[applause]

>> at this time, i'm honored to have one of south -- south carolina states most loyal sons. to introduce our commencement speaker. at this time, it's a great honor to welcome another then congressman james clyburn to our podium. [applause] >> thank you. thank you very much for welcoming me back to these hollow grounds. to the members of the board of trustees, the administrators, staff, parents, guardians, and members of the class of 2024, congratulations. when i was growing up in sumter,

my dad said to me on one occasion, the first sign of a good education is good manners. now if that's true, i want all of you to address -- demonstrate to all of us how well you have been educated by standing, turning to your parents and guardians, and saying thank you. [applause] now today, it is my great honor to introduce this year's spring commencement speaker lloyd james austin the third. james austin is a man of many accomplishments.

he is a decorated soldier, a dedicated public servant, and a graduate of west point. lloyd austin is the first african-american to serve as our nations secretary of defense. [applause] it's been 41 years he spent in uniform. he spent the last eight years in the private sector, at least up until he got the call from president biden to join his administration. now i was a history guy. i don't know much about math. i think if you add 41 to those eight, you get 49. for 48 of those 49 years, he's

been married to his great wife charlene. who i got to meet in person before i met him. although i've been introduced to him via the telephone by president biden. when i left, i knew i wanted to meet lloyd. he has not disappointed me one bit. the first african-american to lead in army corps in combat and the first african-american to command an entire theater of war. i could go into a lot of firsts for him. but there's a certain rhythm to history. i learned my love for history here on this campus.

i studied every day. i have found that rhythm. there's a rhythm to general austin's history. general austin, as i said, was the first african-american to serve as secretary of defense. however, he grew up in huntsville, georgia. the rhythm to this is that the first african-american to graduate from west point back in 1877 was from thomasville, georgia. so he has arisen with him -- a rhythm with him. when he walks, talks, attempts to dance. but he has a rhythm. i have enjoyed getting to be

associated with that rhythm. i am pleased and honored to be able to present to you today 2020 spring commencement speaker general lloyd austin the third. [applause] >> good morning bulldogs. i know it's raining but i don't think there's anybody out there. let's try that again. good morning bulldogs. all right. that's more like it. it's great to be here at south carolina state. i'm not just saying that because my sister-in-law is a graduate. [applause] this truly is a good-looking crowd.

i know that i'm standing between you and your diplomas and some other things. as congressman clyburn said, i'm a former general so i know when i'm outnumbered. i'm going to try to keep this pretty brief. [applause] yeah i'm with you. i believe that a good commencement speaker should be tall. but it could -- good commencement speech should be short. congressman clyburn, thank you for that generous introduction. it's an honor to be here with you. you've been a personal inspiration and a true friend.

you are a paragon of leadership. you've always fought to make america's promise real for every citizen. that's why just last week, president biden awarded you america's highest civilian honor . the presidential medal of freedom. [applause] you met your light life -- late wife right here in orangeburg. you both gave so much to this university. today, the college carries on in her legacy. the james clyburn university transportation center will prepare students for great careers that will keep america moving forward. so congressman, thanks for everything that you and miss

emily have done for sc state and for our democracy. thanks for leading your all moderate so well. thanks for all that you've given to the department of defense including your 28 years of service in the united states army. trustees, distinguished faculty, dedicated staff, thanks for doing so much for south carolina state. i know you've already paid a special tribute to your parents. i want you to give them another round of applause. [applause] i know that everyone knows that tomorrow is mother's day, right? sunday is mother's day. i'm living in the future guys.

sunday is mother's day. don't forget. let's give our mothers and grandma's around of applause. [applause] that brings me to you, the class of 2024. 2024, let's make some noise. [applause] graduates, we are here to celebrate you and your achievements. your class had an especially challenging road to graduation day. in 2020 as a pandemic erected, your pet -- freshman class was less than half the normal size. it was unprecedented and it was hard. but you dug deep to get you stuck by each other. you made it to today. now, many of you are the first

in your family to graduate from college. [applause] that's a phenomenal achievement. many of you have balanced school with work, with raising a family , with giving back to the community. you could call it grit. you could call it hussle. around here, we call it bulldog tenacity. so class of 2024, you have worked incredibly hard to get here. we are all very proud of you. you should be proud of yourselves. i have to give a special shout out to the south carolina state army rotc program. the legendary bulldog battalion. [applause] over 75 years, this rotc program

has produced more than 2000 u.s. military officers. the 1972 south carolina state became one of the first hbcus to enroll female army rotc cadets. all six of those women became colonels. [applause] believe it or not, the university has launched the careers of more than 20 generals and admirals. we may have some future generals in the crowd with us today. so let's congratulate the newest second lieutenants in the u.s. army. [applause] so as i said, i'm going to keep it brief. i want to share three things with you today. then i will let you get back to celebrating. first, as the old guy, i will explain what i've learned about

the power of education. second, i will say a word about the importance of giving back. finally, i believe you with what congressman clyburn has called a message of expectations. number one, education gives you the power to make change even when it's hard and to help america live up to its full promise. i've lived that. i grew up in georgia in the prime of jim crow. our local public high school had long been whites only. when i was a teenager, i became one of the first black students to integrate their. those were hard days. painful days. ugly days. i'm still moved by the memory of every person who fought to make sure that i could get a good public education. the teachers. the officials. the neighbors.

i still remember their determination and their decency. i still carry forward their lesson which is that living up to this country's founding values means bringing everyone along and leaving no one out. drawing on the full talents of all the american people. i'm honored to stand here today with you as america's first black secretary of defense. [applause] now i doubt that the people that were trying to keep me out of that school imagined that they were blocking the education of a future four-star general.

but you never know which kid is going to grow up to be bob johnson or oprah or chadwick boseman or stacy adams or barack obama or kamala harris. you never know what we lose when we leave someone out. so we don't have one american despair. we don't have one citizen to squander. that means that we need to keep working together to knock down barriers and to level the playing field and to let everybody compete to win. you know, i saw that inaction at west point. as a cadet, i was thrown in with people from all walks of life. i was a southern kid far away from home. but my teachers taught me more than just mathematics and military strategy. they believed in us. i was lucky to have educators including some very special

black mentors who showed us all how to become a team and how to turn our differences into strengths. how to turn hard work into results. they showed us that leadership isn't just what you do. it's about who you are. so here's my second message. your education at south carolina state has already changed their lives. it will keep making possible a number of new things. it's already shaped your character and equipped you to excel. that won't stop. for nearly 130 years, south carolina state has produced the skilled leaders that our country needs in agriculture, education, engineering, and so much more. south carolina state trains more black nuclear engineer's than any school in the country.

[applause] a national security agency has designated south carolina state as a center of academic as it -- excellence in cyber defense. [applause] this university educates its graduates for jobs of the future. it has prepared you for the challenges ahead. i know you've heard president kania say that you can get there from here. that has always been the story of america's hbcus. generation after generation, they teach excellence. they kick open the doors of opportunity. as president biden has noted, hbcus per that help produce 40%

of america's black engineers. and 50% of black lawyers. and 70% of doctors and dentists. and 80% of judges. i can't put it better, any better than army major general retired gabe turner, a member of the class of 1976 who i proudly served with in the military. hbcus provide an opportunity to do goodness and to prosper and to provide a service to the nation that otherwise might have been missed by larger universities. so class of 2024, we need your service to the nation. so find ways to make change, to contribute, and to be a part of something bigger than yourselves.

as you heard congressman clyburn say, i had a brief 40 when your career in the u.s. -- 41 year career in the u.s. army. we need some of you to stand up and salute and defend the united states in uniform. but we also need all of you to get back in your own ways. you can do that as a teacher, as a doctor, as a firefighter, or by building a great business in your community or by serving as an usher in your church or by leading a girl scout troop your get running for city council or by registering people to vote. you will find your own path. in times like these, civic engagement is not optional. that brings me to my third and final message for you. it's what congressman clyburn calls a message of expectations.

you know the congressman also grew up in the segregated south. he always had big dreams. one day, a well meeting nader -- neighbor warns james to keep his ambitions to himself. his mother called him to the kitchen table. she looked him in the eye and grew -- told him, don't pay any attention to what that lady said. his mother said that she and his father expected and insisted that james and his brothers would push themselves to achieve more than their parents. that was her message of expectations. class of 2024, that message is as well. it won't be easy but we will help you out there. you have to put in the work to keep doing the reps.

my friend and mentor colin powell addressed the graduates back in 2011 and he said, no matter what your past is, no one owes you a thing. you have to perform to get ahead. you know what? you've already proven that you are going to perform. class of 2024, you are tested. you overcame. you made it to today. you've shown in the words of your school song that you are ready to do and dare. that's the spirit of sc state. you are graduating in challenging times. divided times. so many things still bring us together as americans. our constitution, our democracy,

the rule of law. the new beyonce album. still with me out there. i got you. ladies and gentlemen, we don't get to choose our times. we do get to shape our times. in a democracy that's especially relevant, especial response ability for every citizen. and for every member of the graduating class. may of 1964. lorraine hansberry spoke to a group of talented young black americans and she said, the nation needs your gifts. class of 2024, the nation needs your gifts. the nation needs your resilience. the nation needs your service.

so congratulations class of 2024. let's hear it for bulldog nation. may god bless you. may god continue to bless the united states of america. thank you very much. [applause]

and international studies. this is about an hour. >> i am ready for my close up. we are live. i'm just kidding. alexia