Virginia Tech Speech

Text of the commencement address delivered by College Board President Gaston Caperton on May 15, 2006 at Virginia Tech

Thank you. I'm honored to be here—honored to be speaking at one of America's great universities. I'm honored to be speaking at a school that has meant so much to me and my family.

My father graduated from Virginia Tech in 1927. That year, there were only 15 graduate degrees awarded. Today there are over 1,000. It is here at your university that my father formed his values and friendships that lasted him a lifetime. And for all his life, he shared with me the things he learned here. This institution shaped my father's life and so it also shaped my life and my family's. For this, I am sincerely grateful to this great university.

Today, you've become part of a great tradition. The alumni of Virginia Tech have made life-changing discoveries, run cutting-edge companies, raised families, and contributed their know-how around the world and, yes, they also cheered wildly against my West Virginia Mountaineers.

As you begin making your own tradition as Virginia Tech graduates, I want to talk to you about the importance of history—your history. Not the history that gives us the background and framework from which we develop a historical perspective, and time-tested truths. Instead, I'm going to talk about the living history. The history you will create and be a part of. In my brief talk, there are 10 words I hope you will remember.

The first two words: Live history.

When you live history it's about you, your family, your thoughts, your job, and your passions, but it should also be your involvement in great causes and the joy of working with people who share these causes.

I was fortunate to be part of great causes, which added new meaning and purpose to my life. I hope that each of you will get involved in great causes of your time, and that you will find, as I have, that it is an essential part of living a satisfying life. It's how you make a difference.

The second point, and two more words: Be informed.

Never in history has so much information been so available and as accessible as it is today. With a couple of keystrokes, you can open doors to information that would have been unimaginable a generation ago. With a good question, you can find the results of countless hours of research in just a few seconds. You know this much better than I do. But have you ever wondered, with all this information available, why so many Americans know so little about so much? I often question why.

It may be that the sheer volume of available information overwhelms some people. It may be the sheer number of issues. It may be that mean-spirited politics make people tune out. It may be too much TV or video games. Or it may be that in our world of sound-bite journalism, anger, angst, and audacity have replaced reasoned argument.

No matter what the obstacles, I believe that we are at a point in America when being well informed is critical. Think of the explosive issues: education, wars, immigration reform, job creation, global competition, oil policy, and health care. The list goes on and on.

When you leave here, your lives are going to be busier. No matter how busy you are, it will be up to you and your generation to know the issues. For you to live this history—to be an effective part of the great works of your time—you must be informed.

And now to the third point: Make judgments.

Life is about choices. Where you're going to work, where you're going to live, who you're going to live with, spending or saving, working or relaxing, time with family or time with friends.

We all make those choices and trade-offs constantly. And yet, a lot of us seem to be challenged in making judgments: moral and ethical judgments, judgments about sociology and economics, judgments about political parties and even more, about political systems, judgments about our responsibilities toward each other, and judgments about our country's role and responsibility in the world. Making informed judgments sets direction, and also strengthens the mind, builds character, and enriches our lives.

The fourth point: Take action.

Yes, take action. Get involved. Put your informed judgments to work. Get the facts. Know what you believe. Focus on priorities—the things you care about most, the things you believe will have the greatest impact—and you take action.

Research, discussion, and thoughts are absolutely necessary. But in my view, they're just not enough. Living history is about reaching out, changing minds, and changing what is being done. It's about being a part of great causes. It's about adding momentum, and it's about bringing others along. It's about being involved, and being personally invested in the outcome.

Which brings me to my final point: Never quit.

Living history takes time. In 40 years, we still haven't realized Dr. King's dream. There continue to be wars and world poverty. And, despite the prosperity of the United States, many do not have the opportunity to get the education they need to live the American Dream. And despite generations of political rhetoric, we have barely begun to spread the dream of democracy to millions of people around the world.

The pace of history is quickening. We communicate faster. Discover things faster. And do almost everything faster. Yes, questions come faster, opportunities open and close faster. Answers are no longer just shaped behind the shadows.

Live history. Become an active part of the great causes at hand. Create new opportunities and deliver new dreams for the world. I know from personal experience there will be frustrations, false starts, and setbacks. But you will succeed if you remember these 10 words:

Live history.
Be informed.
Make judgments.
Take action.
Never quit.