Centennial Celebration Speech

Centennial Celebration Speech, Lamar University
President Jaime Taylor
September 17, 2023

I want to thank all of you for being here today and offer a special Cardinal welcome to our distinguished guests.

Today, we mark one century since the founding of Lamar University. 

I would like to take a few minutes to share the remarkable story of how we reached this milestone and why it's so important for us to celebrate it. . . . because what has happened here is nothing short of extraordinary.

In 1901, just two and a half miles down the road from where we stand, drillers struck oil at Spindletop and sent a monumental 150-foot gusher into the skies. This didn't just put Beaumont on the map. It catapulted the entire world into the oil age.

With an economy almost entirely centered around oil, Beaumont offered plenty of opportunity, but much of the available work was hard, manual labor, and by 1920, only about four in ten people had the opportunity to go to high school.

In the midst of this rapidly changing landscape, a visionary group of community leaders recognized that Beaumont's future prosperity depended not only on oil, but on its people. They looked at the complexities of a growing city, and they realized that even an oil-based economy required diversification and technological progress. Our founders understood the significance of higher education and envisioned an educational institution where innovation could thrive, paving the way for generations of leaders to find their footing in Texas.

Today as we celebrate one hundred years, I think we can declare with confidence that we've not only fulfilled but surpassed the dreams of our founders. Lamar University stands as a center of excellence. Our graduates have transformed Southeast Texas and made their mark on the entire state and beyond.

As our region and nation have evolved and grown, so has Lamar University. We've adapted to meet the changing needs of our communities, nurturing leaders in diverse fields, from Law, Business, and Engineering, to Fine Arts and Medicine. Our alumni have truly excelled . . . Both nationally and globally.

Today we stand on the threshold of our next century. Let's honor our past AND embrace the future with optimism. Our founders had a vision that extended well beyond their time, and that vision is alive and well today.

We instill in our graduates the essential skill of critical thinking, transforming them into agile professionals who are ready for an ever-evolving world. In a constantly changing landscape, adaptability is absolutely key. Yet even as we prepare our graduates for long-term success, we also equip them with the skills that make them immediate assets to their first employers.

This is our legacy, and it continues to drive us forward. And as we move forward, let's remember that our history is intertwined with the larger community. We are part of a community and a state that values higher education and invests in its future. State leaders, such as our distinguished guest today, recognize the importance of our mission and its relationship to the health of our state, and they have provided Lamar University with the support we need to achieve that mission.

As I have stated on many occasions, Lamar University is incredibly fortunate to be a part of a system that positions its institutions for success and champions them vigorously, ensuring they have the support they need to thrive.