Saturday we honored 800 members of the Class of 2013, their families and friends. It was a fitting celebration of what they have accomplished in their time at PhilaU.

These are my hopes for the members of their class, and for all Philadelphia University alumni:

Graduates, you came to Philadelphia University from 29 different states and 11 countries.  You majored in 43 distinct disciplines, became All American athletes, published authors, and founders of commercial and not-for-profit ventures. You have patented intellectual property, designed award winning products and apparel, created unique structures and materials, and have served in clinics and hospitals. You have volunteered thousands of hours in communities from Philadelphia to Haiti.

You have served internships at institutions as varied as Target, Armani Exchange, and the National Economic and Social Rights Initiative.

Many of you leave here to work for great companies from Nordstroms to Verizon. Some of you are going to medical school, law school, or to study for masters degrees in business, psychology, medicine, engineering, environmental science, and many other disciplines.

But all of you, now and forever, will be a member of the class of 2013, bound by the experience of growing from adolescent to adult and from student to professional – an experience that is lived out uniquely at Philadelphia University.

I ask you to imagine the possibilities held in today’s commencement. You have spent countless hours in our classrooms, labs and studios, under the tutelage of our faculty, and today, we reflect on the futures you have designed for yourselves. This is a time we invoke the city upon the hill of John Winthrop, the pursuit of happiness promised by our founding fathers, and the American dreams of de Tocqueville, Adams and Martin Luther King.

Historically, the American dream is a universal concept manifested in a culture that embraces anyone who takes the challenge – pilgrims, pioneers, homesteaders, immigrants, inventors, entrepreneurs, innovators, civil rights leaders – they all the bear the torch and testimony of the Dream.

I’m tempted to quote comedian Art Buchwald. Speaking before the graduating class of Holy Cross he said: “As you can clearly see, we’re leaving you a pretty perfect world. Don’t screw it up.”

Things are, perhaps a little less cut and dry for the class of 2013, and we should acknowledge it as so. You will not be immune to the economic difficulties and political tensions of our world today. In the face of these challenges, I ask: Are you prepared to inherit the Dream?  More importantly, do we have faith in this generation to Dream?  Do you have faith in yourself?

You leave this campus to engage in a world rife with change. And yet, this chaos may be your greatest stroke of luck yet.

When the circumstances of civilization are in flux therein lays the greatest opportunity to live a productive and fulfilling life, to make the proverbial “difference” in a world desperate for leadership.

As a Philadelphia University graduate you have been trained to be an opportunity seeker and a problem solver.  You have the knowledge and skills of a professional.  You have the energy to work hard and stay the course for the long run.  What you need to decide is how much courage you have for the journey and risks ahead. Look into your heart and ask the question: With all the gifts I’ve been given, do I have the courage to make a difference?

While youth knows little of time and mortality, you will speed through life.  Don’t waste it on trivial thinking.  Don’t be slowed by convention.  Don’t let other peoples’ inhibitions mute your passion.

I do not suggest you rush forward without thought or concern.  You have spent years as an undergraduate tuning your brain to be full of thought, and have returned to the classroom for post-grad degrees. You are people who believe in the power of thought and education.  You must think deeply…and act decisively.

A personal confession… Virtually every time I have acted decisively in an ambiguous and risky situation, no matter how deeply I thought about the required action, I have been afraid. Afraid of failure, afraid of pain, afraid of loss.  But I have been buoyed by Nelson Mandela’s statement that courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave person is not one who does not feel fear, but one who feels it, conquers it, and acts in spite of it.

My point is thought without action is frivolous.  Action without thought is dangerous. You define yourself by your words and deeds.  Think and act like a person who is a leader in their profession and you will create value in this world.

We are proud to call you the Philadelphia University class of 2013. We are proud of what you will accomplish. Do not fear, so much as dream.

Last week, a group of students joined Carol and me at our home to recognize their work on Unity Week at PhilaU.

This year marked our fifth Unity Week on campus. It is a program I am consistently proud of because of what it says about the PhilaU community. While many places discuss diversity, and what it brings to their campus, we are different – we celebrate diversity as a strengthening element of a healthy and growing community. We celebrate what unites us, not what divides us.

A week ago, in Boston, we saw some of the results of what not living in unity with one another can bring. We also saw the best of what comes when we stand united.

While there is much still to learn about the motives and methods of the brothers who are accused of this terrible act, I am struck by their means of communication.  They chose to express their disagreement with something – be it our politics, our government, our way or life, or the conditions in the home they left behind – with violence. We will feel the aftermath of that choice in every large gathering, sporting event, and beautiful sunny day on the streets of our cities.

There is a greater lesson in Boston though.  As we celebrate those who ran into the smoke to apply tourniquets and offer aid to the injured, the runners who continued on to hospitals to donate blood, and the thousands of businesses and individuals who opened their doors to feed and house those who needed a place of safety, we are aware of the strength of a common cause united behind a common good.

At a time when the bombing in Boston is all too real and common – here and around the world – events like Unity Week are even more important. Our students celebrate what unites us, and they choose to understand differences, embrace or at least respect those differences and find commonality, to learn about each other and from each other.

Our world will be a better place for people like them.

The Chronicle of Higher Education recently cited a study by Stephen Tepper of Vanderbilt University entitled “Double Majors: Influences, Identities and Impacts.”

Dr. Tepper finds that students with double majors are more creative thinkers and report more opportunities to integrate knowledge between their course work. They show better ability to integrate across disciplines and to apply both fields of study to their course load and projects.

Only 9% of American college and university students seek double majors.

They also report doing so without much support from faculty in their fields.

At Philadelphia University, our Kanbar College DEC curriculum is intentionally integrated, not just across two disciplines, but across multiple fields. It is transdisciplinary.

Roger Martin, one of the leading scholars and speakers on the need for transformation in higher education, recently spoke at PhilaU. In his comments, he pointed out the inconsistency of making the world of academics and education so different from the real one our students will live and work in.

The DEC curriculum, and the Nexus Learning happening in PhilaU’s classrooms and studios, teaches just this kind of transdisciplinary thinking, or design thinking. In Martin’s words, it “more closely imitates professional life.”

This sets PhilaU students apart professionally, and positions them as leaders of the 21^st Century.

Our faculty and staff have worked diligently on curriculum reforms, innovative styles of teaching, and our unique brand of Nexus Learning so that we are leading this change in the academic community.

Ron Kander, Executive Dean of the Kanbar College of Design, Engineering and Commerce, likes to quote Socrates in explaining the root for this educational shift and the need for Nexus Learning: “Education is not the filling of a vessel, it is the kindling of a flame.”

He’s right. If our students leave here with a set amount of knowledge, we have failed them. Our faculty and staff are dedicated to students who understand how to learn, and how to apply their skills and crafts in a variety of fields because that is how they have gained them – in a transdisciplinary setting. This learning equips them to be creative thinkers who contribute value to the marketplace and are attractive and appealing to employers.

With the turning of a new century we enter a unique period of the calendar – one where, every thirteen months, there are two brief moments in time that are represented by six repeating numbers.  Thirteen months ago it was 2:12 and 12 seconds AM/PM on February 12, 2012.  Thirteen months from now the moment will occur at 4:14 and 14 second AM/PM on April 14, 2014.

But today, at the time this blog was posted, 3:13 and 13 seconds PM on March 13, 2013 the two brief moments have special meaning.

Triskaidekaphobia, a word which was coined in 1911, defines the superstitious fear of the number thirteen. Sufferers of triskaidekaphobia try to avoid bad luck by keeping away from anything numbered or labeled thirteen. As a result, companies and manufacturers use another way of numbering or labeling to avoid it, with hotels and tall buildings being conspicuous examples (no thirteenth floor). It’s considered to be unlucky to have thirteen guests at a table, and Friday the 13th has spawned a franchise of movies concerning it’s severe unluck.

There are a number of theories behind the cause of the association between thirteen and bad luck.

At the last supper, there were thirteen people around the table, counting Christ and the twelve apostles. Tradition holds that there were thirteen steps leading up to any gallows.

In 1882, looking toward a new century of modernity and fact, “The Thirteen Club” founder, Civil War Captain William Fowler, invited friends to dinner on the thirteenth of the month, at thirteen minutes past the hour. Over the years, the club continued to flout tradition commonly seating thirteen members at the table and decorating the room with open umbrellas (indoors), breaking glass and mirrors with abandon, and spilling salt on the table without tossing it over their shoulders. In its prime, the club boasted more U.S. Presidents among its membership than Yale’s secretive Skull and Bones, with Benjamin Harrison, Grover Cleveland, William McKinley, Theodore Roosevelt and Chester A. Arthur number among its ranks. It is perhaps worth noting that two of these presidents suffered assassination attempts, the effort against McKinley being fatal – and two of them, Roosevelt and Arthur, only assumed the presidency after assassinations. Perhaps they did less to debunk the superstition than they’d hoped.

There are instances where the number thirteen carries positive meaning. In Judaism, thirteen signifies the age at which a boy or girl matures and becomes a Bar Mitzvah, i.e., a full member of the Jewish faith.

Wilt Chamberlain, Dan Marino and Alex Rodriguez have all worn the number thirteen in their illustrius sporting careers.

And, of course, in Philadelphia we are reminded of the 13 original colonies, and the 13 stripes that honor them on our American flag.

Triskaidekaphobia is an interesting phenomenon, as is any particularly strong superstition. I understand serendipity, the happy accident or special, wonderful surprise.  It is worth noting though that antonyms of serendipity are “volition” and “choice.”  So the opposite of luck (good or bad!) is a choice.

As an educator, I believe we make the choices that create our impact on the world and the future we desire. Successful students, business leaders and individuals are ones that make their own opportunity, not ones subject to the fancies and follies of supersition. At PhilaU, our students are encouraged to  embrace the “product called me” mentality.  We strive to educate in a manner that empowers a student to become a leader in the profession of their passion.  It’s not about superstition.  It’s about commitment to learning, excellence and action. In the end, I believe that holds more power than a little good luck.

I wish you a happy, and lucky, 3/13/13 3:13.

Yesterday, Philadelphia University announced a collaboration with the University of Pittsburg to preserve and manage the archives of Senator Arlen Specter.

Perhaps it should come as no surprise that, when presented with the opportunity to house the Specter papers, PhilaU was honored and worked with the Senator to create the Arlen Specter Center for Public Policy at Philadelphia University.

We are an institution focused on collaboration – in our classrooms, among our programs, and now, in this historic venture. We also believe that the responsibility of professionals is to be acutely aware of the history and dynamics of the socio-economic and political environments in which they operate. Creating professional leaders for the 21^st Century requires a knowledge of our collective past. To ensure that people from across the state and around the world are able to access the depth of information and history found in the Specter collection, PhilaU sought to collaborate with another Pennsylvania institution that has even broader capability to digititize the high volume of historically significant materials.

The product of this collaboration is exciting. The Center is dedicated to fostering a greater understanding of political science, government and history through research, educational programming and exhibits inspired by Senator Specter’s career and told through the permanent collection of his historic papers.

The first exhibit of this work, set to open this October, surrounds the Senator’s significant contributions to the Warren Commission and will coincide with the 50^th anniversary of the Kennedy assassination.

Collaboration – between a public and private institution, across the state from one another – has made the curating of this collection possible. Just as importantly though, are the individual donations from friends of Philadelphia University and the Senator, who have raised well over half of the five million dollars needed to complete this project.

For them, we are grateful.

Philadelphia University’s history is replete with famous designers and design entrepreneurs. We are fortunate to count among our alums and friends many influential leaders in the fashion industry – from Allen Sirkin of PVH Corp. to Carson Kressley. We have hosted incredible speakers on campus, from Francisco Costa to Tommy Hilfiger. These leaders, along with our alumni currently working in the industry from Macy’s to Kenneth Cole and Land’s End are pioneering thinkers and doers. Their talents span from design to entrepreneurship to executive leadership. What unites them is their commitment to their craft, the innovative ways they have built companies and created change, and their willingness to engage and mentor students in their fields.

In the coming weeks, PhilaU will unveil a new platform for these voices as they speak to issues of design, inspiration, trends and industry news. Beyond that, the venue will serve as a place to highlight alumni working within the industry and contributions from our talented students and faculty. All of them will engage in an organic conversation around topics of fashion, style, design and innovation.

Philadelphia University is a collaborative community with a transdisciplinary approach to education. We are excited to bring that interactive experience to you in our new Fashion Innovators blog. It will demonstrate the uniqueness of our educational programs and the professionalism of our students and alumni.

This is the education we believe in at PhilaU – contributed to and informed by some of the best minds in industry. We are thankful for their participation, we are eager to see what our students create with their help. I can’t wait to share the Fashion Innovators blog with you. I think you’ll be equally excited by what you see.

This week’s news cycle held two items of note for University students. First, Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer announced an end to the company’s work from home policy, then, Groupon announced the end of Andrew Mason’s tenure at the company. They fired their quirky CEO and co-founder yesterday.

In a refreshingly candid letter to employees, Andrew took responsibility for the company’s poor financial performance. “…our material weakness [and] two quarters of missing our own expectations and a stock price that’s hovering around one quarter of our listing price, the events of the last year and a half speak for themselves. As CEO, I am accountable.”

But what is the root of the problem for a company that was valued by Wall Street at $13 billion just three years ago and is now valued at $3 billion?

For Yahoo, the intent behind the end to their telecommuting policy seems clear. Compared to CEO Marissa Mayer’s former employer, Google, “Yahoo has a productivity problem. Google’s 53,861 employees generate $931,657 in revenue per worker, 170% higher than Yahoo’s $344,758 worth of revenue per employee.” Their goal, as sited in the company memo announcing the policy change, is to create “communication and collaboration” through workplace encounters around the water cooler and coffee machine. The effectiveness of this policy reversal – and the best way to generate productivity and creativity in its workforce – have been debated and discussed at length everywhere from Wired Magazine to Forbes.

I think Philadelphia University’s DEC (Design, Engineering and Commerce) core curriculum can answer both the question of Groupon’s revenue loss and suggest wiser ways for Yahoo to be generating revenue.

The five course series begins with Integrated Design Processes, a course designed to model the process of opportunity mapping. It is here that the lessons can be applied to Yahoo’s policy choices. At the core of all DEC learning is the maxim that metrics should determine outcome, that all businesses should move out of old mindsets and rules and into new opportunities and models. What Yahoo is missing is a fresh way of thinking about old models. We are past an age where a technology company, in particular, can deny employees the flexibility their very innovations have created. As such, Yahoo needs to start with the opportunity provided to them – with their talented work force, the unique models of communication at their disposal, and their cutting edge status as a leader in the communication world – and find new and exciting opportunities to define workplace culture.

From there, the lessons of DEC are clear. Opportunity should create the business model. In our next courses, students transform ideas into service and product delivery systems that are economically sound and create value for stakeholders. Here is where we might offer help to Groupon. Time will tell, but it appears that the company is a terrific idea and a real opportunity but lacks a disciplined and scalable business model. The marketplace is demanding. Customers and investors want value. A business model fulfills both sides of the equation.

I expect we will see Groupon iterate and evolve how it serves customers, just as Yahoo’s policy should go through significant revision and adaption as it finds opportunity in new models and means. Maybe Philadelphia University students can help both understand how to form more durable entities?

Last night, 200 alumni, faculty and staff joined together to celebrate Philadelphia University at the Fifth Annual President’s Downtown Reception.

Alumni events like these are exciting. They bring together dedicated Rams from across class years, and across industry experience. The opportunities for networking are great. The opportunities to grow Philadelphia University’s reputation are greater.

Much of a University’s reputation rests with the leadership and legacy of its alumni. They are the product of our educational models, and speak for us in the professional world. They open doors to student internships and industry partnerships that better the education today’s students receive, which makes them, in turn, stronger professionals when they enter the workforce. In the end, we’re all bettered as PhilaU produces students who contribute in increasingly more meaningful ways.

Last week, Trustee and alumna, Eileen Martinson hosted four alumni and eight students for a “Dinner with the Rams” event at her company, Sparta Systems. Eileen spoke with a group of young women about the importance of networking, professional goal setting and some of the secrets of her success. I continue to hear from attendees excited about the lessons of the evening.

It is opportunities like this that make us all better. I am excited by the level of alumni engagement displayed last night and encourage all Rams to consider ways, both large and small, they can support the successes of PhilaU students – invest your time with our students, engage your company in their work, schedule a visit to campus, and give to the PhilaU Fund.

If you’ve been on twitter or Facebook over the weekend, perhaps you’ve seen the stories about Beam, Inc.’s decision to reduce the alcohol content in their Maker’s Mark whiskey, and the subsequent furor and reversal of the decision.

Economics and entrepreneurship are passions of mine, and I met the Maker’s Mark executive team many years ago, spurring my interest in America’s original spirit, so this story caught my eye. It’s a simple illustration of supply and demand, and of a failure in creative problem solving that led to the marketing scramble of the weekend.

During my days as a professor I did a lot of executive education. Maker’s Mark President Bill Samuels was at such a session. Initially he questioned the value of entrepreneurship education. I won him over, visited in Kentucky and now Maker’s Mark is a staple in the Spinelli cabinet.

Whiskey and bourbon are experiencing a rise in both domestic and international demand. Due to the aging process behind Maker’s Mark in particular, production of product that goes on the shelves today happened in 2007. This alone puts the company in a sensitive position as they gauge popularity and demand years in advance. They seem to have miscalculated the amount of product the world would be thirsty for today, and thus were faced with the choice to supply a shortage, or to dilute their product.

Their choice has been an unpopular one receiving passionate coverage both in the press and social media. While I applaud the outcome of the situation – the reversal of the decision shows that they listen to and understand their loyal customers – I return again to the lessons of both the company’s choice and marketing.

For any business, decisions don’t happen in a vacuum. What makes sense from a distribution standpoint may actually hurt the bottom line and damage the product’s reputation. What makes sense as a marketing decision might not be deliverable as a product. A well-informed company practices holistic problem solving to make sure that all disciplines feed into solutions that are true to the brand, and pleasing to the customer.

We are proud of our transdisciplinary education here at PhilaU, and of the Kanbar College of Design, Engineering and Commerce curriculum in particular. This is a classic example of why our students are taught to think in cross-disciplinary ways – so they can do so in the professional world.

I respect Beam, Inc. for listening to their customers and rectifying what could have been a damaging decision. I hope that in the future they are more creative in solving their market demand problems. I know some graduates who could help them out in that department.