By Lisa Marsh Ryerson President of Wells College
 
I. Introduction

 As president of Wells College, I find myself traveling a great deal between Aurora and Ithaca. Our two communities are - and always have been - intimately connected. Regardless of the weather, the scenic journey along the eastern shore of Cayuga Lake never fails to make me feel blessed that I live in this wonderful place.

 I often try to imagine life here in the early 19th century when this region was still very much a frontier. Natural resources must have seemed as unlimited as the potential for growth. Ithaca and Aurora were bustling port towns connected by a steady traffic of boats and barges - or one could choose to make the journey - far more difficult than today - overland by horse and wagon.

 I also think about the notable figures from history who lived here and built profitable businesses and institutions - some of them still in existence today. In particular, I often reflect on the lives and work of two important individuals: Henry Wells of Aurora and Ezra Cornell of Ithaca. The story of their success is so monumental and so much a part of American mythology that I am surprised it is not told more often.

 II. Two lives

 In the lives and actions of Henry Wells and Ezra Cornell, I see three consistent characteristics that I also observe in the lives of other successful entrepreneurs: commitment to a personal vision, willingness to collaborate, and a desire to give back to society.

 Henry Wells was and remains a symbol of the pioneer spirit. And while movies and books are likely to make us think of him as a character of the wild west, he lived most of his life and achieved his greatest successes in Aurora.

 Born in Thetford, Vermont, in 1814, Henry's family moved to Central New York where he grew up. As a young entrepreneur, he had a vision of limitless expansion westward. In 1841, he and two partners established an express line from Albany to Buffalo. They built a national delivery network so reliable and efficient that it successfully competed with the U.S. Postal Service.

 Henry then formed the American Express Company, becoming its first president. And in the wake of the success of American Express, he helped form the Wells Fargo Express. The Wells Fargo Bank we know today is part of his legacy.

 Ezra Cornell was born in Westchester, New York in 1807. His family, too, moved to our region when he was very young. Ezra grew up on the family farm in De Ruyter. With little opportunity for education, he trained himself in the field of mechanics. He moved to Ithaca in 1828 and made this town his permanent residence. On a trip to Maine he learned about an exciting new invention - the telegraph. Soon he was involved in the construction of telegraph lines and contributed several inventions to the industry. His ingenuity did not go unnoticed for long. Samuel B. Morse hired him as his assistant.

 While many people of the time saw no practical value in the telegraph, Ezra envisioned a new era of mass communication. Through investments that at times left his family destitute, he eventually became the largest stockholder in The Western Union Telegraph Company.

 To me, the careers of Henry and Ezra have strong similarities to the careers of Bill Gates and Steve Jobs in our era. As well as goods, Henry's goal was to relay documents and information quickly. Ezra was a pioneer of the information revolution that would not blossom fully until the 20th century.

 On a trip to Baltimore in 1844, Henry Wells experienced the potential of new technology firsthand. He sent a telegraph to Washington, D.C. from Baltimore on one of Samuel B. Morse's experimental lines - built by none other than his neighbor from Ithaca, Ezra Cornell.

 Henry was enthralled. Later he wrote, "This was my first dispatch and answer by electricity. The cars moved toward Washington with their accustomed speed, but it seemed to me on that occasion, very slow." (Founder's Day Speech 1875, WCAH, p. 23).

 In 1845, Henry, Ezra, and other associates entered into partnership and formed the first telegraph company in New York State - The Buffalo, Albany, and New York Electro-Magnetic Telegraph Company. This was the first commercial telegraph line in America. Two years later, Ezra and Henry worked together to build another telegraph line from Toronto to the city of Quebec as well as one from New York City to Canada.

 Henry and Ezra generated vast fortunes, built enduring organizations, and created jobs and wealth for others. Their work fuelled the American economy and shaped society and culture. Yet their visions were not limited to commercial pursuits. Their philanthropic contributions have also made a profound impact on countless lives. Both men dreamed of creating great institutions to educate future generations.

 III. Wells College of Cornell University?

 Ezra's vision in founding Cornell University was to create "an institution where any person can find instruction in any study" (Inauguration of Cornell University Address, 1868). This is truly a democratic and expansive vision. And the university we know today - recognized across the globe for its excellence - is a fulfillment of that vision.

 While Ezra was working on his vision in Ithaca, his neighbor and friend Henry Wells was not idle in Aurora. He, too, sought to create an institution of higher learning. But his vision differed from Ezra's. Henry wanted to establish a college which would provide women with the same academic opportunities as men - a vision perhaps even more democratic than Ezra's.

 While very much a product of his era, Henry Wells believed in and supported women. His attitude is clearly stated in this frequently quoted passage from one of his many addresses: "It is commonly said that it is not the province of woman to extend her researches to those finer and more beautiful lines of science; that woman's mind is not capable of attaining to a higher order of discipline. Not acknowledging this, let me say, Give her the opportunity!"

 When Wells College opened, higher education for women was not widely accepted. During that era, theories were put forth warning of the dangers of educating women: It was believed that too much learning would rob women of their feminine charms. Some said educated women would scorn housework. Many believed women were intellectually inferior to men and the strain of mental activity would destroy their health and damage their capacities to bear and rear children.

 Perhaps realizing the magnitude of the challenges facing his business partner, Ezra offered assistance. In reading history and correspondence between the two men, I am convinced that they were not motivated by competition but instead by a genuine desire to establish great institutions in America that rivaled Europe.

 In 1866, Henry was looking for bricks to build his college. So he wrote to his business partner. Ezra's response contains a potentially history-changing proposition. He suggested, "instead of building a Female Seminary at Aurora, which might soon dwindle and droop when your fostering hand was withdrawn by death; build at Ithaca 'The Wells Female Department of Cornell University' and thus aid us to engraft female education upon what I trust will become our highest educational institution in America." (WCAH p. 3).

 Because Henry Wells chose the road less taken, our region is home to one of the nation's most distinguished women's colleges as well as one of the great Ivy League universities. These institutions, along with Ithaca College and others in the area, offer a tremendous diversity of options to students. And it is this diversity that makes the American system of higher education the greatest in the world. And the greatness of our colleges and universities is what Henry and Ezra envisioned.

 Wells College did not wither. Instead, it blossomed. And Ezra Cornell - despite the rejection of his initial offer - went on to play an instrumental role in ensuring Wells College's longevity. He campaigned vigorously for the creation of an endowment for Wells, pledging his own funds. Ezra and Henry also secured funds from other local business leaders including E.B. Morgan of Aurora, a founder of the New York Times. This solid financial foundation, which has grown dramatically, will enable women to benefit from liberal education of the highest quality in the 21st century.

 While they are distinctly different institutions, Wells and Cornell share close connections today. Through a special agreement, students attending the two institutions can cross-register for classes. This partnership enables them to take advantage of the liberal arts environment as well as the resources of a leading research university. In the spirit of Wells Fargo, a regularly scheduled shuttle bus transports the students between the two campuses. Additionally, Wells has special affiliations with Cornell's engineering and veterinary schools. And so now the names have changed from Henry and Ezra to Lisa and Hunter. But the spirit of the original partnership remains strong.

 IV. Wells College

 Henry wanted the institution he established to be a home. The original structure that housed the entire college - Main Building - contained classrooms, living spaces, and areas for social activities all under the same roof. At Wells, education was meant to encompass the development of the whole person. And this could only be accomplished in a close-knit, residential environment with rigorous intellectual training. This educational philosophy has produced outstanding women leaders for the last 130 years.

 Among these early students - just to give one example - was Frances Folsom, Wells Class of 1885, who married U.S. President Grover Cleveland immediately after graduation and became one of the most popular first ladies in American history. Other more contemporary alumnae include entrepreneur Pleasant Rowland, founder of Pleasant Company and the American Girl Collection; medical geneticist Margaret Pericak-Vance, who has found genes linked to three major diseases; and entertainment industry leader Pam Lewis, who helped create MTV - just to name a few.

 As the college grew, more buildings were added. But a belief in the importance of community and high academic standards has remained intact to this day. What a student learns in the classroom and on the athletic field contributes to her education as a whole person. The Wells Honor Code emphasizes mutual respect, personal responsibility, and contributes to a free and open community where women can test their ideas without fear.

 Today Wells has over 50 faculty members - 98% of whom have doctoral degrees. We have 22 distinct majors with concentrations and 33 minors. And we are proud to be a liberal arts college.

 When a student chooses to pursue the rigors of the Wells liberal arts curriculum, she is embarking on a journey with a great purpose. She discovers the ideas that have shaped her life. She learns to think independently and creatively. She learns to live with meaning.

 We remain a liberal arts college because we know the adaptability, communications skills, sense of ethics, and creative spirit derived from this form of education are the tools leaders have needed in the past, need today, and will need in the future. The use of computers and information technology is now a part of the liberal arts experience. And Wells students have state-of-the-art facilities giving them easy access to technology.

 Our students have a wide range of study abroad options in France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Japan Mexico, Senegal, and the Caribbean, among other locations. Our cultural studies range far beyond the borders of Europe to encompass many racial and ethnic traditions. We are mindful that women leaders must embrace diversity in all its forms and be completely comfortable and conversant in our multi-cultural society.

 We also believe it is important to connect the curriculum with real life experience because the majority of our students will choose to have careers. Wells women seeking internships can select from over 1,000 options. During January term and the summer months, they learn firsthand about entrepreneurship, teaching, veterinary medicine, museums, government agencies, and many other careers through internships at corporations, non-profit organizations, and government agencies, just to name a few. At Wells, students are encouraged to begin exploring careers through internships beginning in the first year.

 I am proud to be the president of Wells. We have an incredible heritage and look forward to the prospects of a bright future. I am very interested in having the work of the college contribute to prosperity in this region.

 V. Conclusion

 Our region still holds the same, limitless potential that it did at the beginning of the 19th century when Ezra Cornell and Henry Wells set out to make their fortunes. Innovations in technology - especially information technology - are creating new, global markets for creative entrepreneurs.

 Entrepreneurs in our region are uniquely positioned to benefit from collaborative partnerships with the higher education community. Many area colleges and universities offer programs and services for businesses in such important areas as biotechnology, software engineering, international trade, and marketing. I think Henry and Ezra would be pleased to know the institutions they created offer these services.

 They would also be pleased to see that opportunities have become much more inclusive. Henry would be happy to know that today, women are starting businesses at twice the rate of all other business start-ups. Women own 40% of all businesses in this country and now employ one in five workers (according to the U.S. Small Business Administration). Our region is also enriched by the fact that we are becoming increasingly multi-cultural. Opportunities are available to all members of our community that would not have been possible in the previous century.

 I know it is vitally important for us to work in the tradition of successful entrepreneurs by clarifying our personal visions and seeking to collaborate. I encourage everyone here to identify partnerships - between individuals and between organizations - that will benefit the common good as well as the bottom line.

 The work of Rotary International provides an ideal example of the power of partnerships. Nearly 100 years ago, Paul Harris called three friends to a meeting in Chicago. Their work has resulted in a global organization of 1.2 million Rotarians that offers humanitarian service, encourages high ethical standards, and works for goodwill and world peace. This is a true testimony to vision and partnerships.

 And we must never forget that third important concept: giving back. In addition to philanthropic and volunteer work, we can contribute to the continued growth of this dynamic region by taking the time to mentor and nurture those who can benefit from our knowledge and experience.

 If we work together, we have in our power the ability to shape a bright future for our economy and the ability to create a high quality of life for those who live and work in our communities.

 Delivered Wednesday, November 3, 1999, to the Ithaca Rotary, Ithaca, New York.