President Tessier-Lavigne outlines what is important

Stanford President Marc Tessier-Lavigne speaks about "What Matters to Me and Why," with Jane Shaw, dean for religious life. (Image credit: L.A. Cicero) A commitment to service, a dedication to help new students make the most of their opportunities and an aspiration to take Stanford to even greater heights were among the themes outlined by President Marc Tessier-Lavigne during his 'What Matters to Me and Why' talk. An audience in the hundreds packed Memorial Church Wednesday to hear President Marc Tessier-Lavigne share his journey to becoming Stanford's 11th president. Tessier-Lavigne spoke as part of the 'What Matters to Me and Why' series sponsored by the Office for Religious Life to encourage reflection on matters of personal values and beliefs. In his talk, Tessier-Lavigne, who was appointed president last year, spoke about the importance of family and about how students can best prepare themselves for Stanford. An accomplished neuroscientist, Tessier-Lavigne shared that he initially questioned whether to pursue science as a career. He said that his parents, who both served in the military, instilled in him and his siblings the importance of community service.