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>>Over 12 hundred graduates,
most receiving Advanced Degrees claim their diploma's
as Purdue University's summer 2007 Commencement
at Elliot Hall of Music.
The Commencement was the first for France Cordova
as Purdue's new President.
Cordova saluted the graduates, then the mother
of two college students encouraged the class
to salute those who had supported them through the years
of challenges, their parents.
Cordova, who capped her academic career with a PhD
in Astro Physics from Cal Tech,
drew from her undergraduate years
as a Stanford English major when she quoted Ralph Waldo Emerson
to remind the graduates that each day is full of potential
and promise limited only
by the boundaries each individual sets
for him or herself.
>>France Cordova: Every morning, when we rise,
the possibilities are all before us.
The question for each of us is,
what will we do with this new day?
How can we use it, not only to accomplish our dreams,
but also help other pursue theirs?
The writer Goethe said, "Whatever you can do,
or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it."
I hope your life is filled with bold beginnings.
>>Underlying Cordova's theme
that Commencement is a beginning,
student respondent Nicole Key, who received her Doctorate
in Mechanical Engineering, said she felt as enthusiastic
as she did when her parents dropped her off
at Owen Hall several years ago as a freshman.
>>Nicole Key: I'm nervous, anxious
and incredibly excited for my new job.
I'm definitely out of my comfort zone, however,
if I've learned anything from my years at Purdue, I've learned
that I can accomplish my goals if I take it one step at a time.
So, I want to encourage you, as you step into your new roles,
to dream big, and don't be afraid to dream big.
You now have a diploma
that shows you have achieved a significant goal,
and are well equipped for even bigger accomplishments.
>>Cordova saw that only one undergraduate,
during the ceremony, before he walked Elliott Stage,
Foster Clark achieved one very major accomplishment,
helping to save the world from fascism during World War II.
Clark answered his countries call to duty in 1942 and shipped
out before he could claim his diploma.
Now, he has it.
The rest of these graduates got their chance
to meet Cordova after the ceremony.
The President joined the celebrants as they engaged
in their traditional revelry on the Engineering wall
at the steps at the Huvde Administration building.
For Purdue New Service, I'm Jim Schenke.