The Online Reflector

CEO and President of Eli Lilly and Company John Lechleiter and former Indiana Governor Joseph Kernan will speak at this year’s commencement ceremonies. Kernan will speak to the graduate students and Lechleiter to the undergraduates.

University of Indianapolis President Beverley Pitts was able to choose this year’s speakers but sought advice from faculty and other sources.

“There are two different processes. One is the selection of a commencement speaker, the other is who will get the honorary degrees,” Pitts said. “And the president is really responsible for the commencement speaker, seeking advice from a lot of people and getting nomination names and then just [deciding] who is a good person that fits the institution that year.”

Kernan will receive an honorary degree from UIndy.

Pitts said that she looks for people who have a connection to the university and Indianapolis.

“We look for people that in their own right are prestigious and have accomplished something that we would consider exemplary,” Pitts said. “We look for people who have a connection to our university either because they are a part of the community the university is in, or they are a part of our state or because they [have] had connection to the institution in some way.”

Lechleiter began his work at Lilly as an organic chemist in 1993. He then worked his way up to become president and CEO of the company.

Pitts believes that this work ethic will speak to the undergraduates.

“He is a wonderful example of ‘[how] you can rise to the highest levels in your own community,’” Pitts said.  “He’s just been a person of balance. He’s really kind of everything. He’s a scientist of the highest sort, he’s a business leader and he’s a civic leader. And he’s a great example that you can be all of those things, and he’s a kind and gentle and accessible man, too.”

Lechleiter is on the Indiana Central Board for the United Way and was a member of the host committee for the 2012 Super Bowl.

Pitts believes that this civic leadership is what makes him a perfect speaker for the ceremony.

“I think his spirit of engagement in the community and his spirit of the sense in which a company should give back to its community fits the UIndy story perfectly,” Pitts said. “We say education for service, and they [Eli Lilly and Company] could say education for service just as easily. So I think that’s one of the reasons he’s considered to be such a successful CEO.”

Senior theatre major Kylie Welker will hear Lechleiter’s speech at the undergraduate ceremony this year and said that she is impressed with how he balances his job while still giving back to the city of Indianapolis.

“I like how he continues to stay involved in community building,” Welker said. “He’s not consumed by his job all the time. It’s impressive.”

Kernan was Indiana’s 48th governor. He became the governor after Gov. Frank O’Bannon, for whom he  served as lieutenant governor, died of a massive stroke. Before entering the political sphere, Kernan served in the Navy as a flight officer. During his time in Vietnam, he was held as a prisoner of war after his plane was shot down. He was released after 11 months and went back to active duty service in the Navy.

“I think his [Kernan’s] story a lot of people have forgotten, the story of his heroism,” Pitts said. “This is a highly dedicated war hero. That alone makes him [Kernan] someone special.”

After O’Bannon’s death, Kernan served for two years as governor.

Welker said she admires Kernan’s ability to push through difficulties to become a respected politician.

“[Even] though he was in a negative situation, he was able to turn it around to make himself better,” Welker said.

Pitts also admires that Kernan was able to take on the governor’s position and succeed under the pressure that the position entails.

“With John Lechleiter, we have a wonderful success story of hard work and dedication. But with Joe Kernan, we have somebody who went through what we would never want anybody to go through,” Pitts said. “[Kernan] gave something to his country far beyond what any of the rest of us will ever be asked to give and came out of it to go on to civic leadership.”

Pitts worked closely with the speakers to help them form their speeches to the  graduating students.

Pitts also said that she hopes students, faculty and others will read the biographies on the speakers to learn about their accomplishments.

“One of things I do with the commencement speakers is spend a lot of time talking to them about where the university is and where the class is and who they are and what majors they’re graduating from. I mean, they know us generally, but they might not know those questions specifically. So that they can shape the speech that is appropriate to the class,” Pitts said. “And I was pleased about that because both of them were very interested in shaping their speech to have a very strong message to the class.”

The graduate commencement will be on May 4 and the undergraduate commencement will be held May 5.