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[President]:Well, Graduates in all likelihood that last commencement address you heard was
when you all graduated from high school, or in the case of our graduate students, maybe
in the most recent place from where you graduated college. Lots have changed from the last time
you heard a commencement address. You’ve changed from the last time you heard a commencement
address. In that matter, I’ve changed a little. Come to think about it, 27 years ago,
I sat where you’re sitting. You can do the math, it was 27 years ago.
(Crowd chuckles) 27 years ago getting ready to receive my undergraduate
degrees, and thinking back on that time, I really had to think and ask myself what did
I want to hear from my president that day that I was getting ready to walk across that
stage. What did I wish the president had said to me? I wish I had heard more about his career
path, maybe some wisdom, some sage advice; after all I was getting ready to embark on
a new adventure, on a new journey leaving college. What was his career path like? What
could I learn from his experience and maybe even from his mistakes? Another thing I wish
I had heard a bit about was how my college experiences, all of my college experiences
would prepare me well for the world of challenges that was 1986? Not just challenges for me,
challenges for my community, but what I really wanted to hear more of, and sincerely deep
down, what I really wanted to hear about was me. This was my commencement. Would he miss
me? Think about it! You just spend 4, 5, 6, more years here. You are the vast majority
of people on this campus. We’ve got almost 12,000 students! You outnumber the faculty
and staff almost 10 to 1. Would I be missed? I wanted to hear about that. So, here we are
some things that I’d hoped I had heard from my president on my commencement day. I was
about to graduate with degrees in chemical engineering and in history that much I knew.
I knew that I never wanted to leave a college campus. I felt at home. I liked it there.
In fact, I loved it there; I loved it so much that I gave up on what I had originally come
to college to do in the first place. I wanted to be a lawyer. I didn’t want to be a lawyer
anymore. I didn’t want to be an engineer; I wanted to stay right where I was. I loved
the academy. So I was at a crossroads! Some of you may be at a crossroads! So, what did
I do? I sought the advice of professors and advisors, my family, and the advice that always
sticks with me is the advice of my late father who said, “Once you make the decision in
which direction you wish to move son, and don’t look back. Live your life without
regret. Make that decision; put all of your heart into it and don’t look back”. Now,
I had no idea back in 1986 that the path I had chosen would lead me here to do really,
truly what I love, and it’s true! I love what I do, but the path is filled with challenges
and opportunities. Believe me, it didn’t start off smooth. I spent a summer working
as a janitor in a high school, worked part time for a startup firm outside where I grew
up, eventually went to graduate school, and here I am. Sometimes it takes time! Sometimes
there will be challenges and curves, but for every challenge and opportunity, and believe
me they come hand in hand, I want you all to understand that what you’ve done here
has prepared you well for those opportunities. As you pursue your passion, as you pursue
your dreams, you’ll encounter challenges and opportunities, but nothing has prepared
you as much than what you have done here with your professors. Trust me on this one please,
trust me on this. To this very day I’m in touch with some of my college professors.
You may not know it now, you may know some of it, but there may come five years down
the road and say, “Oh yeah! Professor so-in-so told me that! I get it”. Always remember
that. We take great pride here at Valdosta State in holding true something that President
John Adams said; well many years ago when President John Adams was President. He said,
“There are two kinds of education. One should teach you how to earn a living and the other
how to live”. We take great pride, graduates, in the fact that we have educated you equally
well for that world of work and that world of responsible citizenship. And so, as you
face the challenges and opportunities that are 2013, very different from what I faced
in 1986. There is probably no more important time where we need your creativity; we need
your innovated ideas, but my goodness, more than anything we need you to be engaged citizens.
Creativity applied to the solution of problems, problems that face our community, that’s
what we mean at VSU when we say that we believe in engaged innovation. And graduates you now
embody those values. So as you leave here today, think back to your hard work in class.
Think back to the hard work that your professors did to work with you in those classes and
don’t forget them. Be in touch. Let them know how they’re doing. Let them know how
well they did for you. So by this point what you’re probably saying to yourself, “Mr.
President that’s great. We’ve heard about you, we’ve heard about the community. What
about me?” Well, you’re right, and this is the time to talk about you, because quite
simply graduates we do not exist. Nothing that you see here exists without you. You
are why we exist and you matter. In my short 18 months at Valdosta State University, I
have had the pleasure and the honor, and I mean that literally, of getting to know many
of you. I have learned from you. My life has been enriched because of you. You have all
in your own way contributed to our campus community. As researchers, as artists, as
athletes, you will be missed. As actors and musicians, as activists, you will be missed.
As student leaders, traditional students, nontraditional students, undergraduates and
graduate students, Valdosta State University Blazers, every one of you are students soon
to become our alumni, you will be missed. In our brief semesters together, in this brief
18 months, we have celebrated. We’ve celebrated your successes, we celebrated this University,
and sadly we’ve mourned the loss of loved ones, kind of like family. The first lady
and I made a choice. We don’t have children of our own, but thanks to the good faith of
the family and friends who we just recognized a bit ago, they have trusted us and this community
with a family of about 12,000 of you, and we take that very, very seriously. Dr. Charlesworth
and I care deeply about you. Your professors, your advisors, each and every employee and
supporter of VSU care deeply about you, and we wish you every success. And because of
that belief you will always matter for the last however many years, you have made VSU
your home. So, as you prepare to leave home, I ask you this; check in once in a while.
Call home, okay that kind of dates me, and email us. Text us, post something on twitter,
post a vine, do something on Facebook or 10 years from now there will be new technology
for you to get a hold of us, don’t worry we’ll figure it out.
(Crowd chuckles) Be in touch with us, because you matter to
us. Graduates, we will miss you. And so as we stand here on commencement day toward what
you will commence only time will tell, but as you look to your future make those decisions
with no regret and don’t ever look back. Embrace your obligations as citizens and your
own unique abilities to be innovative, and please call home once in a while. Let us know
how you are doing. During your years at VSU, you have each enriched this community in immeasurable
ways. As you walk across this stage you become at once a part of our distinguished history
and our very, very bright future. Our reputation as a university is no better than your success,
and I know each and every one of you will be successful. So, to our VSU students soon
to become our VSU alumni, I will miss you. Congratulations graduates.
(Crowd applauds) Congratulations