respects by your capacity to learn, and learning to master the ability to embrace new ideas and turn them to your favor. being a master of your profession also means embracing the humility that comes with a lifetime of service and study. i have seen this everywhere. everywhere i have served, the greatest and most successful professionals are those who are committed students. all great leaders are great readers. there is a reason today's ceremony is called a commencement. a commencement is not an end of a journey, but a beginning. today should not mark the final chapter of your education, but the first chapter of your lifelong dedication to the pursuit of knowledge. the entire march of human history exists for you at the touch of a keyboard or quick visit to your library. you have the ability to harvest

the thoughts and teachings and experiences of generations of women and men who have gone before you. while you can't do anything about having a 22-year-old body, there is nothing that should prevent you from having a thousand-year-old mind. seek the wisdom of the ages. read. achieve that thousand-year-old mind. my third and final lesson has to do with values, and the vital work of enriching your spirituality, your spirit. be a servant leader. as you transition into independent adulthood, finally moving out of the basement, but striving to put the needs of others ahead of yours and strive to be a leader, putting others first, and you will find a -- that life's journey will be

more fulfilling and enriching. look for the causes bigger than yourself, causes that provide and convey higher purpose, and dedicate yourselves wholly to those causes. be an exemplar of humanity and fellowship in action. in my long years of service, i have no time for the complacency and arrogance of a professional. arrogance is a hare's breadth from ignorance. the two together are dangerous to the effectiveness of an organization. humble servant leaders often discover that many of life's challenges, large and small, find their rightful place in the larger context of selfless service. it is hard to sweat the small stuff when you are focused on a greater cause and a greater journey. being a servant leader does not mean abandoning material comfort, or the pursuit of a comfortable life for your family.

servant leadership does require understanding these objectives and putting them in their proper context. servant leaders understand that an endless pursuit of greater material gain or higher social status rarely leads in the end to personal satisfaction or fulfillment. there is a similar understanding that has long been part of monmouth's mission. quote, individual integrity, not appearance or social privilege marks the extraordinary person from the ordinary. the charge for the servant leader is to help, help others to see their own extraordinary potential and lead them in such a way that they are empowered to develop its. servant leaders understand what i call the human element. while for you all technology will grow in all processes will advance, there is still a

substitute for the human element. -- no substitute for the human element. servant leaders understand implicitly and understand that only success can be achieved by taking advantage of the individual backgrounds of the many that you lead, and leading them in a common effort. servant leaders pride selflessness and personal integrity and respect for inherent dignity, above all other things, and they find meaning and higher purpose in using their individual talents and their gifts to contribute to our common humanity. there is a wonderful afghan saying that goes, if you want to go fast, go alone. if you want to go far, go together. if you want to go far, go together. humbly leading and selflessly sacrificing for those you carry

with you towards a greater goal. sadly, in too much of the world today there are places where there is very little respect for humanity. as a marine of 38 years, i have seen evil up close. al qaeda in iraq, the taliban in afghanistan, and the worst of them, isil now in the middle east. the extent of isil's depravity is in stark contrast to the ideals i call on you to embrace. they are unspeakable acts, and what they espouse are a reminder that our own actions as individuals and as a society our humanity must be rooted in a set of unassailable values. in a world that is changing faster than ever before, you must decide what you stand for and anchor and discipline

yourselves in a strong set of values. some of you might be thinking if you have not adopted a value system by now, it's too late but don't believe that for a second. because monmouth college has given you a basis in values you may not know appreciate, but i'm telling you you will cherish it in the years to come. as of tomorrow, this discipline will take on greater importance. you will enter a world that often seems unpredictable and at times unstable. you will find yourself buffeted and bruised by these realities. but by maintaining your personal balance, by remaining rooted in your values, by attending to your physical, intellectual, and spiritual selves, you will develop the ability to thrive and lead others. when i asked dr. wyatt what he wanted me to talk about today,

-- me to talk about today, he said, i want you to talk about five minutes. [laughter] i was so inspired by the president, so inspired by the institution and you that i wanted to give you more. i'm afraid my words got away from me. after today and as the years passed, i don't expect you will remember much of me are what i have said. some of your cars are no doubt idling in the parking lot. even as your memories of monmouth begin to fade, i challenge you to remember the three points i try to convey today. be aware of your physicality and maintain your physical condition. by continually testing your physical limits. be masters of your profession. committed to a lifelong learning and cultivation of your intellect. and last and most important be a , servant leader, rooted and strong values.

as you go about responding to these challenges, you will find no farther than you have to look inside your own monmouth community for examples of how you should live and how you should act, and how you should think and act anew. thank you for allowing me to be with you on this special occasion, on a day when your opportunities as students will soon become your obligations as graduates. on this day, when your journey as adults and citizens truly began, i congratulate you. for the graduates, i wish you the best in all your endeavors. for the college i wish for the wisdom for the leadership, faculty and staff, for the many assembled here i wish god's rich blessings for you on this wonderful day, now and always, and may god bless america. thank you very much. [applause] >> just a little while ago the

u.s. senate voted to advance the house passed usa freedom act. it comes ahead of a midnight deadline when certain provisions of the patriot act expire including authorization for the nsa's phone data collection program. despite the measure advancing without unanimous consent, any further votes cannot occur until 30 hours of debate expires meaning a lapse is likely to occur for the nsa data program. a tweak that senator mcconnell plans to file cloture to end debate tonight which would set up final passage on the house passed bill on wednesday. a reminder, you can watch live senate coverage on our companion network, c-span2. >> this sunday night at 8:00 eastern, on first ladies, we will look into the personal

lives of three first ladies. margaret taylor, sarah pohl, and abigail fillmore. sarah often helped her husband make little decisions. margaret taylor was a poster husband's nomination, and zachary taylor enjoyed telling people she was praying for the opponent to win. she was the first to have a profession as a teacher. sarah pohl, margaret taylor, and abigail fillmore. this sunday night at 8:00 a.m. eastern c-span's original series, first ladies, influence and image. examining the public and private lives of the women who built the position of the first lady and their influence on the presidency, from martha washington to michelle obama. sunday's at 8:00 eastern on c-span3. as a complement to the series, c-span's new book. " first ladies." it is available as a hardcover

announcer: tonight, queuing day with author david mccullough discussing his book on the wright brothers. then, queen elizabeth speaks of parliament. brian: this week, our guest is pulitzer prize winner david mccullough. out with his new book, the wright brothers. he talks about the personal stories of wilbur and orville wright, the roles their family played as the brothers experienced failures and successes, and a time. in which they lived as the race to achieve flight was at its peak. brian: i recently picked up the washington post and