“Lately, it is looked upon as unpatriotic to ask questions and that is corrosive to the country. Do not stop asking questions.” – Madeleine Albright, former U. S. secretary of state

Former U. S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and Gov. Jim Doyle spoke to University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee students on Tuesday, Oct. 2, in Lubar Hall about the importance of international relations study.

Taking a break from her teaching job at Georgetown, Albright returned to UWM to share her experience with students. The first female secretary of state served from 1997 to 2001 and was a professor for the UW Board of Regents in the 1980s.

Albright began by praising Doyle and Chancellor Carlos Santiago on a job well done. She said she was impressed with Doyle for doubling student financial aid in his first term and with Santiago for overseeing the global studies program.

The Bachelor’s Degree of Global Studies program is seven years old and the first program like it in the nation. The program has five different tracks: architecture, health sciences, education, business and communication. Eight semesters of a foreign language, a semester abroad and an international internship are just some of the requirements for the degree.

The Prague native said after she was appointed by President Bill Clinton she realized, not only was she the first female secretary of state, but also the first secretary of state in the 21st century. This meant she had to think about how foreign policy would operate in the new era.

“For so long the only foreign policy was dealing with the Cold War by fighting the Soviet Union and communism. It was hard to think (about anything) other than the Cold War,” Albright said.

Albright said she decided to concentrate on spreading the goodness of America’s power, not by military ideals but through humanitarian organizations like the Peace Corps. America should not expect other countries to show gratitude for America’s help, she said. America, also, should not cause fear among other countries, she said.

She also spoke on different international problems like America’s relationship with China and Europe and the war in Iraq. She also stressed the importance of understanding other religions.

“Church and state should be separate, but you cannot separate people from their faith,” Albright said.

In Doyle’s introduction for Albright, he recalled his two-year Peace Corps experience in Tanzania where he stayed in a small town, thousands of miles away from anyone who spoke English.

“I realized then, the world can teach us more than we could ever teach the world,” said Doyle. “Go out, move among the world but come back home with your experiences.”

Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton also was at the meeting and talked about the importance of higher education and international studies as she was a non-traditional student and once lived in Mexico and Chile.

Sophomore Spencer Chumbley, a global studies major, was excited about the lecture.

“It was nice to see these prominent figures of our time in person. I enjoyed getting insight about the last administration’s mindset,” Chumbley said.

The Center of International Education-sponsored event invited students from international studies, global studies and political science majors to attend.

Albright left the class with this advice: “As an American, vote and ask questions; that is what you are supposed to do. Lately, it is looked upon as unpatriotic to ask questions and that is corrosive to the country. Do not stop asking questions.”

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