Winter commencement speaker chosen

By Laurie Au

Senior staff writer

A student committee has selected a longtime university professor as the keynote speaker for the winter commencement ceremony, following two years of nationally recognized speakers.

John Splaine, a retired professor, taught education courses at the university for 28 years with an expertise in media and politics. With the university celebrating its 150th anniversary, the student committee tried to select nationally known speakers but instead chose someone closely affiliated with the campus.

"I know the student population will be happy once they make it to the commencement," said Jeff Grim, chairman of the selection committee and a senior history and education major who had Splaine as a professor. "Dr. Splaine is one of those few people that honestly changed my outlook on my education and on my life. He's one of those professors you'd seen in a movie."

Grim said the committee tried getting President Bill Clinton and Howard Dean, chairman of the Democratic National Committee. However, with commencement in the midst of the holidays, most political figures didn't have any time.

The committee had a hard time getting prominent people to talk because the university doesn't pay for commencement speakers. Additionally, more students graduate in May, which is a bigger incentive for speakers to come to the campus.

In 2002, Splaine, 65, garnered media recognition for being the first professor to conduct a course through a satellite while he sat in a C-SPAN studio in Washington, speaking to University of Denver students.

Splaine is best known for his intensity while teaching. He endured a rough childhood, where four of his brothers died before they turned 10. He said he taught every class with the same intensity he carries in life.

"I go into every class nervous, as if it's my first and my last class," said Splaine. "I teach every student as if they were my son or my daughter."

As an education instructor, Splaine plans on talking about the importance of continuous learning, especially by reading at every chance and traveling abroad.

Splaine said he was surprised and honored to be chosen as the commencement speaker.

"I never expected it," he said. "There's so many more people who are famous. I'm just a regular old professor who loves teaching."

Another student committee is working on selecting a speaker for the May commencement. Past commencement speakers include NBC Correspondent Andrea Mitchell and then-Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge.

Students have been trying to keep the standard high after administrators warned them the process was difficult when they gave students the responsibility in 2003. The committee has been searching for a famous speakers for the bigger ceremony next semester, though no one wants to commit this early, Grim said.

Contact reporter Laurie Au at lauriedbk@gmail.com.