of virginia thomas jefferson wrote the declaration of independence, we have only been as strong as the nation as the measure by which our people have been involved in and cared about this nation. edmund birk said it this way. all it takes for evil to try umple is for good men or women to do nothing. in other words, democracy is not a spectator's sport. a great country you have today will only be that way with your direct caring and involvement. in 2012 my daughter is here was serving as a platoon leader in iraq. in that year, 70% of the voters in iraq after 25 years of tyranny came to the polls to voted and they had to worry about snipers and ieds. and oppression. and yet in that same year i was

running for attorney general only 45% of the people in virginia cared enough to come out and vote for their governors, their lieutenant nant governor and attorney general. that's unacceptable. that's not a live and vibrant democracy. many people your age today graduates are serving in korea, in germany, and afghanistan and iraq and places around the country so i tell you stand up for them, honor their commitment by standing up for the americans ideals. learn, serve, vote. make a difference. [applause] and while you're standing up for those ideals let me make a plea for this. do it passionately but civilly. i can tell you turn on tomorrow

morning's news and you will see at any moment the talking heads talking about the ideas of the day jauvens times talking over or around one another. and it's no wonder that you young people can get turned off with politics. but i don't think it has to be that way. whether you're republican or democrat you can believe passionately in what you believe in but do it in a way that honors the traditions of our nation. because the fact is while it doesn't get much coverage, there are great people every day that work in government and business and education and the other institution obvious america that are quietly getting important and big things accomplished. no political party has a monopoly on virtue or patriotism. we all care deeply about america. so i say to you decide what you

believe in. and then go make a difference. and work for our country. the future of america does depend on you getting involved. and finally number three work hard, dream big. america is an amazing land of opportunities not guarantees. that's the secret of our success for these couple centuries. think of your founders. captain christopher newport. the captain of the -- in fact the commander of the entire expedition that 405 years ago gave birth to the great state of virginia and the great country of the united states of america. i can tell you for him there were no guarantees crossing that ocean. there was only an opportunity that king james gave him to found this new world. many of you as you walk across

the stabling will have already found those opportunities. many of you may still be searching. but let me tell you the words of frances bacon. a wise man or woman will make more opportunities than he finds. and it is true. when i was in your seat 36 years ago, all i knew was i was going to go into the army. i had no idea that an average middle class kid from faverple county would grow up to have the same job that thomas jefferson and patrick henry the first two governors of virginia. it's a great country. isn't it? [cheers and applause] so it doesn't matter whether your first job is president of the company or the salesperson for the company or the receptionist for the company. what i tell you is your duty is the same. work hard, and do the very best

you can do at that first job. because if you do that people will recognize your efforts. they will reward your efforts and new opportunities will come . i can tell you that most of your opportunities will come because of your character and your ability to get things done. character does count. results and values do matter. again let me give you the words of thomas jefferson talking about character. he said god has formed us as moral agents that we may promote the happiness of those with whom he has placed us in society. by acting honestly towards all benevolently towards those who fall within our way. i can tell you during my couple decades of public service i believe that the world is hungry even desperate for people for leaders of character with a heart for service to others. so go and be those leaders.

the scriptures also tell you that to whom much has been given much will be expected. you have been given much here. you have learned from and been mentored by some of the great faculty in all of the commonwealth. so now much is expected. you've been trained for excellence. so do not deliver mediocrity. don't make excuses. make things happen. and now as i close i've got one last request for you as governor of virginia. i know you're going to have many opportunities. maybe some around the country and around the world. but i want to humbly ask you this. no matter where you came from, today you are here in virginia. so if you're going to create something big, create it in virginia. if you're going to open a business, open it in virginia.

if you're going to be a great artist or a doctor or a teacher or professor, lawyer, counselor or whatever it may be, do it in virginia. we want to keep your talents and your dreams in virginia. we want you to pay taxes in virginia. so thank you, students, for your hardwork these last four years or five years or six years. you've gotten to this day with the love and support of your families, your parents, the members of the board, the president, the faculty. many have loved and nurtrd you to get you to this day. so i say to you go be great go make a difference go captains god bless you. [cheers and applause] >> more from this year's

graduates from the school of communication at the university. >> tell us your name and hometown. >> my name is lauren i'm from memphis, tennessee. >> what did you think of today's speakers? >> i really enjoyed them. i especially enjoyed lindsey's about empathy. i thought that it really spoke tot values of the school's communication. it really spoke to applying the tools that we've learned in a socially conscious way and i really appreciate that. >> who is she? >> she is an undergraduate student graduating today as well. >> what is your degree in today? >> my degree is in foreign language. and communication media. >> what will you do with that? >> well, it's funny you should ask. i actually have a dance minor and i'm planning to pursue dance professionally in the d.c. area. i'm also interested in pursuing arts administration so public

relations and marketing for arts organizations. hopefully dance companies. >> how about student loans? do you have any that you're responsible for sflr i actually have no students loans. i'm very, very lucky that my parents have supported me so heavily and so i'm going out into the world a free woman. >> i'm sarah from new hampshire. >> and so what did you think of today's commencement speakers? >> i thought it was amazing. i'm going to be inturning for the associated press so i was excited to hear the president. i thought his speech was very inspirational and lindsey's too moved me to tears. it was great. >> what did you study? >> broadcast, journalism and french. >> you're going to be interning. what would you like to do long term? >> i hope to go into digital journalism. i've interned with abc news but i'm interested in going to morocco and trying to cover how the arab spring has played out

there and if there's going to be more disruption i guess. >> up next the commencement ceremony at stnch mary's college afmaryland. the mayor address it had class of 2012. she was the youngest person ever elected to the baltimore city council prior to becoming mayor. here's her speech to the 44 students. >> good morning. i can say i have never seen a group of people more excited about a green door. so thank you very much for inviting me to speak to you on this absolutely beautiful day. i was promise bid your president there would be a few people from baltimore. are there any people from

baltimore here? thank you very much. now my nerves are gone. i know there's some hometown folks in the crowd. so today is the culmination not just of the last four years but of a lifetime of hard work for the students who are here today. and after these celebration i promised the students an address, a commencement address of no less than 90 minutes. and i intend to keep my word. so get comfortable. to the graduates i want to congratulate you on completing your undergraduate education. each and every one of you are about to join a very distinguished fraternity. my dear friends and colleagues brandon scott off remind me that a degree from st. mary's is not your average degree. he actually says it's more than i'd like to hear that.

a degree from st. mary's is a degree from md's public honors college that comes with the increased level of responsibility of caring for the tradition of excellence of those who have come before you and carried that degree into the real world. 50 days ago i had the pleasure of meeting and speaking with many of you at your celebration. and during my visit i had the pleasure of having dinner with your class president and opportunity trustee. i must say our future is in great hands. as i made my trip back it was very clear to me that you all are extremely well prepared to move on to the next chapt anywhere your lives whether bit the real world or furtherering your education. i was also very impressed with your collective awares in of the demrobal situations of

today. i was told then and i completedly understand now that it is all a part of what is called the st. mary's way. caring for the environment is just as an important part as the day your shoes made it into the shoe tree. and being socially conscious is no less a part of the st. mary's culture than midnight breakfast. it's also a complete education that will ensure that you are well prepared for the challenges of the world that await you. make no mistake. the world that you are about to eentor is totally different than the world i entered after graduating. our country, state, and city are still struggling from teesketofts great recession. families throughout our great state have to tighten their belts as they struggle with increast costs and decreased income. individuals are struggling to find and to keep work. however, despite these challenges, our spirit remains

strong. as the mayor of baltimore i see first-hand the result of an entire city even while the economy endured the great recession that damaged our economy baltimore has held its own. and our public schools test scores and graduates are rising while dropout rates are falling. and our streets, crime is dropping to levels not seen since the 1970s. our neighborhoods are becoming mag nets for new investment. and now as the country pulls itself out of the recession we can see and feel that baltimore's best days are ahead of us and i would love for you to be a part of that future, too. i am humbled to serve tazz mayor of baltimore. it's my home. baltimore is in me and with me wherever i go. and in my lifetime our city has gone through some tremendous changes. people and businesses have left, entire industries disappeared. our schools fell into disr