on number of highly qualified candidates applied for Weber State’s top spot. Foxley said, “Dr. Thompson brings a truly distinguished career of scholarship, teaching, academic administration and Dr. Paul H. Thompson, new WSC president, speaks at the press conference held to announce his appointment. / Ogden native becomes new Weber State president / a { former WSC student with three generations of ties to the college, has become the 10th president of the institution. Dr. Paul H. Thompson, former vice president of development and university relations at Brigham Young University, was named Weber State’s new president by the State Board of Regents in a July ceremony at the college. . “It’s exciting to be back at Weber State,” Dr. Thompson told about 200 people gathered for the June announcement on campus. “Not only Weber State, but the entire greater Ogden community should benefit greatly through this appointment,” Douglas S. Foxley, chairman of the Regents, said in announcing the new president. Dr. Thompson, 51 and a former resident of Warren, west of Ogden, fills a spot vacated in April when former Weber State President Stephen D. Nadauld left the campus to accept a position with Bonneville Pacific Corporation. “The Regents feel very fortunate to have Creating personal and professional success President and CEO of Black and Decker Corp., WSC Alumnus Nolan D. Archibald delivered this address to Weber State graduates during June 1990 Commencement Exercises. attracted him to assume the presidency of this outstanding and dynamic institution,” Foxley said. “This institution has a great history, a great tradition, and it’s exciting to come to campus,” Dr. Thompson said. “I am here because Weber State has a great future and I’m looking forward to helping shape that future.” Three generations of Thompsons have attended WSC, he said, starting with his grandfather. “My grandfather attended when David O. McKay was president here, and my father was a student when William P. Miller was here. There were 2,200 students when I attended, now there are 13,000,” he said. A 21-member search committee comprised of Regents, WSC Institutional Council members, faculty, staff, students, alumni and community members reviewed approximately 100 applications during the search process. The entire Board of Regents interviewed six finalists before selecting Dr. Thompson. Regents noted that an unusually large Think, for a moment, of what you would like more than anything else to do or become in this life — any vocation, profession or hobby of your choosing: The president of a large corporation, a talented engineer, a skilled surgeon, a successful attorney, a college president, a great teacher, a successful dairy farmer, an accomplished musician, a successful mother or father. , Now let me tell you somethingI believe strongly. In almost all cases you cari become that person if it’s what you really want. What I’m talking about has little to do with having the intellectual ability to achieve. Except for the possibility of the mentally impaired, I don’t believe intellectual capacity should ever be an obstacle in becoming what you want to become. What someone may lack in I.Q. can be made up in ‘J will,” that is, in desire and hard work. Now this is not to ignore the fact that each of us have different talents, but isn’t it a fund-raising to the presidency of Weber State College.” Dr. Thompson earned his doctorate degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration and holds a master’s degree from that same institution. He attended Weber State in 1957-58 and earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Utah in 1964. Prior to his position as vice president at BYU, Dr. Thompson was the dean of the BYU Marriott School of Management. He also taught for 11 years at the Provo school. His wife, the former Carolyn Nelson, Attended Weber State from 1957-59, serving for one year as secretary to the Associated Students of Weber State. “T hope in many ways that I can contribute and add to this institution,’ Mrs. Thompson said. “I pledge to do allthat I can to build this great university.” The Thompsons are parents of five daughters and one son. The new president started work on Sept. | and said he plans to continue to refine Weber State’s mission as a premiere teaching institution. “The buildings are here, the faculty, staff and students are here. This institution is poised to move forward into the 1990's.” Dr. Paul H. Thompson powerful thought that you can become anything you want to become? That thought will not be as startling if you’ll remember these two fundamental principles of success. Number one: Never limit nor minimize your potential; and, number two: Set high goals and reset ever higher goals when you get close to your original ones. I remember Dr. McKay saying, “Dream impossible dreams, and those dreams will become reality.” After I returned from my church mission I was ready to tackle the world. I started dreaming impossible dreams and hoped those dreams would become realities, and I set two impossible goals. I decided I wanted a career in business and I felt an M.B.A. was essential. So I set as one of my goals to get a master’s degree in business administration. My second impossible goal was to play college basketball at a division-one school. See SUCCESS, continued on page 4