Rokita praises business school

Secretary of State attends accreditation celebration

 

Indiana Secretary of State Todd Rokita had some advice for Trine University business school students during a campus visit Feb. 27—stay focused, work hard, and be ready to expand your education to be successful in the 21st century.

Rokita traveled to Trine for a celebration marking the university’s Ketner School of Business accreditation by the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). He spoke highly of Trine’s business students and programs during a speech in Fabiani Theatre, after enjoying lunch with Trine administrators and select business professors and students.

Rokita said Hoosiers must make and then accept tough decisions to compete in today’s world. He pointed to the lease of the Indiana Toll Road and transition to Daylight Saving Time as examples of economically sound yet politically tough decisions. “As a result, we are the only state with a 10-year fully funded infrastructure plan,” he said.

Secretary of State Todd Rokita, right, stands with Trine University President Dr. Earl D. Brooks II after Rokita's speech to students in Fabiani Theatre Feb. 27

He said we must check and re-check priorities. “When I visit, I see signs celebrating high school sports championships at the edge of towns,” he said. “I played, and I understand that. But I wonder about the students in India studying calculus at 7 a.m., and where is the sign for who scored highest in math in our schools?”

Asked how the sports emphasis can be changed, Rokita said Trine exemplifies that. “Division III schools are in position to show balance. Sports give us the discipline and characteristics to achieve on the academic end. Your football team went from 0-10 to 10-0 in three years while the grade point average went up. You are the example,” he told students.

Asked his advice for graduates in today’s tough economic climate, he said, “Keep working, keep studying, and realize lifelong learning is a requisite. Earning one degree and securing a lifetime career is becoming elusive.”

He called the Ketner School’s accreditation “one piece of the economic development puzzle and one I am proud to support. You are a great partner and example for other institutions around the state.”