Warner and McCauley

Southeast Missouri State University will welcome two distinguished speakers this Leap Day.

Kurt Warner, a two-time NFL MVP and Super Bowl quarterback, will present a speech titled "All Things Possible!" at the Show Me Center. He'll focus his attention on living with Christian values.

Byron McCauley, a longtime journalist with 20 years in the newspaper industry and currently the director of public relations at KnowledgeWorks, will also be on campus for the university's annual Michael Davis lecture, a Black History Month event tied to the university's journalism department.

Both of these men have some things in common. Both have gone about their careers in the right way.

McCauley, according to a university news release, earned a bachelor's degree in journalism from Louisiana Tech University and a master's degree in public relations from the University of Southern Mississippi. He also trained at Harvard Business School's Executive Education program in strategic marketing management. According to the release, he has been deeply involved as a youth mentor and has been active with Boys and Girls Clubs of America.

Warner's tale is more famous. Played football at an unheralded college. Played some Arena League Football. Worked on his craft, bagged groceries in between, until he was finally given the opportunity to start for the St. Louis Rams because of an injury. He conducted himself with class at all times, even when circumstances didn't go his way later in his career. Ultimately he took two languishing franchises to the Super Bowl and has a good chance at being elected to the Hall of Fame. And he never shied away from sharing his faith.

These two men, both great role models and respected professionals, are also a sad reminder of the opportunities a young Michael Davis never had.

Davis was an aspiring journalism student who was killed 18 years ago in a hazing incident, where members of a fraternity organization beat him and others around midnight on Valentine's Day as part of an initiation ritual. Davis, 25, was pummeled, kicked and body slammed. He died the day after the beating.

Warner and McCauley are both great examples of why integrity and morals are so important. They show what can be achieved. In the context of Michael Davis, we see what can happen in the absence of those qualities.

We encourage you to see one or both of these events.

McCauley's lecture is at noon, free and open to the public, at the Rose Theatre in the Grauel Building.

Tickets for Warner's speech can be purchased by calling the box office at 651-5000. The event begins at 7:30 p.m.