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Speeches by honorary doctorate recipients Roy Christopher and Malinda
Pennoyer Chouinard inspired students at the 96th annual Commencement
ceremony at Fresno State on Saturday, May 19. Here are texts of the two
speeches delivered at the Save Mart Center.
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 Chouinard and
Christopher
Full news story:
Chouinard, Christopher to receive
honorary doctorates
Malinda Pennoyer
Chouinard’s Commencement comments
Doctor of Humane Letters
May 19, 2007
Thank you President Welty and the Board of Trustees. By extension you’re
honoring our Patagonia mission, which is: “Make the best product, cause
no unnecessary harm, and use business to inspire and implement solutions
to the environmental crisis”
Fresno State, when I was a students in the 1960s, was not immune to the
pain of Vietnam War, and draft. Questions consumed us.
My professor, Ara Dolarian, taught his student teachers to develop
questions. He loathed rote projects.
Later, when my teaching career morphed into business, knowing how to ask
questions often saved us.
No one plans to do evil. In business, ignorance and fear often prevent
people from asking the hard questions.
By the 1970s, we noticed our pitons were damaging the rock walls of
Yosemite. So we dumped our best-selling products, and redesigned less
damaging climbing equipment.
In the 1980’s, we woke up to the extent of the environmental crisis, so
increased our grants program. Our employees have now given $26 million
to grassroots environmental organizations.
By 1994, we were worried about all our materials and processes. We asked
what damage each product did to the environment.
We all expected our Synchilla fleece, made from petroleum, would be the
worst. But scientists surprised us: the most damaging fiber is
conventionally grown, 100% pure cotton!”
So, we stopped using it and organized organic cotton councils. We
pressured our suppliers until they developed recycled fleece from soda
pop bottles.
Now we even recycle old clothing back into yarn, for making new ones,
all over again.
It’s complicated and annoying, questioning the environmental impacts.
But being curious gives us choices.
“Make the best product,” is how we stumbled into the clothing business.
Patagonia’s exacting standards for sewing are what I learned in my
college tailoring classes.
“Cause No Unnecessary Harm” is the responsibility of designers. But
design schools don’t teach environmental manufacturing. Our designers
have had to teach themselves! All businesses have the power and the
responsibility for their products, and to demand humane working
conditions and clean air and pure water, to save all God’s creation.
But, everyone needs help! So we hope to inspire by trying to do the
right thing ourselves and assist others by forming “business self-help
groups.”
With our peers we question the experts. We were among the founders of
today’s Fair Labor Association, which works to eradicate sweatshops
worldwide.
The most recent group is 1% For the Planet, an alliance of 550
companies, which all give 1% of their annual sales to the environment.
At Patagonia, profits happen “when we do everything else right.” Profit
is a vote of confidence from our customers. Our bottom line is the
amount of good accomplished over the year.
Thank you for allowing this dyslexic BULLDOG to report on which
questions I’ve been asking since 1969.
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Roy Christopher’s Commencement comments
Doctor of Fine Arts
May 19, 2007
President Welty, the Board of Trustees, distinguished faculty, friends,
family and the class of 2007.
Thank you, Dr. Mehas, for that flattering introduction. It was, I think,
a triumph of generosity over discretion, for let’s face it… for me to
receive an honorary doctorate is as surprising as if Sanjia had won
American Idol. But
I am grateful deeply grateful.
The other day a friend and I were talking about how we got into show
business. At one point he asked, “How did a farm kid from Kerman end up
in Hollywood designing half the shows on television and getting an
honorary doctorate?”
How did it happen? What does it take to achieve our goals? What do you
need?
If you were as lucky as I was, you had parents, guardian, relative or
friend who said, “If it’s really truly what you want, we will help you
get it.” My mom and dad, Roy and Marie Hergenroeder, said that to me,
and they helped me in every way possible to achieve my goals.
Also, I’ll bet that you’ve had teachers who believed in you more than
you believed in yourself. Carolyn Lauche, my drama teacher at Kerman
High School, was such as person and she opened a door to a career
possibility. She said to me, “Why don’t you combine your interest in art
and drama? Why don’t you try scenic design? You know, people actually
make a living doing that.” I didn’t know. But as the story goes: the
dawn broke through and my future was born.
Then, I needed to find a place to continue to learn and test myself.
Luckily, Miss Lauche brought our class to visit Fresno State’s
University Street Playhouse. I remember the first play I saw there was
“Goodbye My Fancy” by Faye Kanin. It made a deep impression. Years later
I shared that experience with Miss Kanin. At that time, she was
president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and I was
designing the Oscar show for her. Anyway, I was hooked on the theater
and on Fresno State. It was the perfect place at the perfect time.
My future father-in-law, Arnold Joyal, was President of Fresno State at
that time and he gathered a speech/theater faculty par excellence! It
included professors Richard Arnold, Phil Walker and Jan Pratt-Bryon, all
of them, I’m happy to say, are here with us today. They gave us students
permission to try it all! You want to act? Act! You want to direct?
Direct. You want to design? Design. You want to fall flat on your face?
Please, be our guest. It was all there for us. Along the way, we learned
that the road to artistic excellence is long and difficult, but worth
taking.
That faculty and this institution helped me, as I’m sure you have been
helped, to grow as a person and as an artist – yes, artist – and every
one of you, no matter what your area, can be an artist. We all ought to
be creative. Always bring something creative to your profession. Create
something … something small… something big… something from left field.
To paraphrase Tom Brokaw, “It’s easy to make a buck – it’s tough to make
a difference.”
Your creativity can help you make that difference. And, God knows, this
world needs… indeed is begging for … every ounce of creative energy you
can muster up!
Starting with my parents and my younger brother, Ken, the greatest
brother on the planet, I have had a great life-support system. But, most
importantly, I’ve had a perfect life partner: my beautiful, talented,
and insanely creative wife, Dorothy. She is my biggest fan and my
toughest critic. You can’t imagine how many times she red-penciled this
speech before saying, “Not bad.” I wouldn’t be receiving this honor
without her. I hope you all will be as lucky.
You have all come a long way. Today you’re graduating from Fresno State
… and tomorrow… you make your way into the big, bad, fascinating and
wonderful world! Please, don’t forget where you came from! Fresno State
will be a part of you the rest of your life as you have been a part of
it. Come home now and then. Keep in touch. Believe me, you will be
welcomed.
Now, my final piece of advice is this: try to get a little exercise,
don’t drive while talking on your cell phone and take it easy on the Pop
Tarts.
Congratulations! Thank you for this great honor. Goodbye and good luck.
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