Commencement speaker’s ties with SU cast negative light on selection
The recent announcement of this year’s commencement speaker, JPMorgan Chase & Co. Chief Executive Officer Jamie Dimon, raises questions because of the relationship between JPMorgan Chase and Syracuse University.
As CEO of a major corporation, Dimon is not the worst choice. But the potential speakers on the class marshals’ list combined with JPMorgan Chase’s relationship with SU has students wondering if Dimon was the best choice. After SU raked in Vice President Joe Biden for the Class of 2009 commencement, this year’s senior class can feel understandably cheated.
JPMorgan Chase has contributed a large amount to SU. It pledged money to campus and provides students with numerous internship and job opportunities. This same relationship is also what’s shedding a negative light on Dimon’s invitation.
It can appear that SU is choosing the easy way out by inviting Dimon to reward JPMorgan Chase for its contributions to the university. Dimon is a successful businessman, but his career caters to a very small percentage of the student body. We sympathize with students who feel they cannot relate to Dimon’s profession, but at a university as large and diverse as SU, it’s difficult to choose a speaker that will please the entire graduating class.
Dimon can quiet his naysayers by delivering a motivational speech that encourages and inspires students. His strengths as a speaker come commencement can vanquish the controversy leading up to his speech, if he approaches the opportunity correctly.
