Congrats LBJ Grads!

My apologies for my web absence and extreme tardiness with major life events. More to come and more often, I promise. :)

Myself and 145 of my colleagues can now call ourselves graduates of the LBJ School of Public Affairs! We graduated with our MPAffs on Saturday, May 23rd. Bill Bradley, former US Senator and star of some sport made for tall people, was our keynote. Sticking with the mission of our chosen program, he quoted:

"The tragedy is not to die. The tragedy is to die with commitments undefined, with convictions unexpressed, and with service unfulfilled. I hope you leave here with clearly defined commitments, with the courage to express your convictions, and recognize that what is ahead of you is a lifetime of public service. You simply have to find what is the right way to do it.”

He gave a great speech, but it was honestly overshadowed by Susan Peterson's speech to her fellow graduates. Susan talked about her reaction to hearing that a French foreign minister stated that the "magic is over" in terms of the US and our world relations. Here's what Susan said:

“I think we’ve been doing ‘magic’ for too long in the United States. ‘Magic’ is disguising sub-prime mortgages as sound investments and making 20 percent returns. ‘Magic’ is transforming chemicals and preservatives into substances resembling food and selling it cheap to Americans who need to eat more fruits and vegetables. ‘Magic’ is using multi-lane highways to string together far-flung suburbs and exurbs populated with McMansions and calling it the American dream. If Kouchner is right, and the magic really is over, I am relieved, because now we can stop doing magic and get on with the business of doing good. Doing good like working to increase equity in the world. Things LBJ students are trained to do and awesome at doing.”

I've earned a degree that I am very proud of. I'm part of an incredible group of world citizens who are dedicated to lives of public service. I'm amazed at what we have collectively accomplished and excited to hear about our impact in the future.

Abbey and I with, in my brother's words, "the most expensive piece of blank paper ever"

Ellen DeGeneres gave my personal favorite commencement speech this year. She shared many jokes and her private history of experiencing a very low point in life before becoming a successful comedienne and later, one of the first openly gay mainstream celebrities. Enjoy!