Penn State’s graduation weekend has come and gone, even without the traditional “Senior Week” lead-in for the second straight year. Suddenly it is quiet in Happy Valley, evidenced by the shorter lines at Chipotle, and the emptier sidewalks along College Avenue and the slower pace of life here.
Over the past few years, I’ve been asked to speak at graduation events or commencements and this spring was no different. On May 4th I was asked to speak briefly to the 2nd graduating class of the College of Liberal Arts Paterno Fellows Program. It is an amazing honors program that challenges students to go beyond what they thought they could accomplish.
The students there made every adult in the room feel as though we had really missed out on what a college experience could be all about. The students had studied or worked in 29 countries on 5 continents and among the 80 or so students they spoke 25 different languages.
They had worked for senators, congressmen and for the United States Departments of Justice, State and Homeland Security. They volunteered for literacy projects, Relay for Life, Penn State’s Dance Marathon and charities at home and abroad. The depth of their biographies was both astounding and awe-inspiring.
It was difficult to look and this group and not feel two emotions; pride and a little envy. There was pride in what these Penn State students had reached for and accomplished. It is what this university should be all about. The envy was from the realization of what college in this century is about; diverse real-world experiences across a rapidly shrinking globe.
When I prepare to speak to a group, sometimes I take into account that there may be people there whose intelligence exceeds mine. Before speaking to this group of top-notch scholars I knew this was a group whose intelligence exceeded most everyone on the planet.
Anyone speaking to people getting ready to graduate, tries to find something worthwhile to say to them. After the ceremony many of the parents asked me to post my remarks. I am taking this space to share my thoughts. As the high school graduations roll around maybe there will be something in here for you to share with your graduate:
Among the hallmarks of truly great leadership is recognizing what we do not know and a willingness to search for answers. In a 24/7 media news cycle those who admit to needing more information, those who pause to seek truth before acting are seen as weak.
Remember this; the most enduring documents in our nation’s history, The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, The Emancipation Proclamation were all the result of consensus and compromise and most importantly intellectual curiosity.
I want to share with you my hopes for the lives you will live as you leave Penn State. I hope you find happiness and love. I hope you live a life that leaves you fulfilled; allowing you each night to fall into contented rest because your conscience is clear.
I hope you remember what Ghandi once said:
“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.”
I hope you find a moment each day to hold. I was along the banks of Spring Creek and saw an osprey swoop down and snag a trout from the water. Not a good moment for the trout but special to witness. I see the smile and wave from my daughter as she got on her school bus years ago, or a walk across a park with my father; or the twinkle in his eye before a game.
I hope you fall in love with something bigger than yourself. That term “something bigger that yourself” has almost become a cliché. But it really entails this:
Make yourself vulnerable, pour your heart into someone or something despite knowing if things go wrong it will hurt so deeply as to gut your soul. It could be family, a cause, a university you love or to believe in something so real like “Success with Honor”.
May you find a cause or a love so precious you will defend its honor to the last; fighting even if it means shouting truth to power over the howling tempest winds as most of the world pushes back against you. If there is one lesson I have learned in my life it is the pride, the honor that comes when you stand up for right.
You are all part of something special, you are now about to become Penn State graduates. But my challenge to you is for you to become Penn Staters. Many are graduates, but having a Penn State degree does not automatically make you a Penn Stater. It is a cause, it is love, it is a shared set of values.
