MUNCIE, Ind. -- Ball State University President John E. Worthen delivers the commencement address to the business college at the University of Istanbul in Turkey June 27 as part of a six-day visit to the country.

Worthen also will meet with international business leaders, university officials and Ball State alumni in Ankara and Istanbul during the trip.

"Since 1984 our two institutions have served as shining examples of how educated people with common interests can transcend cultures, political boundaries and vast distances," said Worthen.

During that time the business schools at Ball State and Istanbul have co-sponsored an international conference on marketing and development and exchanged dozens of faculty and students. Two Turkish students who earned master's degrees from Ball State now work for Coca-Cola in Vienna and British Petroleum in Turkey.

Worthen said his message to the Istanbul graduates will focus on the worldwide educational advantages offered by computer and telecommunications technology.

"As a result of the technology we can exchange more than a handful of faculty and students with overseas institutions. Now we are able to exchange our thoughts and ideas, our hopes and our dreams, moment by moment using the Internet and e-mail," he said.

"We can learn from each other on a scale no one ever imagined, and by learning from each other, we learn more about each other in the process," said Worthen.