One of the most important lessons in life that I have learned is that throwing money at a problem is rarely the best way to resolve it. In a recent Daily Collegian article ("Group seeks possible Distinguished Speakers," Jan. 30), I was somewhat shocked at the approach that was used to find distinguished speakers.

In a time when the financial climate is murky, to simply call a booking agent and go through a laundry list of high-priced celebrities seems to be an exercise in not spending money wisely. There is a significant pool of celebrities that would probably be honored to come to Penn State at little or no expense to the student body. These individuals are alumni of the university who have distinguished themselves in their careers.

I suspect that the Office of Alumni Relations would be glad to help facilitate such a search. I'm confident that invitations like these would also help to re-cement the ties that these individuals have with Penn State. Many students probably question the value of their future Penn State degree at some point in their academic career. This strategy would help show them what I have learned: My six-year investment in a Penn State education was one of the five best decisions of my life.