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Dare to Dream
America is the land of opportunity for Dr. Theresa S. Falcon-Cullinan and Elaine Chao. They dared to dream big dreams.
Elaine Chao gives the inaugural address of the Bradley University Falcon Executive Speaker Series.
Photos: Gallery | Slideshow
Elaine Chao, former secretary of labor in the George W. Bush administration, gave the inaugural address of the Bradley University Falcon Executive Speaker Series at the Peoria Civic Center on August 28. The gala event, attended by more than 600, celebrated the life and generosity of Theresa S. Falcon, a Peoria physician and businesswoman whose recent $2 million gift enabled Bradley’s Theresa S. Falcon EMBA to become the first in the world to be named by a woman and for a woman.
“Everybody deserves the chance to have the American dream, but it is not a given nor an entitlement. The American dream must be earned,” Chao told a large crowd eager to hear about leadership and learning for the 21st century.
Both Chao and Falcon faced many challenges throughout their lives, but with the power of an education, they both became very successful. Without knowing the English language or the American culture, Chao journeyed to the United States with her mother and two sisters when she was eight years old. She became the first Asian Pacific American woman ever appointed to the Cabinet, was the director of the Peace Corps and president of United Way of America. Life was not always easy for Chao. Her family furnished their one bedroom apartment from the Salvation Army while her father worked three jobs.
Chao strongly believes education is priceless and that it has a direct impact on lifelong earning potential. Chao certainly followed her own advice; she earned an MBA from the Harvard Business School and studied at MIT, Dartmouth College and Colombia University.
Falcon also deeply believed in the value of education. A native of the Philippines, she came to the United States to complete her residency in obstetrics and gynecology. She became one of the first female obstetricians in the Peoria area, established the Falcon Center for Women, delivered thousand of babies throughout her successful career and co-founded Health Professionals Ltd. Desiring a greater understanding of business practices, she enrolled in Bradley’s EMBA Program and earned her MBA in 2005.
In her address, Chao described the American workforce as the most diverse and productive in the world and explained that higher education is linked to an elevated salary and lower unemployment. The United States needs skilled workers, especially in areas such as biotechnology and health care. For example, within the next 10 years, the United States will require about one million additional nurses to care for the population as it ages and expands. “The world is changing, the pace is accelerating and it will not stop,” Chao said. “Workers are in charge of their own development, and the successful worker engages in continuous lifelong learning.”
Throughout her speech, Chao told humorous stories about when her family was establishing a new life in the United States. Chao smiled as she reminisced about the night her family heard the doorbell ring and opened the door to find goblins and monsters holding out bags and chatting in unison.
Thoroughly confused and unable to understand English, Chao and her family filled the bags with fruit and pieces of bread. Later, they discovered it was Halloween, a day when children go door-to-door saying “trick-or-treat” in exchange for candy.
On a more serious note, Chao provided valuable tips for leaders and emphasized communication as the key to bridging cultural gaps. She stressed the importance of cultural sensitivity and the ability to motivate and inspire others.
As Theresa S. Falcon would say, “To be who we are and to become what we’re capable of becoming – that is the essence of life.”
In addition to her inaugural lecture, Secretary Chao shared her knowledge and life’s experiences with a class of Bradley EMBA on Bradley’s campus. During her time with students she emphasized effective communication as being a critical component to being a leader. You must never assume that people understand where you’re going and what you want done.
Dr. Theresa Falcon-Cullinan passed away on Saturday night, a day after she was honored at the first Falcon Executive Speaker Series. The University extends its heartfelt sympathy to her family.