[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 44, Number 22 (Monday, June 9, 2008)]
[Pages 772-775]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Commencement Address at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina

May 31, 2008

    Thank you. Thank you very much. Mr. President--President Shi, thank 
you for that kind introduction. Governor Sanford, Senator Graham, 
Congressman Inglis, members of the board of trustees, faculty, staff, 
members of the Furman community, parents, and most important, the class 
of 2008: Thank you for this kind invitation to be with you.
    I congratulate the parents here who have sacrificed to make this day 
possible. When your child graduates from college, it is a glorious day 
for your family and a pretty good day for your bank account. [Laughter] 
I know the graduates will join me in thanking you for your love and 
support.
    And I thank the members of the Furman faculty. I appreciate your 
devoting your career to improving the lives of young people. I know this 
is an institution where folks are encouraged to make their voices heard. 
I too am a strong believer in free speech. And to prove it, I'm about to 
give you one. [Laughter]
    For 4 years, this campus has been your life. You've studied hard, 
and I suspect some of you may have played hard. [Laughter] Along the 
way, some of you may have wondered whether this day would ever come. 
Well, it's finally here, and Laura and I send our heartfelt 
congratulations to the class of 2008.
    I'm glad to be joined with my friend and outstanding leader of South 
Carolina, Governor Mark Sanford, class of 1983. Governor, I'm not going 
to ask if you ever got caught swimming in the fountains. [Laughter]
    As the president said, 25 years ago, the Governor sat where you now 
sit, as a member of the graduating class. As it happens, as he 
mentioned, the commencement speaker that day was my dad. Now, that means 
some at Furman will have heard graduation speeches from two generations 
of Bushes. It's a great step forward for the Bush family and a great 
step backward for your English department. [Laughter]
    And as the president mentioned, I have other family ties with 
Furman. In the early 1930s, a student named Willa Martin graduated from 
the women's college that was soon to become part of Furman. She went on 
to marry my mother's father. She also spent time as a columnist for the 
Associated Press, thus beginning the long history of warm relations 
between the Bush family and the media. [Laughter]
    My administration also has another Furman connection. One of the 
first people I see almost every morning is a Furman grad and my Director 
of National Intelligence, Admiral Mike McConnell, class of 1966. I asked 
Mike if he ever took part in the ``midnight serenade.'' He said, I'd 
like to tell you, but the information is classified. [Laughter]
    It's a special time of your life. It's--you're going to find it's a 
time when you get a lot of free advice--some of it helpful, some of it 
not--like that one graduation speaker who urged the students to keep 
their ears to the ground, their shoulders to the wheel, and their noses 
to the grindstone. All I could

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think was, that's a hell of a position to be in. [Laughter]
    I also remember what it was like to graduate from college and look 
out at the world before me. At the time, I must confess, the last thing 
on my mind was how to be a model citizen. Just ask my mother. [Laughter] 
Yet I found, as you will, the world has a way of helping you to grow. 
Soon many of you will be earning a living and getting married and 
raising families. As you move ahead in life, you will find temptations 
and distractions that can take you off course. You might also find that 
years may pass before you learn some important truths: That who you are 
is more important than what you have; and that you have responsibilities 
to your fellow citizens, your country, your family, and yourself.
    In my first speech as the Governor of Texas, I talked about the 
importance of a responsibility society. In my last commencement address 
as President, it seems a fitting subject to return to.
    I'm heartened today to see that our country is seeing a resurgence 
of personal responsibility. I'm pleased that this resurgence is being 
led by many young people who are embracing bedrock values of faith and 
family. These are values on which Furman and many other great 
universities were founded. And as you leave this campus today, my call 
to you is this: Strengthen this rising culture of responsibility in 
America by serving others, contributing to our civic life, and being 
accountable to yourself and your families.
    A culture of responsibility does mean serving others. Through the 
toil of generations and the grace of an Almighty, our Nation has been 
given a lot. And more and more Americans are recognizing our obligations 
to help those who have little.
    One of the most uplifting trends in our country is that volunteerism 
is at near alltime highs. And we see this spirit here at Furman. I was 
impressed when I heard that nearly two-thirds of you balanced your 
studies this year with outreach to your community. You helped children 
with disabilities realize they have a place in our communities and in 
our hearts. You helped Habitat for Humanity give people a home of their 
own. Through such works of compassion, you've learned early in life that 
nothing is more fulfilling than putting the needs of others ahead of 
your own. And I thank you for what you've done for this community and 
for our country.
    I saw the spirit of service in Greensburg, Kansas, which was 
destroyed by a tornado last year. In the aftermath, a Greensburg 
resident simply said, ``My town is gone.'' And it was. But after the 
storm receded, a wave of compassion arrived. First, family members 
rushed in with aid. Then folks came from nearby towns doing their duties 
to help their neighbors in need. And soon citizens across our country 
rallied to help the people of Greensburg. I recently went to Greensburg 
High School to deliver their commencement address, and I'm pleased to 
report to you, the town of Greensburg is recovering, and the spirit of 
determination and compassion is alive and well in America's heartland.
    I've seen the spirit of service in good Americans who work to heal 
troubled communities across our country. Much of this good work is 
carried out by community and faith-based groups who lift up struggling 
souls one at a time. They serve in soup kitchens and help former 
prisoners rejoin society, inspire young people in inner-city classrooms, 
ensuring they have the skills they need to live lives of hope and 
opportunity.
    I've seen the spirit of service in Americans who are changing lives 
on the continent of Africa. Our citizens are teaching children in Ghana, 
helping villagers fight malaria and HIV/AIDS in Tanzania, and helping 
war-ravaged people recover and rebuild in Liberia. These citizens are 
showing the world the true face of our country, a kind and generous 
nation that is meeting its responsibility to help the poor and the sick 
and the hungry.
    I've seen the spirit of service in those who proudly wear the 
uniform. America is blessed to have citizens who volunteer in times of 
danger, and that includes some of you here today. You will leave Furman 
with more than a degree--[applause]--you'll leave this fine university 
with more than a degree; you will also receive your commission as an 
officer in the United States military. I thank you for making the noble 
decision to serve. Your country's proud of you, and so is your Commander 
in Chief.
    To all of you, my call is to make service to others a way of life. 
Wherever you live,

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whatever you do, find a way to give back to your communities. And 
however you choose to serve, you're going to learn a great lesson: That 
the more you give, the more you'll benefit.
    A culture of responsibility means contributing to our civic life. I 
ask you to be citizens, not spectators, and help to build a nation of 
virtue and character. You could strengthen our country by participating 
in the democratic process. In recent years, we've seen millions of 
people in places like Afghanistan, Iraq, and Georgia and Ukraine risk 
their lives for the right to cast a ballot. These courageous people 
should inspire us to take our votes just as seriously. I know the 
democratic spirit is alive in our country because there was a big vote 
recently. The new American Idol got about 55 million votes. [Laughter] I 
hope we see even a bigger turnout this November. For some of you, this 
will be your first Presidential election. I ask you to get involved in 
the process and do your duty and vote. By the way, if you're wondering 
who to vote for, the Governor and I would be happy to offer a few 
suggestions. [Laughter]
    You can strengthen our country by showing fiscal discipline in your 
lives. It may sound funny coming from a visitor from Washington, DC, but 
it's important to your futures and to the future of our country. Many of 
you have debts from student loans. It's an investment that I expect you 
will find worthwhile. In the next few years, you may find it tempting to 
amass more debt, particularly from credit cards, on expenses that bring 
little long-term benefit. My advice to you is to--not to dig a financial 
hole that you can't get out of. Live within your means, and bear in mind 
that there are no shortcuts to the American Dream.
    Your Furman degree will open the door to a wide variety of career 
options. One of the most noble paths you can take is a career in public 
service. I know you probably look at the debates in Washington and in 
the political campaigns and conclude that public service isn't worth it. 
That's a mistake. I've had my fair share of critics, but no criticism 
can overcome the satisfaction of serving your fellow citizens and 
pursuing great goals for our Nation. If you choose a career in public 
service, maintain the highest ethical standards, bring honor to whatever 
position you hold, and always put the people you serve ahead of 
yourself.
    But public service is not just politics. It can include social work 
and teaching and careers in the nonprofit sector. There are countless 
organizations across our country that devote themselves to improving the 
lives of others, such as the American Red Cross or Teach for America or 
the Boys and Girls Clubs. These groups fulfill a noble mission, and 
they're a vital part of the responsibility society.
    Others of you will make your careers in the private sector. If you 
choose this path, take pride in what you do and work hard and bring 
value to the enterprise you work for. And remember this: Our country 
needs corporate responsibility as well as personal responsibility. So if 
you enter the business world, be honest with your shareholders, be 
truthful to your consumers, and give back to the communities in which 
you live. And all of us have a responsibility to be good stewards of the 
environment.
    Finally, a culture of responsibility means being accountable to your 
families and to yourself. I found family to be a source of great comfort 
and strength. When people talk about my family, they often say I 
inherited my dad's eyes and my mother's mouth. [Laughter] But I got far 
more from them than that. From my dad, I learned that a gentle soul can 
also be strong. From my mother, I saw the blessings of humor and honesty 
and unqualified love. And from the two of them, I got an inspiring 
example of how a strong marriage can carry you through any challenge. 
And what has carried me through the challenges in my life have been the 
love and support of a wonderful woman named Laura Bush.
    My wish is that you find a partner in life who loves you and 
challenges you and comforts you and gives your life meaning. And if you 
have the blessings of becoming a parent, I would like for you to 
remember that the most important job you will ever have is to love your 
child with all your heart.
    In life, there's going to be many temptations to distract you from 
your responsibilities. Popular culture can give you the impression that 
alcohol, drugs, or promiscuity

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can lead to fulfillment in life. It's an illusion, and I urge you to 
reject it.
    If you do fall short, know that it is never too late to recover and 
get back on the right track. There was a time in my life when alcohol 
competed for my affections, but I found salvation in my family and my 
faith. There's no shame in recognizing your failings or getting help if 
you need it. The tragedy comes when we fail to take responsibility for 
our weaknesses and surrender to them.
    And finally, you probably don't realize it, but you're role models 
for others in your life, whether it's a little brother or sister who 
looks up to you or someone else who admires you. Positive role models 
are greatly needed in this society. And I urge you to set a hopeful 
example by leading lives of character and integrity. And if you do, 
you'll be proud of who you are; you'll teach others around you that a 
life of responsibility leads to a life of fulfillment.
    In all these ways, your generation has an opportunity to show how 
timeless values can be applied in a modern world. And as you do so, 
history offers noble examples to follow, including many from right here 
in South Carolina. From this State came a signer of the Declaration of 
Independence who lost his fortune fighting for our freedom but never 
regretted the fight. From this State came the brave colonel who drew a 
line in the sand against oppressive rule at the old Spanish mission 
called the Alamo. And from this State came the child of slaves who was 
among the first black women to be an adviser to Presidents.
    And from this State came a young man who went off to serve his 
country in World War II. His last name was Smith, and it happens his 
first name was Furman. Private Furman Smith--he never attended this 
school, but he grew up right down the road. While on duty in Italy, 
Private Smith's unit came under heavy fire. He fended off 80 enemy 
soldiers to defend his wounded buddies. He died at the age of 19, with 
his rifle still clutched in his hand. For the acts of courage and 
character that cost him his life, Furman Smith was awarded the Medal of 
Honor. Sixty-four years ago this very day, that young man carried the 
Furman name into history. And now, in a very different way, so will each 
of you.
    May the values you learned here always guide your course. May you 
always make the right choices. And may you always look in the mirror and 
be proud of what you see.
    Congratulations. God bless you.

Note: The President spoke at 8:09 p.m. at Paladin Stadium. In his 
remarks, he referred to David E. Shi, president, Furman University.