Mitt Romney, the lone Republican candidate for governor of Massachusetts, spoke to over 50 students on Wednesday as part of President Emeritus John DiBiaggio's leadership class. A self-described "advocate of heroism in ordinary lives," Romney told students to emulate heroism in its basic forms.
The former president of the Salt Lake Olympic Committee (SLOC) used anecdotes from his years of experience as a businessman, politician, and active citizen to define his understanding of heroism. The speech was well received by the students in attendance, many from DiBiaggio's class. Students called the speech "inspiring" yet "informal."
"He's an attractive candidate," said one member of the Tufts Democrats. "He's well read, well educated, and charismatic."
Romney spoke about heroism that daily citizens embody and how the media can overlook those ideals. Although he said he enjoys watching television, he asked the audience to consider the values that are portrayed on TV.
He defined heroism as different from the examples seen on TV. "Forget about philosophy; just think more simply. Heroism is taking a risk for a cause that's greater than self." He used the example of an old man who saved his mother by dragging her out of possibly shark-infested waters. "To me, that was heroic," Romney said.
This sense of risk-taking for a greater cause, he said, prompted him to accept the role of president of the SLOC. He quipped that he was athletic neither in high school nor in college, but rather chose to be active because "the Olympics have a role in society that is far greater than self." While not all Olympic athletes are heroes, he said, many are. He cited American gymnast Kerri Strug as an example.
The Detroit native earned his MBA from Harvard Business School and his law degree from Harvard Law School. Romney quickly became a prominent businessman after graduation, but in 1994 he launched a failed political campaign to oust incumbent Ted Kennedy from his Senate seat. Most recently, Romney was chosen as president of the SLOC, where many say he saved the Winter Olympic Games from fiscal crisis.
In his introduction, DiBiaggio noted that Romney's contribution to the Olympics were "not only a great credit to the state of Utah, but to the entire country." He said Romney's reasons for wanting to become a public servant embody one of the major lessons of his course. DiBiaggio quoted Romney as saying, "I want to run to make a difference."
When asked about his own heroes, Romney replied that students "wouldn't know them." He mentioned his uncle, who spent his life paying back the debt Romney's grandfather incurred and his sister Lynn, who raises eight children alone. "Regardless of the course you take, what is needed from you is the desire to live for something greater than yourself."
Romney said his generation - the generation to which most elected officials belong - is turning its focus to its own benefits, such as social security. "You should have a say in that," said Romney, encouraging college students to go out and vote. He said today's college-age population is more educated than any other, but has the lowest voter turnout. "We have not yet found a way to excite people."
The University College for Citizenship and Public Service, the Ex College, the political science Department, and the athletics department sponsored Romney's speech.
