117th Spring Commencement of The University of Texas at Austin
Excerpts of Remarks by Larry R. Faulkner
May 20, 2000
Main Building Terrace
Welcome to the 117th Commencement of The University of Texas at Austin.
The path leading to this evening has been long, eventful, and productive. Tonight is a time for reflection on where you have come from and where you are headed. On what you have learned and how you intend to use that knowledge and experience to fulfill your aspirations and to make the world a better place. A time to remember those who helped you along the way. Commencement is a family affair.
Commencement is also an academic ritual. You arrive on the Main Mall as students and leave as graduates. You are graduates of a university that is blessed with a diverse international community that reflects the Texas of the 21st century. Not only do we have students from all 254 counties in Texas, but the student body also includes people from all 50 states and some 115 foreign countries.
This academic year has been special for many reasons. We dedicated the Martin Luther King, Jr. Statue last September, the culmination of an ambitious 12-year student initiative. I applaud your efforts and the magnificent monument that you helped create. Parents and visitors, if you haven't seen it, I urge you to go to the East Mall to see a powerful memorial to a great American.
In addition, we celebrated the 100-year anniversary of The Daily Texan,which has produced 16 Pulitzer Prize winners. I should add that The Texanhas also produced some rather unflattering caricatures of me--but I enjoy and respect The Daily Texan nonetheless.
Here on this mall, more than 5,000 Longhorns and Aggies came together last November for the candlelight Unity Gathering honoring the victims of the bonfire tragedy in a very moving ceremony. It was an extraordinary evening that we will never forget.
And on December 31, 1999, as the clock struck twelve we greeted the year 2000 on this campus with no major mishaps or Y2K disasters. A few of you may have been hoping some of your grades would vanish, but our computers--and your records--survived.
Finally, during this academic year we reopened The UT Tower. Architect Paul Cret wrote in 1931 that the Tower was to transcend its role as a library and repository of human knowledge to become--and I quote--"the image in our memory when we think of the place."
Let's all take a good long look at the Tower tonight, and capture its image in our memory. I hope it will always evoke for you this glorious evening and many other special moments during your time on this campus.
This has been a remarkable year. But it's the people who really make this place special. Tonight, there are 7,000 stories of achievement, resourcefulness, and stamina in our midst. And I am proud of them all!
I'd like to highlight just a few of our graduates.
Tiffany Conner first visited the University when she was five years old. Her grandmother, Betty Campos, was on the housekeeping staff of Jester Dormitory and she passed on to Tiffany the Longhorn souvenirs she received from Jester residents. Tiffany had to sit out the first semester after high school to work full time to raise the money to attend UT. And throughout her undergraduate education, she has been employed 30 to 35 hours a week. But Tiffany persevered. Tonight she will receive her degree in history and government from the College of Liberal Arts. She aspires to become a civil rights attorney, and she has been accepted to 10 law schools thus far. Tiffany, we are proud of you. And we're proud of your grandmother, too!
In Des Moines, Iowa, Stacie Wright was the only infant whose nursery was painted burnt orange and decorated with a photo of the UT Tower. It may have had something to do with the fact that her mother was the student editor of the Cactusyearbook in 1964. This year, Stacie visited the Tower observation deck with her mom, her aunt and uncle, and her grandmother--all Longhorns. Her grandmother, Martha Morrow, pointed out Andrews Dormitory, where she'd lived in the 1930s. Mrs. Morrow, welcome back! Stacie, who has earned a degree in mechanical engineering, leaves for London next Tuesday--with an unknown itinerary. But she'll be back in town to start work for Dell Computer Corporation later this summer. Congratulations, Stacie!
Scott Nguyen was born on the other side of the planet, in Cantho, Vietnam. His parents left Vietnam for Texas in 1980. After graduating from high school in Houston, he came to UT, where he discovered a passion for physics. Supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation, Scott became one of the youngest students to perform research at the CERN particle accelerator in Geneva. Next fall, he will begin graduate school studying molecular physics at Harvard. Congratulations, Scott!
Each student represents a different story. But they all have something in common. They had the courage to face the challenge of attending the biggest university in the nation! They had the courage to think big and to aim high!
Parents, be proud that your children had the drive and the ambition to come to this large and complex community--to accept responsibility for getting the job done--and to complete their degrees. This campus presents challenges to me each day--and I know it challenges the young people who enroll here every fall.
We all depend upon the family and friends around us for support. No one accomplishes much in life without the help of others. And we have many helpers with us tonight. I now invite the Class of 2000 and all our graduates to salute your parents, families, and friends for their devotion and support. Would the families and supporting friends of our graduates please rise and be recognized.
Graduates, no matter where you are from, you are now forever identified with Texas. Take the spirit of Texas--the spirit that nothing is impossible--with you on your journey.
Graduates and members of the Class of 2000, I salute you.
* * *
Our graduating students are aware of the core purpose and core values of The University. But before you leave, I'm going to give you a chance to hear them one more time. As you listen to these 71 eloquent words, picture how you have lived these values during your time at the University, and how you will live them in the years to come:
Our purpose: To transform lives for the benefit of society.
Our core values:
LEARNING:
A caring community, all of us students, helping one another grow.
DISCOVERY:
Expanding knowledge and human understanding.
FREEDOM:
To seek the truth and express it.
LEADERSHIP:
The will to excel with integrity and the spirit that nothing is impossible.
INDIVIDUAL OPPORTUNITY:
Many options, diverse people and ideas, one University.
RESPONSIBILITY:
To serve as a catalyst for positive change in Texas and beyond.
As you scatter around the world in pursuit of your dreams, draw strength from the values and the lessons you have learned on this campus. And when you reach an impasse in life, a tough decision, a challenging life event--return to these core values to get your bearings. Remember this night, when--surrounded by your loved ones--you set off on the rest of your journey.
I thank the graduating class for the ceremonial medallion that future presidents and I will wear for this event. This new tradition will serve as a symbol of the vision and aspirations of the Class of 2000 for generations to come.
The year I took office, the Board of Regents presented me with the Mace of Authority, another emblem of my responsibility to serve The University community. Tonight, I am honored to entrust the members of the Class of 2000 with the Mace of Authority.
The mace is a symbol of the values, the traditions, and the legacy of The University of Texas at Austin. Good luck and Godspeed!
Click Here for a printer friendly PDF version. PDF format requires Adobe Acrobat Reader for viewing.
