so you're very lucky because I didn't know this would happen so I don't have a
long prepared speech but congratulations I am so proud of you
you got through covid you got through all of your challenges and you got
yourselves here today so congratulations and to your parents and to your families
they got you here too so let's give them a round of applause
[Applause] um
to president Paxton and all of the fellows thank you this is an
unbelievable honor for me I have to say I have always thought that Rhode Island
this Tiny But Mighty state was so lucky to have Brown University
in our small state we have this amazing Institution
what would make us even luckier is if a few of you stuck around in Rhode Island
if you're going to start a business some of you want to start a business you
want to be an entrepreneur do it in Providence you want to be a doctor
practice in our amazing hospitals you want to run for office we could use a
few good politicians in all seriousness you know it's I hope
you've come to love this fabulous edgy culturally diverse city called
Providence is it you love it it's a fantastic place
[Applause] you know you can't all go to New York or
San Francisco some of you ought to stick around stay here contribute to Rhode
Island and if you do it'll be a better place
um the second thing since your president has so kindly given me a moment I'm
gonna go for it and say this I want you all to think about doing
Public Service in some way at some point in your career
I really mean that [Applause]
you could run for office it's not for the faint of heart but you
could run for office you could serve in state governments serve in the federal
government serve in the military you could run for city council you could
work in city hall or town hall or heck get involved in your neighborhood
Community a school committee but I'll tell you this
we have a lot of issues that that we together have to deal with income
inequality in many ways a deeply challenged Health Care system
challenges threats to our democracy
threats to our way of life they can all be solved I've been in
government for 15 years I'm more hopeful now than when I started
they can all be solved if you guys get in the game
and I really mean that you don't have to do it for your whole career they'll be
good if you did a year two years three years
think about it when I was doing uh leading through
covet I spent a lot of time with the general of the Rhode Island National
Guard and he would always say a phrase in the
Army interview in the Army might be familiar with it
no one else is coming behind us it's up to us
so that's the deal guys maybe one of you will be president that
would be exciting you could get on that list to have a president from Brown
but even if you don't think about public service because you
have the talent the ambition the ideas to make our democracy stronger to make
our country better and to realize the equality that this country should
promise to all so congratulations and thank you for this great honor
[Applause]