Kevin Rampe, president
of the agency overseeing the reconstruction of the site of New York City's World Trade Center, told 500 Union College graduates that the
recovery of lower Manhattan is being made possible
by volunteers.
“The recovery of lower Manhattan is not the brain-child
of great political leaders or brilliant architects … or big business,” he said.
“Rather, lower Manhattan's recovery is the
result of individuals volunteering their time, their resources, and their
expertise – put simply – giving of themselves.”
At a ceremony held in perfect weather — blue skies and temeratures in the mid-70's — Rampe, a 1988 graduate
of Union College, delivered the main
address and received an honorary doctor of laws degree from the College.
The College also
awarded an honorary doctor of fine arts degree to artist Wolf Kahn, whose intensely colored
paintings have put him in the forefront of American representational art. Kahn told the graduates, “I am so proud, and my head is so swelled that my hat hardly fits.”
“It really is
remarkable,” Rampe said. “The recovery of our nation's third-largest central
business district in a city defined by capitalism is fueled by community
service. Who would have thought?”
Rampe paid tribute to a
number of people, including two Union alumni – Andrew Fredericks '83 and Thomas
Duffy '71 – who lost their lives in the September 11 attacks.
“Neither of these individuals knew the tragedy that awaited them on the morning of September 11th,” Rampe said. “However, what both men knew, and what I hope you take home with you today, is the importance of public service, of giving back to your community.”
Since the attacks, Rampe said, “we have seen a renewed
commitment to community and public service. We hold in our hands, all of us,
the legacy of over 3,000 people who lost their lives that day. We also hold
their hopes, dreams, and aspirations. We have the ability to make the choices
that they can no longer make.
“Together, we face a choice,” Rampe said. “Do we allow this
legacy to falter as a single tragic event … or do we mourn, rebuild, and carry
the September 11th legacy of community spirit, public service and
caring for others?”
To see the complete text of Rampe's address, please visit: http://www.union.edu/N/DS/s.php?s=4584
About Wolf Kahn
Kahn, one of the U.S.'s most esteemed
painters, fled Nazi Germany as an 11-year-old. After graduating from New York City's High School of Music and Art, he served in
the U.S. Navy and then studied with the well-known teacher and abstract
expressionist, Hans Hofmann.
He has received
Fulbright and Guggenheim fellowships and an Award in Art from the American Academy and Institute for Arts
and Letters. His work has been exhibited in galleries and museums throughout
the world and is included in the collections of such major museums as the Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan
Museum of Art in New York. Kahn has taught in
many art schools, including Cooper Union in New York, and is the subject of
a number of books.