This article was originally sourced from “Obama to Kellogg: Business is the Future,” a news piece on Kellogg’s news & events page.
President Barack Obama addressed an assembly of Kellogg School of Management students, telling the students that they, the business leaders of tomorrow, are the key to a strong economy and encouraged them to pursue mindful growth. “There is a reason why I came to a business school instead of a school of government,” Obama said. “I actually believe capitalism is the greatest force for prosperity and opportunity that the world has ever known.” “As you engage in the pursuit of profit, as you should, I challenge you to do it with a sense of purpose,” Obama said. “As you chase your own success, as we want you to do, I challenge you to cultivate ways to help more Americans chase theirs.” Obama’s speech touched on a variety of issues such as education, health care and energy. He praised Northwestern’s commitment to nanotechnology, which has helped produce startups such as lithium-ion battery maker SiNode Systems, while also discussing the importance of parity for women in business, praising Dean Sally Blount ’92 for her work in this area. “Let’s do what Dean Blount is doing here at Kellogg,” Obama said, speaking of Blount’s work with the White House. “But I also believe in a higher principle: we’re all in this together,” Obama said. “That’s the spirit that made the American economy not just the world’s greatest wealth creator, but the world’s greatest opportunity generator.”