into phone hacking continues with former british prime minister quarter brown and george osborne testifying. coverage begins tomorrow at 5:00 a.m. eastern on c-span2 and will continue throughout the week. next, a commencement speeches by a missouri government -- governor jay nixon and samuel palmisano, barney frank and general martin dempsey. >> of the be-52, everyone thinks back to vietnam, at they think of the history of the cold war, but there is a different kind of power associated with the b-52. >> women and confederates who knew each other prior to be

civil war and fought against each other in 1862. here they are at age 100 talking about the old days. >> the date to the west is 903. they reflect or reference a moment of the bomb which was at 9 02. >> every month on book tv and american history tv. look for the history of our next stop, jefferson city, missouri. >> governor jay nixon was that commencement speaker at northwest missouri state. he spoke to the class of 2012 about the importance of higher education and alternative energy advances. jay nixon was the attorney

general for four terms before becoming governor in 2008. his speech is 12 minutes. [applause] >> thank you, president, board of regents, a distinguished faculty, families, and the students, i am delighted to be here on this special day and among the first to say congratulations class of 2012. all of your hard work has paid off. it has brought you to this point, standing at the threshold of a new journey. since 1905, northwest missouri graduates have served with the highest distinction. you are about to become a part of that proud tradition. i will want to extend my

congratulations to your parents, families, and friends whose love, support and sacrifice were essentials in helping you get here today. your diplomas represent the fulfillment of their dreams and their efforts as well as your own. you cannot repay all they have invested in new but i urge you to try. honor them by using your education to make a contribution to your community and make a difference in our world. let me also congratulate the northwest missouri state's staff of the outstanding ray oarray programs here to explore traditional and non-traditional fields of study and prepared them to compete for careers in the 21st century. this ceremony marks the completion of one important phase of your education and the beginning of another.

it is a celebration of all that you have achieved since the first day you step foot on this campus. you leave northwest missouri state with more facts and figures he may have thought possible. about subjects as diverse as computer science and counseling, poetry and political science, theology and jazz. your education expanded not only the boundaries of what you know, but also your capacity for learning. that capacity is infinite in all directions and continues throughout your life. very simply, never stop learning. your education on this campus includes lessons of the heart and spirit. about the value of a french ship, a team work, service to others and leadership. years from now which will not matter how many people friend did you on facebook. what will sustain you are the

special moments you spent here in the harbor of northwest missouri state, a monk good friends, coaches and mentors with high expectations. those moments may have come at times a personal victory on the football field or competitions, others at times of minor setbacks. your friends and teammates, your teachers and coaches made those moments better and they may do better. your education on this campus has also prepared you to solve all kinds of problems. physical or abstract, the radical. creating a proof and mathematics requires the same rigor, discipline, and imagination is creating a beautiful work of art. this university has provided you with the opportunity to try your hand it will. you have learned that all people are not equal in all things.

he to break it to you but some are smarter than others. hate to break it to you but some are is smarter than others. right to brains, left brains, we need them both. we need problem solvers like you who bring facts to the table and who can think critically and independently. as we move into the second decade of the 21st century, the future that you, the class of 2012, will be creating will be defined not only by how well we compete in the global economy, but how well we can collaborate to accomplish shared goals and attack shared problems. without a doubt, the nations of the world are more interdependent today than at any time in human history. that has resulted in

unprecedented challenges and unprecedented opportunities. in the past year, i have led it to bring overseas trade missions. another to brazil a few weeks ago. in both countries, the middle classes were booming, two facts became crystal clear. the world is hungry for the things we grow and yvette in missouri. that creates jobs-- here in missouri. that creates jobs. our exports are up another 17%. to win the future, we have to be world citizens and world competitors. american higher education is revered as the gold standard around the world.

that is why missouri university has had one of the largest increases of international students in any of our sense. northwest has also benefited from that trend. this year's class includes international students from eight countries and four continents. i am here to tell you that is going to grow. we are all in this together. there are a lot of us. is 7orld's population billion people in accounting. by the end of the century, it will be close to 10 billion or more. that means more competition for everything, land, food, fuel, and it means a greater urgency in protecting biodiversity, mitigating the effects of climate change, a feeding a hungry world, and developing sources of the new, clean, sustainable energy. let's examine the last

challenge, energy. in washington, there is a lot of talk about energy independence. about finding more sustainable sources of energy. not much happens. here in missouri, we do more than talk. we do not wait to put to good ideas into action. we get things done. northwest missouri state has been a pioneer and a role model in its serious commitment and energy conservation. in 2009, a few months after i was elected, i visited your wood chip power facility. this campus has caught greener by the year. 85% of the thermal energy needs are provided by alternative fuels. you are leading the way in recycling and convert -- conservation. your center is primed to foster a new generation of technology-

based start-ups with the potential not only to create jobs but new high-tech industries. this university has set the bar high for the rest of our state. one of my top priorities has been to grow our economy by at developing greener source of lead -- sources of energy. i pledged that the state government would cut its consumption by 2% a year for the next 10 years and we are on the way to meeting that goal. we are also investing in new technologies, alternative fuels, a bio-diesel, and wind. pioneer is with the state of the art manufacturing are working at the cutting age of battery development, which has been a major challenge. our company is the sole supplier

of the advanced nickel hydride batteries that power the international space station and also make the smallest implantable medical devices in the world. that is not all. a few miles north of downtown kansas city, we are manufacturing rechargeable vehicles to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. ford and gm announced an investment of $1.5 billion to build the next-generation vehicles right here in missouri and create 3200 new jobs along the way. we are also increasing opportunities to create a cleaner, more affordable domestic power and to grow our economy at the same time. in 2010, i had the honor of launching a cutting edge plant which is removing millions of tons of pollutants from our atmosphere. and what of the largest pipeline

companies is moving forward with a 600 mile oil pipeline from illinois to oklahoma. the company will invest nearly $1 billion to build this pipeline, touching 11 counties, creating 1100 jobs. westinghouse, the global leader in nuclear technology, has selected missouri as the location where it wants to build a new generation of nuclear reactors to sell around the world. this will require extensive research, advanced engineering, and outstanding workers. we offer of three right here in the show me state. project to not getting a bigger than this. our aggressive agenda is paying off in terms of a cleaner environment and a growing economy. we just announced the state has added more than 27,000 jobs

since the january and our unemployment rate has fallen to 7.4%, the lowest since november 2008. we are headed in the right direction. in our rapidly changing world, education is a very high-stakes enterprise. there is no investment that will have a greater impact on the future of this nation, at this stage, and on the quality of life before you, your children, and grandchildren than the one you have made in your education. your education has prepared you to take your place as global citizens who are informed as the issues important to your lives and the future of our planet. who respect and welcome diversity. who are engaged in building communities and strengthening democracy. as voters and leaders. graduates, take the blueprint

your education has given you and start building. you can build strong families, green and vibrant communities, and a prosperous state. use it to to build a just and secure nation and a stable, peaceful world. the future is in your hands. we know we will make it very bright. congratulations. [applause] >> ibm chairman samuel palmisano gave the commencement address at john hopkins university. he joined ibm in 1973 as a salesman after graduating.

he talked to this year's graduates about remaking the systems of the world, being passionate, and not always taking the easy path. this is 18 minutes. [applause] >> i do not know what i am to say next. luke, outstanding. i tried to sing about my night was earlier than yours. we both have a raspy voice. thank you for allowing me to address everyone today. the honorary degree, i am blown away by it. my first honorary degree was a bachelor of arts. [laughter] that is not in the script, by

the way. you will see when i go back and forth. history, and everybody thinks history is putting the past, you will find as you have to solve problems that are imponderable, it helps to understand the mistakes your predecessors have made and try to avoid those. there is no guarantee of success but you can skip the obvious. i would like to send my congratulations to the class and faculty for coming today. it is a wonderful honor. maybe you will realize all of the hard work was worthwhile but i can assure you at the age of 60, you will still have nightmares about your finals. i still do. anyway, i could have worked harder along the way and perhaps it would not have been a strenuous at the end. i think the families require --

i think that is very appropriate. we went through three of these last year and we have one more this weekend. we understand what the families are. congratulations to all of you. the other thing i relate to is i have something in common with many of you. we both are graduating. i am graduating from a career at ibm and you are graduating from a storied institution. you said out there and you look at this old guy and you say, there is nothing in common. it cannot be. the best thing for me to do is draw an analogy to my good friend luke and why we have so much in common. we both pursued a career in athletics above academics. neither of us were big enough to participate without being dead in 10 days.

we chose alternative careers. luke and i did not know what we were going to do. i was working construction and a recruiter from ibm came to the campus looking for women in engineering. [laughter] two-story. a colleague of mine -- tru e story. a colleague of mine says you should call this guy up. what do they want? he said they want women in engineering. he said it is better than digging ditches. so i applied for a job. you can rest assured you still will not know what you want to do 40 years later. do not despair. things do not change in life. i thought what i would do was go back to 1973 when i sat out there like you. this was a field, not a stadium.

there was not a championship of anything sitting up there in those days. i thought i would relate to some things going on in 1973. this is a little bit of light history. there was an unpopular war that was ending. a president was reelected for a second term but it did not and political turmoil. it was only ratcheted up after his election. there was student unrest, and some of us survived because we could take everything pass-fail in 1970. the economy was tepid. let's think about the consensus today for those of you that watch the cable-tv programs. thank you very much, john. what are we dealing with? unpopular wars are ending. protracted unemployment. a political system paralyzed by

partisanship. the prospects of the diminished future of the united states as a new nations take their place. 40 years, there are some similarities. maybe not as start. we did not have the benefit of the internet or cable news. if you go back then, we were not beset by a fear of failure. we did not believe that our worst days lay ahead. i did not believe it then and i do not believe that now. just in case any of you do, i am going to try to persuade you of another point of view you will not tear on the evening news channels. i think there is a more exciting road ahead of you for your generation. i am not talking about a polite statement i am expected to make

as a commencement speaker. i believe it is your privilege to be entering your working life at a great point of modern history. there is so much to do, and so many tools available to do what with. several years ago, tom friedman declared the world was flat. globalization had arrived in full force. with trade agreements, political stability, both have had an impact around the world. hundreds of millions of people into the middle class and maybe another billion to go. it is a wonderful thing. but i am sure of somebody stood up here in 1973, some old guy reflected on this impossibility or thought about facebook, twitter, you would have thought he was crazy. he had lost it.

obviously that is not the case. technology drives a lot of that as well as global economics. i know is you think about technology, we focus on the obvious, facebook, the like. i would encourage you to look deeper because they are indications of potential that exists for a you can change everything that occurs in the systems of the world. a little bit of data to prove i can be analytical when necessary, but there are a billion transistors for every person on the years. more than a trillion things interconnected. things you do not even recognize as computers anymore. the supply chains, they are interconnected. it is going to generate over the

next 10-15 years, 44 more times data than today. that is 35 zettabytes. the liberal arts guys like, "and myself, i felt it was necessary. -- luke and myself, i felt it was necessary. they are convinced, convinced that the future belongs to those who figure out what to do with all of that information. it is an enormous natural resources. thanks to advanced computation, supercomputers, and advanced software, wonderful algorithms, you can sense something big is about to happen. the world is changing. you do not fight crime by adding more cops and giving them better

equipment. you do that your data. traffic congestion, it is not done by making bigger roads. you do it through real-time information. economic incentives to address pollution. you also address things like consumer demand. real time between retailers and manufacturers and changing consumer wishes. as you walk through europe -- down the street, you get something that is promoted. you live it every day. it is a combination of all these things. that is where we are headed. many of you are thinking it is not the undergraduates, and therefore you must be an engineer, coming from ibm, surely that must be the case. the good news, it is not that. you could change in individual. dollar requires is -- all it

requires is the skills you have required at the willingness to think outside the box and take a little risk. it can have a direct impact on what you see and what you want to touch. that is what you had that -- you have ahead of you. everyone of you conform communities. even tire industries. it had never been so easy today because all traditional boundaries have come down. that is hard for governments to understand as they tried to suspend something that no longer exists. that is the world we live in. it has never been easier to act. opportunities are limitless. the question you have to ask is, i asked myself, would you move to the future? or are you comfortable

complaining about what past generations have bequeathed to you? t want to look to fit in, to learn how to adapt, let me give an analogy. let's say, a blue suits, white shirts, wingtips, the old ibm. today, you really do not have to do that. it is more exciting than pursuing a steadfast career for 40 years like i did. it is better in many ways because you have the ability to drive a fundamental change. you have the opportunity to remake the systems of the world. all you have to do is adjust, learn, and fit in. the most powerful asset you acquired is beyond skill and expertise. i would say it is the impulse and the desire to seize it.

i say that because, i will give you one story about myself or i was faced with a decision about the traditional. i could have taken a significant position or i could have gone over to ibm japan where i would have been one of two foreigners. the obvious one was to take the large position in the united states. i chose not to do that. i chose to take a longer-term view, one i could learn more from. i was going to have to change. i did not know how much of that time. i was going to have to learn how to listen. i needed to learn how to think in "we" versus "me." i had to do it in a language i

did not understand. this harkens back to president daniels' speech today. listen more than talk. i had to approve everyone in my life, four children, and a nanny. go to japan for an unstructured a job, no guarantees of success, no safety net, no entitlement. just fine. the lesson for me was more than the value of learning in a multicultural environment but it taught to me that an optimistic path is not always an easy path. you cannot move to the future if you are not willing to change yourself. a little advice for you, as you think about jobs, maybe the best decision for you and i, we go off and join the circus.

but if you do that, luke, do not model yourself on one of the animals performing tricks for the trainers who throw peanuts. would nevernk luke do that. the passionate about something. you cannot grow and constantly drawing your capabilities. if you look at the character sticks of leaders around the world, that is the characteristic of the people. there is great optimism in what you see in those individuals. they have a bias toward action. they are impatient to seize the technology. they want to build a smarter planet, better nations, better community involvement. that is in contrast to the political food fight in the legislature. they are filled with the spirit

of chromatic optimism. -- pragmatic optimism. today is truly a time of commencement, i would argue for the world. one of my roommates at the since i got my honor a degree, i decided it was not the best course for me. i instead. the improbable -- i instead did the improbable. it is probably the most academic institution of all businesses around. your ph.d. is your union card and/or nobel prize -- intimidating but is stimulating

and you can learn a lot by working together. i am a little bit older. i did. the mac. and did not have the government to relieve me of my debts. there is probably good for you. thank you. put all that aside. it would be helpful because i was one of the first kids in my family to get a degree. i want to encourage you that exciting times are ahead. you should be grateful all that you have been given up until now by this institution and your families and the support they

have provided but there is tremendous excitement out there. we're going to enter this transition at the same point in time. i hope you are as excited and positive as i am. i believe we can impact everything that happens in the world. i hope i have the benefit and the luxury of working with people like you that are smart, clearheaded, and more hopeful than any i have seen and i've seen a lot of people in 175 countries around the world where we operate. please embrace the future with pragmatic optimism. not rose colored glasses. if i can give you one piece of the rice, to not let your options. do not constrain yourself. return out -- to reach out and go for it.

[applause] >> burnie franc gave the commencement address at -- barney ffrank called for ending u.s. military support. he encouraged the graduates to consider how federal dollars might be spent otherwise. and continuing to fund medicare and medicaid. this is 15 minutes. [applause] >> thank you. i should begin by defining what it means to be an appropriate speaker at a commencement.

it is an occasion for young people who work for a hard and the families that have supported them to celebrate the but traditions die hard. including the tradition which we inherited from england in the 14th century of wearing these things in hot weather. it was colder in oxford in 1300. being a commencement speaker, i am well aware it is like being the person who sings the star spangled banner. nobody came to hear you. it is just that the event is not official nfl -- unless you do it. the only time anyone will remember you is if you screw up. you are entitled to get a sense of the subtle skills that go into this kind of platform work. your president thoughtfully

advise me before we started, the first time i mention your name, i will not be presenting it. do not get up. and i appreciate that. i restrained myself from standing up and looking silly while he continued to talk about me. that is a good important lesson about detail. i want to knowledge my appreciation to the great education lasell provide. it can get too many -- too much inequality. the way to get rid of it is to provide an affordable education for young people from various backgrounds and they will get the kind of jobs they can and continue to work in and earn some money. that gratitude i have veloz me

to overcome my slight resentment. the damage your speed bumps have done to the axle of my escort, it is in 1998 escort. i tried to remember to slow down but the sometimes i forget. i forgive you your speed bumps. i want to talk briefly because this is the day for you and particularly the mothers. what should be more appropriate than to celebrate on mother's day. congratulations to the people who picked the state. let me talk to you about a major issue that people now graduating are going to decide. i hope we're coming to the end of an era. in which the united states out

of good motives and with good results took on the job of defending the rest of the world against evil and destruction. when we took that job on in 1945 and 1946, it was necessary. war ii,end of world ro the only nation that had strength with the soviet union. also impoverish but with the repressive system that allowed its brutal leaders to mobilize and to a powerful military force. had the u.s. said no, we will protect the world and over been sitting -- the ensuing period, america became the defender of

the free world. we played a very important role. today, that role is no longer even necessary nor for will. in what america to continue to be the strongest nation in the world. i look at who else could be. if denmark could be the strongest nation in the world, i would be very relaxed, they are nice people. the only contenders like china made me nervous. better us than china. we do not have the same degree for -- of protection for everyone else. it is time to say to western europe, you're on their own. there's no unthreading you. we no longer have to have the

arsenal we once had to defeat the soviet union because there is no more of soviet union. we have scaled back and we need to protect people. we have to worry about the led taiex with nuclear weapons -- lunatics' with nuclear weapons. the communists are gone. we outlasted them. we have the terrorists they're vicious murders and i want us to go after them. but let us not elevate them to the level of the threat of the soviet union. they do not threaten our existence. they threaten the lives of some of us. we need to fight them. the kind of weaponry and mobilization you need is not the same to fight a thermonuclear

war. i wish nuclear submarines would defeat terrorism. we have them, they do not. it is a less expensive effort and we have made the mistake of thinking that. that rate ing at our care about raising the retirement age. . they spend as a percentage far less than half of what we spend on the military. we defend them so they can retire earlier. i do not begrudge them but i do not want people -- people say white kenyan not work until 70. take a woman who at 19 has been waiting tables. dishes allen carrying table

her life. if you want to tell her that she can retire, you do that. especially not to subsidize everyone. this is an important debate. there are people who think america should be the strongest nation in the world because that is our unique nation. sometimes the most popular book in the world is tom sawyer. everyone else has figured out they can get a stewpan there -- paint their fans. -- fence. we have a superb military. i am enormously grateful. it is a tough business.

i voted against the war in iraq, i voted for the war in afghanistan. anytime someone from the district represent has been killed in a war, i go to the federal and they are the worst days of my life. in person died in a war i voted for and i hate that and it reminds me. war is always terrible. maybe sometimes necessary so i am careful about what to vote for. i would vote again in afghanistan. these are wonderful young people and they do what the military can do. the best military in the world cannot make good things happen. we cannot make people in afghanistan democratic or not corrupt. we have allowed the military to be the builder of democracy.

there was a great article. we spent over $500 million to train the iraqi police and they finally said would you get out of here? you do not know you are doing fifth. =-- what you are doing. the most fanatical and orthodox muslims do not have bank accounts and do not drink. warning about a suicide bomber who has started drinking, you have to have some other guy in mind.

these are people who do not believe in interest. iraq is not finished. one plan is to save medicare will be there if you are 55 or over. there will not be medicare. you have to keep it fofrom doubling. from 3.5. people said we have to raise taxes and cut out the prevention fund and medicare. let's get out of afghanistan one year earlier and we can bring down interest rates and we're not doing any good there. i do not want to take any longer.

when you are giving a speech, people say, what is it about? i say it will be seven or eight minutes. do not worry about it. your generation has the opportunity to scale back america's military commitments to what is necessary for our defense, for what is appropriate and takes into account the cold war is over. our allies are no longer week. america has -- in a letter has to allocate the role of being the single great power and letting everyone else shelter under our umbrella. let them buy some umbrellas on their own. it is not that hard anyway. that is the way we can reduce our deficit which we should do without substantially reducing the quality of our lives. without underfunding places like

this, community colleges, first rate educational institutions that give a wide range of americans their skills they need. we can afford that if we still our expenses internationally. thank you. [applause] representative barney frank. you have served this is the essence of massachusetts with distinction. as a sort advocate for issues of equality and social justice.

you have spoken for those who do not have a voice. the of served as a member congress and as a member of the state legislature and of work to cross the aisle to pass some of our country's most important pieces of legislation. as an exemplary leader, you have shown it can embrace a lifetime of public service. to honor your contributions, the commonwealth and the city of newton and board of trustees differ upon you the honorary egree of doctor of letters with all the privileges pertaining thereto. >> thank you. i go back to washington tuesday. for those of you who follow the news. i will see of this is -- if this

is the hoodie you can more -- where on the floor of the house of representatives. [applause] >> general martin dempsey gave the address at norwich university. he challenged graduates to lead an uncommon life and build relationships with trost. norwich university was known as the birthplace of the rotc, the reserve officers training corps. he spoke for about 15 minutes.

>> thank you. before i start my remarks, this is my first visit to norwich. i am deeply honored to be year. those of you have been here or have been around, maybe you would like the observation of an outsider. that is this. this is a special place. it is not just about cranking out graduates are issuing decrees. these people here really care what happens to you. there is a certain passion. i might have noted a bit of passion and emotion in your president as he was speaking about what it means to be part of this family. because that is what it is. that is my outside observation. and congratulations.

we will turn the future over to you later today. what to old guys talk about when they're waiting in the back of the room? not our ailments either, by the way. the conversation was, do you remember who your commencement speaker was said almost to a man or woman we said, not really. i have no idea. not even sure what they talked about. i am aware i am kind of like a corpse at an irish wake. you know that story. it is important that you have one but you should not expect too much out of him. i am deeply honored to be here and i have a few thoughts to share with you. if you know that there will not remember, how -- why do you keep fruit --doing it?

it is a privilege to share this day with you. thanks again for the invitation and the kind words. these men have made a lifelong commitment to this university. several people mentioned you are one of the best leaders they have come across and i had put a great deal stock in leadership. thank you from this group and many others, many of them to contribute and serve our nation. that message, loud and clear and your influence reaches beyond this campus and beyond today. i like to recognize the fact that staff, i want to point out

the great support for our guard and reserve students whether it is from accommodating early finals when they need to report for duty or helping them reunite with their studies when they come home. banks three much for that. and general sullivan, and appreciate your kind words. you are the leader that i have always looked up to and respected. someone i've always wanted to be like. i do not know if any general officer who does not want to be gordon sullivan -- he transformed the army as its chief, paving the way for guys like me. he led the team that transported our -- [unintelligible] he is a gifted change agent. he is tumbled to a full and he is really stubborn. that is a quality that is not all that bad when you are trying to change things.

he only has one flaw. it is sad, but he has won. his shameless affinity for the boston red sox. [laughter] [applause] i can -- consider that a really big flaw as a yankee fan. there when. that is probably the thing you will remember. we all have flaws and oftentimes we're not able to see them by ourselves. none of this gets to where we are without someone else helping us along the way. as proud as you are of your individual accomplishments, it is important to remember the people whose love and support help to get here. i would like to ask the family

members of the class of 2012 to stand up so we can give you a round of applause. [applause] there is that moment when you realize you have read your last tuition check as well. do not forgive to give your -- forget to give your moms an extra special hug. i realize i am the only thing standing between you and the rest of your lives. i am the joint chiefs -- head of the joint chiefs and i can do pretty much anything at what.

-- i want. but for those of you in the front. i would encourage you to relax. the rustic isn't open yet. on the other hand, the sh amrock opens at 11:30 a.m. i am irish and i will be brief. there are some perspectives a want to share with you. as some of you may know, i have a passionate curiosity for literature and history. on this date, 372 years ago on may 13, 1640, an early settler to the northeast was designated a freeman. he went on to become a prominent leader of his community. two centuries later in 1856, one of his descendants who went by the same name came here to

norwich. in fact, this was a guy with real courage and mettle. he received the medal of honor for his actions in gettysburg. he was captured in sponsoring at and escaped and walked 400 miles. he was wounded three times including getting shot at the battle of antietam. it is antietam want to connect you with. it was the bloodiest day in american military history. 23 -- 22,000 casualties in a single eight-hour period fought in a space not much larger than the upper parade ground. at the area is one of the few monuments to a private soldier

in our statuary related to or worse. the locals call it old simon. at the base, there are a few simple words that speak to the men over whom he stands and with whom he will ferber share that field. those words are these. "not for themselves, but for their country." 23,000 americans. i would ask you to feel what those words mean. not for ourselves, but for your country. keep them in mind. that is my first challenge to you today. my second challenge is to ask to seek to lead an uncommon life.

you are already on that path but it is more than coming to this unique campus. you have internalized the values and courage and honesty and to branch and wisdom. guideposts that will serve you as you lead the nation into the future and you have inherited the qualities from the college. confidence, loyalty, and honor. timeless traits shared among the best leaders in any profession. norwich is not about elitism. it is not about this long and influential legacy. it is not about being one of the best leader development institutions. it is of all those things but norwich would be little more than a beautiful monument to the past glory of american leaders if it were not for you. the next generation of leaders. where you go from here and those things you bring with you when you leave the hill.

a school is nothing but a building with four walls and roof. and a future inside. i loved what he said next. norwich's in the future's business. these things, this family and the french have made in the range of opportunities you have experience will empower your future in ways he cannot understand for now. there is party to living and on, life that has to do with delivering out tons and making an impact. why was a graduate student, i studied a bit of william blake. i was intrigued by the way he wove the written word with his eliminated manuscripts and i suppose i wanted to be considered a renaissance man of some stature. i spent one entire semester working on what i thought was an incredibly thought-provoking doctoral quality thesis paper. i pretty much decided i had

william blake all figured out. until i got c back at the end of the semester and it rocked me back, to tell you the truth. i went to the professor and said, i really worked hard on that paper. where is the reward i and all that? i will never forget what he told me. he said, i am sure you did work hard on that. but we do not reward you for the effort. we reward you for the outcome. that was a real moment, an important moment for me. i had pretty much mastered most of what i had touched a to the point. for the first time, it became clear to me that hard work was not just what it is all about, it is part of it. if you aspire to lead an uncommon life, you also have to deliver. you have to have an impact. you have to achieve in whenever line of work you choose or you will not succeed.

this is true in my job now and it will be in yours and here's the message. this is not something you can back away into. you have to deliver from day one. by the way, you will do that. this is not a bridge too far for you but i want you to remember that your work is beginning. especially for those of you dress like you are dressed. the last challenge i will speak to you about -- in some of you are excited that i just said last -- is creating relationships based in trust. i heard the president speak about that a moment ago. it does not get more fundamental than trust. it is one of the pillars of the strength of our nation. at every level, it is trust that wins. it starts with trust in yourself. some of you have goals and dreams that you had your entire life and some of you will

achieve those goals. others are not going to come close. life will reach up and have been and some of you have to adjust and develop new dreams. i trust you will exceed beyond your wildest expectations because you have that kind of trust in yourself. dressed as bill with relationships and confidence in each other. there has to be shoulder to shoulder trust relationship between citizens and shoulder -- soldier. there is a broader trust between citizen and nation. and nation to nation with our allies and partners. president eisenhower said it this way. progress constantly integrates society more closely. independents of man upon man and nation upon nation is the growing characteristic of our

times. i will add to that that note clear -- distinguish americans pursued any longer. our security commitments cut across lines and demands the support of an array of professions and skills. it requires the best from each of us and from all of us. you have set a power lawful example when so many of you volunteered to help your neighbor's recover from tropical storm my reign. and the group argued that span winter brick building a community kitchen in a rural village in thailand completed the circle of trust begun by your fellow students two years prior. in during the challenges to do what is right for ourselves, our families, and for our nation.

winston churchill said it this way. we make a living by what we get life by what wee a did. i urge you to be leaders of character as so many of your norwich graduates before have become. with an uncommon life with consequence. build trust in every relationship and in everything you do. not for yourselves but for your country. good luck to each of you. i admire and isolate your accomplishments. thanks in advance for what you are going to do. because i trust you. thank you very rich. -- for very much.