I imagine that if he were alive today, he would view the Internet as a major tool in creating such an institution, particularly since he was so interested in the transformation of society through the sharing and distribution of knowledge. The state of Virginia has, in a very short period of time, come a long way toward emerging as one of the real capitals of technology in the United States, and potentially in the world. I think a strong and vital university here that is perceived as being a global leader in this new domain will have huge benefits for the state. Living so near Stanford, I watch how many great companies come out of Stanford, like Yahoo and Silicon Graphics and Sun. You have to have academic institutions that produce the kinds of people who go on to create these kinds of companies.
Institutions feed businesses.
It's my hope that the state of Virginia will be both supportive and cognizant of investing in the infrastructure of the state. My last hope for this initiative would be that the University of Virginia becomes recognized as the predominant institution of higher learning around the world. I think that one of the great opportunities that the Internet provides is that it always allows a new set of leaders to emerge. I hope that we will really seize the opportunity here to position the University as the foremost institution in the world through the integration of Internet technologies and through a modern approach to collegiate education.