risk-takers and entrepreneurs. In short, you must be visionaries determined to make a difference."
Philip Caldwell,
Former Chairman and CEO, Ford Motor Company
"I am proud to be associated with the accomplishments of Lawrence Tech graduates - your future dreams and goals - and I ask you to share with me a special pride in being part of Lawrence Tech."
Lloyd E. Reuss,
Former Chairman, Lawrence Tech Board of Trustees; Former President, General Motors Corporation
"Lawrence Tech is an institution that deserves the highest applause, the highest salute, because it is a great university and it is one that you can be extremely proud of."
Joe Knollenberg,
Former Member of Congress of the United States
"Who am I to try to impress your students, your graduates.... I pull for your success!"
Sam Donaldson,
Former Senior Correspondent, ABC News
"To invest in innovation is really to invest in people.... We have some 200 employees in Michigan working out of our offices in Southfield, in the shadow of Lawrence Tech, and we remain very committed to helping drive local economic growth, business competitiveness, individual opportunity, and innovation.... I'm very optimistic about the technological leadership, culture of innovation, entrepreneurship, and the strong public/private partnership that is going to allow Michigan to grow stronger, its citizens more prosperous, and to have Detroit continue to grow not only as an innovative place for many, many industries but as an economic engine throughout the world."
Steven Ballmer,
Former Lawrence Tech Student; Former CEO, Microsoft Corporation
"This thing we call architecture is part and parcel of your own being, a good part of your own soul that you cannot borrow..., cannot beg..., cannot put on. You must patiently grow it from within."
Frank Lloyd Wright,
American Architect
"You'll find that your customers and clients come to you not because they think you know something, but because they want you to guess something that isn't known. As an expert you should be able to guess better. So, start learning to guess."
Dudley R. Herschbach,
Nobel Laureate (1986 Chemistry)
"I must begin by commending you for your courage...[in] inviting a ‘mere economist' to come into this gathering of distinguished physicists, engineers, and technologically oriented people....Education to me is the process of becoming. It enables us to become ourselves. It is the cornerstone of a civilized society and it enables us to not only develop ourselves but to develop ourselves in our interaction with other people."
W. Michael Blumenthal,
Former Chairman, Bendix, Burroughs, and Unisys; Former Secretary, Treasury of the United States
"Today you are competing with nearly a billion young people from around the world, and the first generation to be largely technically educated. The rest of the world has seen that the road to success and a higher standard of living is through education. Today's graduates must compete in that environment, and looking at this optimistically, these billion people all have the capacity to create wealth, to add value, to become customers for us. They can become our partners. Educated people will help solve each other's problems.... Think of a billion people out there who will be part of the solution."
Dean Kamen,
Inventor and Entrepreneur Developer of Segway, iBot President, DEKA Research and Development
"Dear sisters and brothers I am very glad to be among you. I wish to thank the University for granting me this degree in order... [that I may] be a member of your family, and I wish this University every success in its mission."
Pope Shenouda III,
117th Pope of Alexandria; Patriarch of the See of St. Mark Leader of the Coptic Orthodox Church
"I am very impressed with the advanced testing facilities and the ongoing state-of-the-art research activities conducted at Lawrence Tech. Indeed, Lawrence Tech is a leading institution in developing and deploying innovative, durable, and strong materials that are urgently needed for use in our future infrastructure, bridges, and buildings in various parts in the Middle East and Africa."
Ibrahim Mahlab,
President and CEO, Arab Contractors, Cairo, Egypt
"It is indeed encouraging to learn about the exciting opportunities offered to the students here during the process of learning, before they step out into the real world to take up positions of leadership. My best wishes for the bright and exciting future that awaits them outside the portals of this center of excellence."
Sharad Pawar,
Minister, Agriculture, and Minister, Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution, Government of India
"Thank you to Lawrence Tech! You have touched my heart very deeply. You have inspired me to build a better relationship between the United States and China. It will be my duty."
Li (Lily) Zhang,
Prominent Soprano, People's Republic of China