December 20, 2004: Headlines: Directors - Vasquez: Stereotypes: Racism: The Capital Times: Peace Corps Director Gaddi Vasquez said "Stereotypes still affect members of our society," He told graduates a story of how he was leaving a black tie event in a tuxedo surrounded by other men in tuxes, when a large Mercedes pulled up. The driver looked around for the valet and extended his keys toward Vasquez. "The next time this happens, I'm going to be ready. I'm going to take the keys and drive off," joked Vasquez. "I was in law enforcement and I know the difference between stealing and accepting a gift."
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December 20, 2004: Headlines: Directors - Vasquez: Stereotypes: Racism: The Capital Times: Peace Corps Director Gaddi Vasquez said "Stereotypes still affect members of our society," He told graduates a story of how he was leaving a black tie event in a tuxedo surrounded by other men in tuxes, when a large Mercedes pulled up. The driver looked around for the valet and extended his keys toward Vasquez. "The next time this happens, I'm going to be ready. I'm going to take the keys and drive off," joked Vasquez. "I was in law enforcement and I know the difference between stealing and accepting a gift."
Peace Corps Director Gaddi Vasquez said "Stereotypes still affect members of our society," He told graduates a story of how he was leaving a black tie event in a tuxedo surrounded by other men in tuxes, when a large Mercedes pulled up. The driver looked around for the valet and extended his keys toward Vasquez. "The next time this happens, I'm going to be ready. I'm going to take the keys and drive off," joked Vasquez. "I was in law enforcement and I know the difference between stealing and accepting a gift."
Peace Corps Director Gaddi Vasquez said "Stereotypes still affect members of our society," He told graduates a story of how he was leaving a black tie event in a tuxedo surrounded by other men in tuxes, when a large Mercedes pulled up. The driver looked around for the valet and extended his keys toward Vasquez. "The next time this happens, I'm going to be ready. I'm going to take the keys and drive off," joked Vasquez. "I was in law enforcement and I know the difference between stealing and accepting a gift."
Celebrate diversity, UW grads told
Peace Corps head speaks at ceremony
By Samara Kalk Derby
December 20, 2004
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National Peace Corps director Gaddi Vasquez congratulated graduates Sunday and encouraged them to celebrate the diversity of America.
"I urge you to dedicate some time to eradicate racism and discrimination in our nation," he told more than 1,000 students who received University of Wisconsin-Madison degrees in two winter commencement ceremonies at the Kohl Center on a frigid December day.
"Stereotypes still affect members of our society," said Vasquez, the son of migrant farmworkers who never graduated high school.
Vasquez, the Peace Corps' first Hispanic-American director, took office in 2002. Early in his public service career he worked as a police officer in Orange, Calif., for 22 years.
He told graduates a story of how he was leaving a black tie event in a tuxedo surrounded by other men in tuxes, when a large Mercedes pulled up. The driver looked around for the valet and extended his keys toward Vasquez.
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"The next time this happens, I'm going to be ready. I'm going to take the keys and drive off," joked Vasquez. "I was in law enforcement and I know the difference between stealing and accepting a gift."
Vasquez said addressing graduates in the country's No. 1 Peace Corps university is one of the "finer opportunities I have had."
Since the Peace Corps began, in 1961, more than 2,500 UW-Madison alumni have gone through the program, including Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle and his wife, Jessica.
Last year, the university led the country with 142 Peace Corps volunteers in the field, topping the nation for 17 consecutive years.
The organization has 7,700 volunteers interrupting their lives, serving in 72 countries this year, Vasquez told graduates.
"They are not content to be spectators," but are instead working to eradicate hatred, hostility and anger, he added.
"Whatever path you take in life, whomever much is given, much is expected."
Vasquez told graduates that service to others can be one of life's greatest blessings.
About 1,600 students were eligible to receive their degrees Sunday. Friends and relatives filled in the bottom half of the arena and could watch the expressions on the faces of graduates as they crossed the stage from huge screens on the center scoreboard.
Edgewood College also had its winter graduation Sunday at the Alliant Energy Center, where almost 200 people received bachelor's and advanced degrees.
Graduating UW senior Kanjana Thepboriruk spoke on behalf of her fellow undergraduates during the morning ceremony.
One of the lessons she learned in college is that she was never too busy to give back to the community, said Thepboriruk, a native of Thailand.
Her first year she just tried to get good grades and pay her rent and bills. But her sophomore year she joined Associated Students of Madison, the student government organization, and the Thai Student Association. She realized then, she said, that getting a B was no different from getting an A.
"There was more to life now," Thepboriruk said.
While she had her fair share of "all-nighters and quadruple lattes," Thepboriruk said the key was balance. She maintained a 3:3 ratio - three hours of work followed by three hours of fun.
"We in Madison play hard but we work even harder," she said.
E-mail: skalk@madison.com
Published: 10:03 AM 12/20/04
When this story was posted in December 2004, this was on the front page of PCOL:
| Our debt to Bill Moyers Former Peace Corps Deputy Director Bill Moyers leaves PBS next week to begin writing his memoir of Lyndon Baines Johnson. Read what Moyers says about journalism under fire, the value of a free press, and the yearning for democracy. "We have got to nurture the spirit of independent journalism in this country," he warns, "or we'll not save capitalism from its own excesses, and we'll not save democracy from its own inertia." |
| Is Gaddi Leaving? Rumors are swirling that Peace Corps Director Vasquez may be leaving the administration. We think Director Vasquez has been doing a good job and if he decides to stay to the end of the administration, he could possibly have the same sort of impact as a Loret Ruppe Miller. If Vasquez has decided to leave, then Bob Taft, Peter McPherson, Chris Shays, or Jody Olsen would be good candidates to run the agency. Latest: For the record, Peace Corps has no comment on the rumors. |
| The Birth of the Peace Corps UMBC's Shriver Center and the Maryland Returned Volunteers hosted Scott Stossel, biographer of Sargent Shriver, who spoke on the Birth of the Peace Corps. This is the second annual Peace Corps History series - last year's speaker was Peace Corps Director Jack Vaughn. |
| Charges possible in 1976 PCV slaying Congressman Norm Dicks has asked the U.S. attorney in Seattle to consider pursuing charges against Dennis Priven, the man accused of killing Peace Corps Volunteer Deborah Gardner on the South Pacific island of Tonga 28 years ago. Background on this story here and here. |
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Story Source: The Capital Times
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; Directors - Vasquez; Stereotypes; Racism
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