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Jon Meacham, a friend and brilliant writer, has just finished a new book about Thomas Jefferson that will be published in November. It contains some surprising but somehow appropriate revelations about our favorite founding father. Although most historians claim Jefferson’s final letter was written to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, in reality, his last and final correspondence was to his wine dealer in Baltimore…to make sure his delivery would be on time. So, perhaps the perfect UVA graduate knows about the rights of man but also knows the right way to party.
Even though Thomas Jefferson died 186 years ago on the 4th of July, his spirit lives on here among the serpentine walls and Neoclassical buildings…and the example he set is still relevant today. He faced intense partisanship in Washington, threats from abroad, a hostile press and times of great economic challenge. Gee, sound familiar?
But he weathered the tough times, endured the hate and the heat…and remained unwavering in his vision of a better tomorrow.
He had faith that the power and potential of every single person could change the world. You see, Thomas Jefferson was the ultimate optimist.
You all are graduating at a time when it might be tough to put on a happy face or really have faith in the future. Many of you were coming of age when 9-11 occurred. It was not only the end of innocence for you, it was the end of innocence for our country. The undergraduates here today were just starting college when the most devastating recession in decades began. Some of you may feel like you're drowning in a sea of college debt, which has actually surpassed credit card debt in our country. You’ve witnessed a decade of war in Afghanistan and Iraq. Faith in institutions…like Congress, the Media, and Banks has hit rock bottom as our national and personal debt has skyrocketed. The American Dream, though still attainable, somehow feels more elusive.
These days, I think the world seems like a pretty scary and at times, overwhelming place.
So, given all these challenges, W-W-TJ-D? What would Thomas Jefferson do? He’d persevere and he would prevail. And you will do the same.
By now, thanks to many years of education, you’ve mastered the three R's as in reading, writing and arithmetic...which is actually just one R not 3!
But there are three other R’s that are essential for success, not just in your career but in your life: Risk, Rejection and Resilience.
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