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Pediatric
Neurosurgeon Dr. Benjamin Carson Offered Inspiring Words During
Lecture at Tennessee State University
By: Staff Reports
Tennessee Tribune
Originally posted 12/4/2003
Nashville, Tenn. --World-renowned pediatric neurosurgeon Dr.
Benjamin Carson gave an inspirational lecture at Tennessee State
University recently and challenged all in attendance to extend
courtesy to their fellow human beings.
Carson’s lecture was part of the 2003-2004 Student Development
Symposium and Presentation Series. The Division of Student
Affairs, with assistance from the Division of University
Relations and Development, sponsors the series.
Carson, the director of pediatric neurosurgery at the Johns
Hopkins Medical Institutions, is best known for his
participation in the recent Iranian conjoined twins separation
surgery. He gained worldwide notoriety in 1987 as the principal
surgeon in the 22-hour separation of the Binder twins from
Germany.
But on this visit, Carson wore the hat of motivational speaker,
sharing his recipe for success and offering inspirational words
of encouragement to approximately 1,300 who turned out to hear
Carson.
Carson asked all in attendance to pledge to be kind to others
for a week.
“Can you imagine the society we would have if we were just
nice to people?” Carson asked.
Carson is a widely sought-after motivational speaker. He has
spoken in venues as varied as high school graduations to the
keynote address at the 1997 President’s National Prayer
Breakfast. He is the author of three books, Gifted Hands, Think
Big and most recently, The Big Picture. After his lecture,
Carson patiently endured what seemed to be an endless line of
people seeking personally autographed copies of his books.
Carson stressed a theme of academic excellence. He said he is
troubled by society’s fascination with athletes and
entertainers over intellectual achievers. However, Carson does
not completely frown upon pop culture. He has a cameo in an
upcoming Farrelly Brothers movie, Stuck on You, a movie about
conjoined twins in which Carson plays, coincidentally, a
surgeon.
Because of his commitment to intellectual achievement, Carson is
the president and co-founder of the Carson’s Scholars Fund,
which recognizes young people of all backgrounds for exceptional
academic and humanitarian accomplishments.
“I’d like every fourth and fifth grader to know that they
can be put on the same pedestal for using their brain as for
dribbling a basketball,” he said.
Carson’s words had special inspiration for one member of the
audience. Nine-year-old Jalan Ramey read Gifted Hands last year
and found a kindred spirit in Carson.
Much like Carson, Ramey did not perform up to expectations in
the classroom. But after reading Carson’s book, Ramey has
moved to the top of his class and dreams of following in
Carson’s footsteps and becoming a doctor.
“We have high expectations of you now,” Carson told the
youngster.
Upcoming lectures in the series are: Dr. Joycelyn Elders (Feb.
3, 2004), David Driskell (Feb. 17), Liz Murray (March 16) and
Judge Mablean Ephriam (April 27).
Tennessee State University is a major, comprehensive urban
land-grant institution which offers 43 bachelor’s
degrees and 26 master’s degrees. Doctoral
degrees are offered in six areas: biological sciences,
psychology, public administration, curriculum and instruction,
administration and supervision, and computer information systems
engineering.
The university has been listed for the past ten years in the
U.S. News & World Report “Guide to America’s Best
Colleges.”
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