Chris Pan Wants to Set the Record Straight about His Ohio State Commencement Speech

credit:

Chris Pan's commencement speech at Ohio State has been called "cringe-worthy" and "the worst Ohio State commencement speech ever"but the social entrepreneur and 1999 Ohio State graduate wants to set the record straight.

In an interview with the Columbus Dispatch, Pan says he was "honored" to be chosen to speak at the ceremony and that he "honestly didn't think it was a prank" when he got an email from President Ted Carter's office on March 8 inviting him to speak.

"I honestly didn't think it was a prank," Pan says.

"I just didn't like realize because it was such a big deal.

Like such a big honor."

Pan, who has spoken at Ohio State several times before, says he started brainstorming ideas for the speech right away and used ayahuasca, a psychedelic liquid from South America, multiple times.

"You look at (people) like John Lennon, Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, like these are all guys that regularly work with psychedelics, not for recreational but for healing and for creativity," Pan says.

"I couldn't get myself to do it because that's just not who I am."

He says he tried to write a more traditional speech, but

Read the Entire Article

How's Your Community Doing?
Check Out it's
Community Vital Signs

Greek Economy Expands in First Quarter as Investment Rises

Greece's economy grew by 0.7% in the first quarter of this year, the country's statistics service announced today, which is a lot better than the government's initial forecast of 0.3%. The...more

Looking at Impact, Risk and Return

There's a new way to invest in the world, and it involves putting your money where your mouth is. In a new video, 3Bank's CEO Vladimir Vukotic and fund manager Tim Crijns explain how the Serbian...more

Equita Green Impact Fund Already Raised 100 Million Euros

Italian food company Equita is hoping to make a name for itself in the world of green finance. The company has launched the Equita Green Impact Fund, which aims to invest in projects that have a...more

Building Healthier Communities: Inside Rwjf'S Impact Investment Strategy
Foundation: Johnson Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is putting its money where its mouth is, investing $50 million to help communities of color get out of poverty, the New York Times reports. Zoila Jennings, the...more

The Guide to Crypto Impact Investing
Foundation: Nathan Cummings Foundation

A billionaire's foundation is investing all of its assets in companies that have a " measurable and beneficial social or environmental impact," the New York Times reports. Nathan Cummings, a...more

Morrison Foerster Named a Leading Firm for Impact Investing by Chambers Usa 2024

The US Chamber of Commerce has named law firm Morrison Foerster a market leader in a newly created category: impact investing. The firm was one of only two named in the "Band 1" category, with...more

Rebuilding Together Announces Maureen Carlson as New President and Ceo

Rebuilding Together has a new CEO, and she's no stranger to nonprofits. Maureen Carlson has been serving as the organization's chief strategy officer since January, and she was named president...more

Pcfi Board in Place for 10Th Year of Tryon International Film Festival

The Tryon International Film Festival is in its 10th year, and this year's event will be its last. co-founder Kirk Gollwitzer tells the Asheville Citizen-Times that he and his wife, Ashley, came...more

Maryland Heights to Have More Oversight of Troubled Centene Community Ice Center

Missouri's Centene Community Ice Center opened last September to much fanfare, promising to be a "state-of-the-art" ice rink that would serve as home to the St. Louis Blues and boost the local...more

The Center for Disaster Philanthropy Board Welcomed Sara Pantuliano and Greg Chan as ...
Foundation: Humana Foundation

Sara Pantuliano is the CEO of the Overseas Development Institute, a not-for-profit that focuses on humanitarian programs in developing countries. She's also the chair of the seventh advisory...more