"This recognition is especially important to me, my wife Jan, my children and our grandchildren because it comes from this very special institution right here in our hometown," he told a packed Continental Airlines Arena audience on May 14. "We feel very fortunate that we can share our success with our community and be recognized for creating family-oriented activities that enrich the quality of life for our students and our communities."
Hall was the driving force behind the on-campus Yogi Berra Stadium and Floyd Hall Ice Arena, facilities that he said are now "by far, the best in the division."
He urged the graduates to "look for ways to do something good, to reach out to people and to the communities where you live and work and discover ways to give back with your talents, your time and your resources.
"I am honored to be part of the Class of 1999," he concluded. "There's a whole new century of opportunity ahead for all of us, and I believe that you have the ability to make the most of it."
Hall has been at the helm of Kmart, one of the world's largest retailers, since 1995. He has improved the financial health of the company and introduced a new store prototype, combined with a host of merchandise initiatives such as the introduction of Martha Stewart Everyday home fashions and Sesame Street children's apparel. As a result, the giant retailer has posted 10 consecutive quarters of impressive earnings growth.
Under Hall's leadership, Kmart has dramatically stepped up its community outreach, contributing approximately $20 million annually in funds and in-kind support to help children and families through programs like the Kmart Kids Race Against Drugs, March of Dimes, Give Kids the World and the For All Kids Foundation.
Hall's leadership in preventing drug abuse has been honored by the Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University as well as the Archdiocese of New York. His commitment to helping others also has earned him a Hugh O'Brien Youth Leadership Award, a Lewis Hine Award and a special recognition from the Brooklyn Museum of Art.
Hall is chairman of Lynx Technologies. He also serves on the boards of Kenwood Productions, Jundt Growth Fund, the Brooklyn Museum and Detroit Renaissance.
With a 40-year retail career, Hall first became a chief executive officer when he was 36 years old and named to head B. Dalton Booksellers. Since then, he has been chairman and CEO of Target Stores, Grand Union and The Museum Company.
On commencement day, Kmart officials in Troy, Michigan, announced that, "In keeping with (his) community outreach efforts and in celebration of Hall's honorary doctoral degree, Kmart Corporation will establish a $25,000 endowment for an annual Kmart Honors Scholarship at the University."
Paul Plishka, who received an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree at the commencement ceremonies, urged the graduates to remember those who sacrificed so that they could graduate. He said his Ukranian grandfather came to America in 1912 seeking a better life:
"He came here and worked in the Pennsylvania coal mines for 42 years," Plishka said. "My mother was born in the United States and left school in the fourth grade to work in a dress factory to help the family succeed. The result of these hardships was a new and better life for me, my brother and my family.
"I am standing here today because of the hard work and sacrifice of so many others, people we tend to forget or just take for granted. You should be very proud of your achievements today, but don't forget those who helped make it possible. Be sure to make them proud of their part in your success."
Plishka, who studied music at Montclair State, is noted for an extraordinary voice and impeccable artistry that combine to make him one of the world's foremost singers, praised by critics for his smooth, beautifully produced bass and polished dramatic skills.
A leading member of the Metropolitan Opera since 1967, he regularly appears with major opera companies from Seattle to Barcelona, from Houston to Paris.
Plishka has performed in many important roles since his debut at the Metropolitan Opera, where he has sung well over 1,000 performances. His voice is most often associated with Italian opera, especially Don Carlo, Ernani, Simon Boccanegra and Aida.
His artistry was recognized in 1992 when he received the Pennsylvania Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts and when, several years earlier, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame for Great American Opera Singers.
Plishka, a Pennsylvania native, studied with the Paterson Lyric Opera Theatre after attending Montclair State.
The ceremony was Dr. Susan A. Cole's first as president of the University, which she began leading in September. Dr. Cole told the graduates to be proud of what they have achieved.
"Today is a celebration of accomplishment," she said. "There are a few special moments in our lives when the work and effort of years come together and suddenly we can really see the shape and the substance of what we have achieved. Graduation is such a moment.
"As we gather here today to celebrate your accomplishments, we know that, for many of you and your families, attending the University represented a personal and an economic challenge, a difficult balancing of the responsibilities of work and family obligations with the personal drive to make something more of your life. And if we can judge by the accomplishments of past Montclair State graduates, we can predict that you will take what you have learned and make of it a source of pride both for yourselves and for your communities."
Ranked fifth among the Top Regional Universities in the North by U.S. News and World Report, MSU is New Jersey's largest comprehensive university and second largest institution of higher education in the state. It offers the advantages of a large university -- a comprehensive undergraduate curriculum with a global focus, a broad variety of superior graduate programs, and a diverse faculty and student body -- combined with a small college's attention to students.
MSU is located at the intersection of Valley Road and Normal Avenue in Upper Montclair. The campus is one mile south of the junction of routes 3 and 46, 14 miles west of New York City.
More information on the University is available on its website: www.montclair.edu.
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