Office of the President

Speeches & Reports

Memorial Service for Dr. Norman Borlaug

Oct. 6, 2009

Thank you. I am Bowen Loftin, interim president of Texas A&M University. On behalf of the entire Aggie family, I welcome you to our campus. We come together today to mark the passing of Dr. Norman Borlaug and to remember his profound contributions that improved the lives of millions of people around the world.

Dr. Borlaug once said that we can't build a peaceful world on empty stomachs and human misery. Through his humanitarian work over many decades, Dr. Borlaug accomplished more than any other human being to build a peaceful world.

Despite his great achievements, Dr. Borlaug was a man of great humility and grace. As many of you know, he continued to teach classes and mentor students well into his nineties. He will be greatly missed at Texas A&M.

We will miss him, but his legacy will live on at Texas A&M… through the hearts and minds that he touched during his long life… through our land-grant mission of improving lives through teaching, research and engagement… and through the Norman Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture. We are honored to have this association with the great Dr. Norman Borlaug. Thank you.