Matt Gentry | The Roanoke Times

Jeanie Goodwin (left) and Jayna Zimmerman, "twirly girls" for Virginia Highlands Pipes & Drums, warm up prior to leading the academic processional at Radford University's commencement.

RADFORD -- Don't feel like you have to save the world in the next six months.

That's one piece of advice John Feinstein gave Radford University graduates Saturday morning.

Feinstein, best-selling author, national sports columnist and commentator, delivered the commencement address to more than 1,800 graduates and nearly 10,000 of their family, friends and well-wishers on a day so blustery that Radford President Penelope Kyle had to hold her hat on while she conferred degrees upon row after row of black-gowned scholars, including more than 200 graduate students.

It was a postcard perfect day. Flags snapped in the wind as eight bagpipers and a company of kilted drummers from the Virginia Highlands Pipes and Drums struck up "Bluebells of Scotland," and segued into "Bonnie Charlie" as they began the procession of graduates onto Moffett Field. When the sea of academic regalia was seated and the initial ceremonies were completed, Feinstein delivered his advice to the graduates.

Commencement speeches haven't changed much over the years, Feinstein said as he conjured up a graduation day oratory from Plato, circa 399 B.C. In Feinstein's imagination, Plato congratulated the graduates, decried the influence of big-time sports, and called for a playoff system for major college football before telling the class of 399 B.C. that they were heading into a world that was changing faster and becoming more dangerous than ever before.

Feinstein acknowledged that's still true, but he reassured the latest graduating class: "You're going into a world that you're prepared for," he said. That's what they and their teachers and their parents had been doing for years.

Though there's plenty to be done, he told them, they shouldn't feel like they have to change the whole world right away. But they should try to do good in it.

And how they will do that good is up to them.

When Michael Jordan's University of North Carolina basketball coach, Dean Smith, tried to campaign for Harvey Gantt, a U.S. Senate candidate who was facing a racist campaign run by incumbent Jesse Helms, Jordan said no. "Republicans buy shoes, too," Jordan said in Feinstein's telling of the story.

Three basketball-playing brothers who loved the game as much as Jordan but who had a fraction of his talent took a different approach. Sean Touhey wanted to play in the NBA, but he was playing in Ireland when he got the idea that getting Catholic kids and Protestant kids playing together might be a step toward peace.

The idea worked so well in Ireland that Sean and his brother Brendan took the idea to South Africa. Now the program called PeacePlayers is also in Cyprus, Israel and New Orleans, bringing together on basketball courts young people who wouldn't interact with one another in any other way -- except perhaps as combatants. Devin Touhey, another brother, has worked with the organization, too.

Michael Jordan used basketball to enrich himself, Feinstein said. The Touhey brothers used the game to enrich the world.

It's such a simple idea, Feinstein said: getting kids together to play basketball, but it's done a lot of good. And that's what Feinstein counseled the graduates to do -- some small good.

He also gave them the secret to happiness and success, courtesy of Curly, a character in the midlife-crisis film, "City Slickers."

Asked for the secret of happiness, Curly held up one finger. Find one thing you can do well, and do it. That's the secret to happiness. Use that one thing to bring happiness to others, Feinstein said, and you'll bring happiness to yourself.

In addition to some 1,800 graduates, Radford University honored five outstanding faculty and staff members at Saturday’s commencement ceremony.

They were:

Associate professor of art Richard Bay, the recipient of the Donald N. Dedmon Distinguished Teaching Professor Award. The award recognizes and rewards outstanding teaching at Radford. Bay joined the faculty in 2002. He is credited with the revival of Radford’s art education program.

Professor of biology Mark Cline, the recipient of the Radford University Foundation Distinguished Creative Scholar Award. The award recognizes significant original contributions to the body of knowledge in academe and contributions that have had a significant impact on effective classroom teaching. Cline has been a member of the biology faculty since 2002. His research focuses on ways the brain regulates appetite.

James Lollar, an associate professor and chair of the marketing department, the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award. The award recognizes faculty who have contributed substantial service to the university during a sustained period of time. Lollar joined the Radford faculty in 1992 and won the Donald N. Dedmon Distinguished Teaching Professor Award in 2005. He has served four terms as faculty senate president and three terms as president of the faculty senate of Virginia.

Associate professor of psychology Jeff Willner, the recipient of the Distinguished Faculty Advising Award. The honor recognizes teaching faculty who demonstrate excellence in academic advising. Willner came to Radford in 1994. He serves as a faculty adviser to the Psychology Club and to Psi Chi, the psychology honorary society. Willner developed and was the first to teach a one-credit introduction to the psychology major course, which focuses on linking curricular choices to career planning.

Loretta Estes, advising coordinator and assistant to the dean of the Waldron College of Health and Human Services, the recipient of the Distinguished Professional Advising Award. Estes has worked at Radford since 1987 and has developed a variety of advising materials for the college and assisted with recruitment of new students.