The first point in Mr. Hunter's speech recalls the grievous scenes from the events of September 11. More importantly, he asks us to recollect the images of so many sacrificial souls who gave of themselves and their resources to help those who were hurting from the tragic events of the day. Fire fighters, police, doctors, nurses, and many others helped those directly in need. Since that day, others have volunteered their time and energy and money to assist wherever they could. The vision is one of sacrifice for the good of others.

Solomon Hunter then moves to another picture, but one not so pretty. On December 2, Enron declared bankruptcy, and since then many revelations have come out about the managers of Enron and the auditors who worked on the account and the directors who didn't bother to direct and the financial analysts who hyped the "buy" reports. Instead of sacrifice, there is covetousness; instead of giving, there is taking; instead of dedication, there is commitment to one's ego; instead of charity, there is greed; instead of community, there is self; instead of love, there is disdain; instead of protection, there is destruction; instead of the public interest, there is the private want; instead of the common good, there is the pursuit of selfish pleasure. The Enron story echoes the Wall Street sentiment by Gordon Gecko, "Greed is good."

Solomon Hunter then contrasts the two pictures and asks what kind of human being do you emulate and which do you want to be. In particular, he adds that one can be a success without compromising his or her integrity. To say it in a different way, an individual is not a success unless one is a success ethically as well as professionally. To have a lot of money and power and prestige and the other accoutrements of professional success is not enough. Without integrity and honor and truthfulness, one can have the other things and fail miserably.

And so accounting graduates, the world is before you. Assuming you have good training wherever you matriculated, I ask you to think about the Enron story and the fall of Arthur Andersen, but not ask how it happened or question your calling in life. Instead, think of these days as a challenge. The profession badly needs men and women with high ideals and great integrity to lead us to better heights. The profession greatly needs people to serve the public interest and achieve not only personal success, but give something back to society and make this a better community.

Remember that you are a success only if you succeed both ethically and professionally. I wish you much success.

J. EDWARD KETZ is associate professor of accounting in Penn State's Smeal College of Business Administration.