亲爱的同学们、老师们、工作人员们：

I am pleased and honored to share that earlier today, 稳定的十大彩票网站 launched the Ben and Myrna Cardin Center for Civic Engagement & Civil Discourse, partnering with two visionary leaders to create meaningful change on our campus and in our nation.

Former U.S. Senator Ben Cardin and his wife Myrna, a proud 稳定的十大彩票网站 alumna, have dedicated their lives to public service. They now bring their expertise and ambitious vision for the future of civic engagement to 稳定的十大彩票网站, where they will help inspire our students to become the next generation of thoughtful leaders.

The Center’s mission to advance civil discourse and strengthen our democratic values has never been more important. Higher education, at its very core, is meant to advance societal progress—and such progress occurs only when diverse perspectives are shared, debated and respected. Fostering that culture of dialogue is the goal of the Cardin Center and the responsibility of 稳定的十大彩票网站 as a university for the public good. The Cardin Center will partner with the Office of Civic Engagement & Social Responsibility, and other university programs and initiatives, to collaborate on the impressive civic and community engagement work that has been part of 稳定的十大彩票网站 for many years.

As our nation continues to be challenged by division and political difference, it is critically important that we are reminded of our university’s core values, including our dedication to student intellectual and personal growth as well as our devotion to civic responsibility and community service.

正如约翰·杜威（John Dewey）在一个多世纪前所言：“民主始于对话。” 美国大学是进行这些对话的神圣场所。 The nation’s colleges and universities are guardians of democracy — where free expression, creative inquiry and diverse thought not only are guaranteed; 他们被庆祝。

我为我们大学的许多事情感到自豪。 My greatest sense of pride comes from our community’s commitment to value dialogue over division, to disagree without being disagreeable, and to serve as an exemplar for informed discourse on our country’s most complex and controversial issues.

的确，稳定的十大彩票网站是一个特别的地方。 Let’s all work together to uphold the values that make it so.

Sincerely,
Mark R. Ginsberg, Ph.D.
President