CIA director first in President's Speaker Series

By Kurt Wagner

Hundreds of Santa Clara alumni returned to campus this weekend; but only one did so with a secret service escort at his side.

Former Santa Clara undergraduate and law student, and current Director of the CIA, Leon Panetta, '60, was on hand Friday night to speak as the first guest of this year's President's Speaker Series. A full-house audience at Mayer Theatre greeted Panetta.

"One of my goals is to try and have one alum each (series)," said Margaret Avritt, the project manager for the President's Speakers Series and marketing director for the Office of Marketing and Communications. "I think that when they get up and tell their success stories, those are SCU success stories too. So I think there is something special about seeing an alum, one of us up there, who has been so successful."

Panetta's speech lasted just under an hour, and he addressed the issues of national security as well as the CIA's role in gathering and securing intelligence before spending an additional 20 minutes answering audience questions. He summarized for the audience the CIA's four main objectives: counterterrorism, counter-proliferation, cyber security and global responsibilities.

Counterterrorism was described by Panetta as being the most important and difficult task currently facing the CIA. The United States' war against terrorism and al-Qaeda poses numerous threats to national security, he said.

"In the fight against terrorism, the hardest part can be simply finding the enemy," said Panetta. "Al-Qaeda continues to plan attacks on our homeland...It is as determined as ever to strike the United States, Europe and other American allies and interests."

The issue of cyber security is relatively new, a product of a 21st century world where technology dominates nearly all aspects of communication, as well as warfare. According to Panetta, the threat of another nation attacking the United States by taking down a power grid or communication system is becoming an ever-more dangerous reality. Countries like China, Iran, North Korea and Russia are developing "sophisticated new weapons in the cyber-arena," he said.

"My greatest concern," he added, "is that the next Pearl Harbor could very well be a cyber-attack."

The speech was preceded by an invitation-only reception for Panetta held in a tent in Mission Gardens. Nearly 175 guests were present to enjoy an assortment of appetizers and an open bar. Panetta arrived around 7 p.m. and immediately began hugging and reminiscing with many of the guests, a number of whom were members of the Santa Clara class of 1960.

"My God," Panetta said. "It is hard to believe that I am celebrating the 50th reunion of the class of 1960. There is much that I have to be thankful for from Santa Clara."

Panetta dedicated the first 15 minutes of his speech to his homecoming to campus, recalling fond memories of his time on the Mission Campus from riding motorcycles on the first floor of Kenna Hall to mixers up in San Francisco.

But his most precious memory of his undergraduate years was meeting his wife of 48 years, Sylvia, outside of McLaughlin Hall. They met after Santa Clara's mixer with the local Catholic girls' schools.

"The best thing that ever happened to me at Santa Clara was meeting my wife, Sylvia," he said.

Panetta was also a professor of Public Policy after graduating from Santa Clara, and as an undergraduate, worked on staff with the school newspaper, The Santa Clara.

Last year, Santa Clara alum and Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, kicked off the President's Speakers Series. In addition to showcasing successful Santa Clara graduates, having alumni such as Panetta or Napolitano speak is cost effective for the university, said Avritt. Both speakers presented at no charge.

This year's series, which claims the theme "The Law and Our Changing Society," has two more speakers scheduled for this year. Rosalyn Higgins, who is the former president of the International Court of Justice, is scheduled to speak in the Mission Church in February. Google's chief legal officer and Santa Clara alum, David Drummond, '85, will speak in April at Mayer Theatre.

Contact Kurt Wagner at jwagner@scu.edu