Editorial: What’s in a name?

University President Fr. Jeffrey von Arx has made it clear to the Fairfield community that he was not and will not be interested in getting a big-name speaker for commencement ceremonies in the future. He is keenly interested in speakers connected to the university in a more intimate way than, say, a politician or entertainer – the typical fare at most comparable universities.

The choice to have British Robinson speak at graduation seems inconsistent with this initiative. Though we have every confidence in Robinson’s ability as an orator, and we would never discount the likelihood that she will deliver a memorable speech at graduation, many students may wonder “how is this person in any way related to Fairfield University?”

Indeed, she once worked for the U.S. Jesuit Conference, and she is familiar with the goals and ideals of a Jesuit institution such as ours. She is accomplished in her own right, and deserves to be recognized for her achievements. There is however, one thing she lacks: name recognition.

Sister Helen Prejean spoke at the Open Visions Forum last year, and while she is no Billy Joel, she is certainly a charismatic person who fits von Arx’s initiative and also has name recognition, if not household name recognition.

Another way to get the best of both worlds would have been rather simple: choose a well-known, thoughtful individual from within the university to speak. We are supremely confident that other options might have been more consistent with von Arx’s initiatives while at the same time affording students a name that they can become excited about.

Two come to mind immediately. Revs. Paul Carrier and Terry Devino, two Jesuits who have spent a significant amount of time here at Fairfield and will be leaving the university next year, would certainly have very memorable and relevant things to say at commencement. At the very least, these individuals carry a local fan base that could stir up some excitement for the speech.

In the future, if the university is going to travel the non-politician/entertainer route in choosing the commencement speaker, they should consider name recognition as a valid quantifier, even if it’s not a household name.