Ana G. Mendez Education Award Ceremony

September 12, 2007
Washington, DC

Thank you, Michael. I would like to thank the Ana G. Mendez University System for this tremendous honor.  I am grateful to share this award with so many outstanding public servants who have answered the call to provide individuals from the Puerto Rican and Hispanic communities with the tools for a brighter future.

Over the last few years, everyone from policymakers to journalists to the man and woman on the street has talked about how we now find ourselves in a global economy.  And it is true that we have seen a tremendous increase in trade and economic interaction with countries from all around the world.

But a global workforce is nothing new to the United States.  For over 200 years, we have attracted hard-working men and women from Europe, Asia, and Latin America.  Hispanics are just the latest in a long list of individuals from around the globe that have come to the United States in search of prosperity and the American Dream.

What has changed is the means to achieve that dream.  Today, the gateway to prosperity is education.  Individuals must possess the education and skills that are required in today’s economy in order to find success while the United States must continue to produce the most talented and highly skilled workforce in the world if we hope to lead the global economy in the future.

For the past six years, the Department of Labor has been committed to producing this skilled workforce through improvements in our education and training programs.  By working to integrate businesses, education providers, and the economic and workforce development communities, we hope to provide a clear path for individuals to obtain the education and build the careers that lead to our national prosperity.

As our largest and fastest growing minority, Hispanics will play an ever greater role in the American economy.  In addition to the programs and initiatives that benefit all Americans, we have invested over $120 million in programs targeted specifically at Hispanics.  From improving Limited English programs for new immigrants to providing increased services and career ladders in Hispanic neighborhoods, we recognize that the United States is going to depend on the contribution and success of our Hispanic citizens to maintain our economic strength.

Of course, it is not just simply government programs that will contribute to this success.  Other organizations and institutions must also recognize the increased importance of education in our economy and leverage and align their resources in support of a common economic vision.

We are encouraging exactly that approach through our flagship WIRED initiative.  By investing seed capital into regions all across the country, we are building the partnerships that will allow traditionally separate organizations to work toward a single economic goal.

One of the regions participating in the WIRED initiative is the eastern and central region of Puerto Rico.  Last fall, I had the pleasure of visiting the region and spending several days in Caguas and Fajardo.  It was during this visit that I learned that the Ana G. Mendez University System was playing an integral role as a partner and leader within INTECO in support of the region.  This is exactly what we hope to copy across the country.

Colleges and universities are now critical partners in a regional economy and represent one of the most valuable assets that a region can possess.  In addition to the economic benefit they bring by employing hundreds of individuals in the region, they perform several critical functions

The first and most obvious is to educate the next generation.  If we agree that education is the critical factor in an individual’s future success, then having an institution of higher education in the region is certainly an asset. 

The second critical function is that of regional leadership.  Universities bring a great amount of prestige to any partnership and often are seen as honest brokers, outside the day-to-day politics that so many other organizations must engage in.

And finally, colleges and universities invest heavily in research and development.  It is both basic and applied R&D that lead to the innovations that drive our economy and create the jobs of tomorrow.  Transferring these innovations out of colleges and universities and into the regional marketplace is a vital part of creating an entrepreneurial culture in region.

While I am honored to receive the Ana G Mendez Education Award, it is they who should be recognized for their contribution to educating individuals, improving the economy, and offering an example for other university systems follow.

Thank you.