The University of Wisconsin—Eau Claire provided me with so many mentors and a desire to discover the world. In the quarter-century since my graduation, I have often joked that, as a liberal arts major, I am equally ignorant in every area. In fact, my liberal arts education exposed me to a broad range of knowledge and resources that have benefited me in the ensuing years. To date, I’ve written or co-authored more than 40 books for many of the world’s leading publishers. My travel writing has allowed me to visit and write about more than 45 countries, staying in the castles of Ireland and Scotland and the eco-camps of Chile, sailing the oceans and fjords and hiking the Swiss Alps, and visiting the bazaars of Tangier, Morocco. The broad-based education I received at UWEC also has resulted in interviews and work with some of America’s most recognizable figures, from U.S. presidents (Ronald Reagan wrote the foreword to my first book), senators and statesmen, to billionaires, sports stars and celebrities. A liberal arts education at UWEC will not guarantee your future success. It will, however, ensure that you have the guidance, the knowledge, the mentors and the means that can form the essential foundation for a fulfilling, rewarding and consequential life.
Thomas D. GriffithPresident, TDG Communications Inc.
UW-Eau Claire (1980)
Alumni Distinguished Achievement Award (2004)
