Albrecht speech breaks devotional attendance record
The Religion in Life Devotional Series welcomed its largest group of students ever to hear USU President Stan L. Albrecht speak about lessons he has learned throughout his life on Sept. 7.
Hosted by the LDS Institute of Religion, the event filled the Institute building auditorium, leaving standing room only for a number of students.
Albrecht, who is no longer a member of the church of Jesus-Christ of Latter-day Saints, began his speech by congratulating the crowd.
“The largest institute program is here, and you’re part of it, congratulations,” he said. “Thank you for the opportunity you extended. We appreciated and have been honored by this invitation.”
Institute Director Wayne Dymock said the process for selecting speakers for Religion in Life is done far in advance. Most chosen are confirmed about six months or longer before they actually speak. Dymock said faculty member Richard Gordon lines up the speakers. After Matt Holland, Utah Valley University president spoke last year, Gordon suggested students should hear from their own president.
In regard to policy about the church membership of those who speak, Dymock said the Institute has had non-members speak in the past when it is appropriate and after they are approved by higher authority.
“He was approved,” Dymock said of Albrecht. “(Gordon) wants to give students a wide variety of experiences.”
“We asked (Albrecht) last spring and he said, ‘Let me try for the fall,'” Dymock said. “His reason was, ‘I enjoy speaking to students. I’ll do it for them.'”
Albrecht’s wife Joyce introduced Stan not by his scholarly works but instead spoke of him being raised on a family farm in Fremont, Utah and embracing difficult challenges as president of USU, such as the economic downturn and the van accident which took eight students’ and one faculty member’s lives.
“(They) will never be forgotten,” Joyce said.
Before sharing eight life lessons he has learned, Albrecht updated students on financial, academic and other goals being reached at USU. He said his initial fundraising goal, started a few years ago, was to raise $200 million. This was exceeded in the first 12 months and now has surpassed the newer goal of $400 million.
Following the remarks on fiscal progress, Albrecht said, “Today, I’m going to be a bit more personal.”
He said in his lifetime, he has learned many lessons, and chose to share eight of them with the attending student body at the event.
“No one has the exclusive right to the truth,” Albrecht said, “I hope you’re not troubled by the fact that I would include this as one of my life’s lessons.”
Albrecht said many of the lessons he shared have come when he was able to view the world from other people’s eyes and not through his own biases.
“If God is the creator of all that is good, if he is the father of all, then all of these others, whatever their differences, are his children and all that surrounds us is part of his creation.”
Albrecht said he has sometimes wondered why members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints would spend so much time and energy into missionary and temple programs, which he said are designed to bring exaltation to “our Father’s children,” if they do not believe that all human kind are God’s creations and all are truly his children.
“If we truly believe that they are, then our beliefs should be reflected in how we treat others and particularly in how we treat others who are different from us.”
Camille Smart, a junior majoring in psychology, attended the speech and said she found it interesting.
“I thought he had some good insights to life and it was well put together. He did a good job connecting with us as students,” she said.
Albrecht defended education and the role of religion in the life of a student.
“There is great religious value that comes from your investment in education. You should not ever fear that obtaining a college degree constitutes a threat to your most basic beliefs.”
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