Saturday, May 16, 2009

Laura Bush delivers SMU Commencement Speech

Laura Bush delivers SMU Commencement Speech

Former First Lady Laura Bush addressed Southern Methodist University students on Saturday, May 16th, when she delivered the keynote commencement speech. Mrs. Bush graduated from the university in 1968, over forty years ago, with a Bachelor of Science degree in education.

The former First Lady, dressed in a blue and red graduation gown, spoke of her days at SMU and told graduates that those experiences will be "influential for the rest of your life." She also told the almost 2,000 students in SMU's packed Moody Coliseum that "you won’t waste your talent and education if you use them in service to others." She went on to mention several world issues and how students shouldn't ignore them when looking for their "calling,"

"Between cellphones and the Internet, you have a world of information literally at your fingertips. And because our world is so small, you can’t ignore the genocide in Darfur or the recent brutal treatment of democracy leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi in Burma. You know the plight of children orphaned by AIDS in Africa. Today begins a period of incredible liberty and adventure, a time to find your calling and to demand the most of life before life makes specific demands on you."

The speech lasted about fifteen minutes and Mrs. Bush claimed that when she graduated, she never dreamed that one day, she'd be the one to deliver the commencement address or serve on the Board of Trustees.

SMU is where former President George W. Bush's Presidential Library is set to be built and the former First Lady mentioned that in her speech, as well, saying,

"The bonds formed at SMU are strong, and no matter how many years you’ve been away, I hope that you'll find, like I have, that coming back to SMU feels like coming home. That is why I am so happy that George and I will spend the rest of our lives working here on the SMU campus at the Bush Library and Institute."

You can watch Laura Bush's speech in its entirety here: SMU Video Library

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