Presentation of The President's Medal
to Walter Marion Michael
Honors Convocation Fall 2003
Guldelsky Auditorium, Capitol College
Introductory Remarks
by G. William Troxler, Ph. D., President

"Cowards have dreams. Brave men have visions." This Chinese proverb offers a pretty tough piece of folk wisdom. But if you strip away its stern language, I think you will find the meaning is true.

All of us have dreams. Some of you may dream about inventing new technology, creating a business, leading important strategic efforts. Few of us dream about the enrichment of the world or the enlargement of human experience. Those abstractions seem to be larger than the girth of most peopleÕs intellectual or emotional embrace.

Not many of you will summon the raw courage to act upon your dreams - whatever they may be. It isn't easy. Failure is more certain than success. The consequences of failure could be significant in terms of ego, finances and future prospects.

Those who step up to their dreams, act and achieve success are, after the fact, seen as visionaries.

Walter Marion Michael, recipient of the president's medal today, is here because he is a visionary.

A dozen years ago after a week long, deep immersion program in music, we sat in the open tailgate of my minivan to talk about the future. Under an Asia bound moon, in a West Virginia parking lot, using terms both eloquent and compelling Walt Michael laid out a stunning vision of the possible for me. He did what visionaries must do: define, engage, excite and enlist.

It took him all night, by the way. I can be a slow learner. Before we finished our exploration of his idea, the sun had gained the best of the horizon and I had gained a new way of seeing the world.

Without any money - I do mean zero dollars - Mr. Michael attracted supporters, faculty, volunteers, workers and students to launch his vision of something he called Common Ground on the Hill. This year the non-profit organization begins its tenth year of operation. By my count somewhere between six thousand and eight thousand students and faculty have participated in the programs that express the vision of Walt Michael.

Today Common Ground on the Hill operates in Maryland and in Scotland. Negotiations are under way to open a campus operation in Ireland and another in Massachusetts. A journey that began with the telling of a vision in a West Virginia parking lot has led to international operations touched uncounted thousands of lives.

Here is what our speaker has written about his vision:

"Common Ground on the Hill is a traditional music and arts organization whose purpose is to offer quality learning experiences with master musicians, artists, writers and crafts people while exploring cultural diversity in search of a "common ground" among ethnic, gender, age and racial groups."

The Baltimore Sun has cited Common Ground on the Hill as a worth successor to the Chautauqua and Lyceum movements of 19th century America.

"Our world is one of immense diversity. As we explore and celebrate this diversity, we find that what we have in common with one another far outweighs our differences. Out common ground is our humanity. That is often best expressed in our music, our art, our dance and even our language. Peaceful solutions to our cultural and inner conflicts can be found in our shared artistic traditions."

From a parking lot in West Virginia to three nations - From a concept to thousands of students - all on the energy of the idea and the persuasiveness of its tireless messenger. That's a vision. And should any of you students seek to turn your dreams into a vision, mark this story of Common Ground and Walt Michael.

"Pity the man who has lost this path and does not follow it and who has lost his heart and does not know how to recover it. When people's dogs and chicks are lost they go out and look for them and yet the people who have lost their hearts do not go out and look for them. The principle of self-cultivation consists in nothing but trying to look for the lost heart."

Mencius (4th century B.C.E.)