Editorial: Star Attractions

Last Thursday, Gideon Yago, a well-known journalist and former MTV news correspondent, took to the Quick Center stage.

Not only is Yago well-recognized by the student population because of his MTV past, but he communicated a powerful point that was geared directly to our student population – that our generation must become more aware of world events rather than simply celebrity gossip.

Five days later Terry Bowden, a former college coach and current sports analyst, made an appearance.

These two are in the wake of several other extremely notable guests that the University has been lucky enough to attract to the Quick Center, including Bill O’Reilly, and a nationally-televised cobngressional debate between Rep. Christopher Shays (R-4th district) and Democrat Diane Farrell, during which Fairfield students had a chance to ask the candidates questions.

The Quick Center has always boasted a lineup of notable speakers and performers, whose cultural and academic significance is undeniable.

It is important to note that many recent guests have been particularly appealing to the student population.

Since this is a college campus, and many of these acts are financially funded by tuition dollars, it is important for the Quick Center make a concerted effort to attract acts that students can relate to and will be interested in. Of course, this is not to let students off the hook for not taking more of an advantage of many of the enlightening opportunities offered.

With this said, we hope that the commencement speaker, who is already-chosen but yet-to-be-unveiled by the University, accomplishes two essential tasks: appealing specifically to students of the class of 2007 and inspiring all graduation attendees.

While University President Fr. Jeffrey von Arx has already taken a stance against a celebrity speaker, we think a memorable graduation address is still a very real possibility and can only hope that such will be the case.

We understand von Arx’s decision to bring in someone who he feels can relate more specifically to Fairfield students, but we hope the speaker will be impressive, not simply empathetic.