But in the long run it pays off. It is the only way we know to make progress, to lay the foundations for the technology and health care of the next generation, to strengthen the principles that make our society stable and just, to create the arts and letters that enrich our lives and motivate us toward the good and beautiful. It is arguably the most unique and important way that a major research University serves the Commonwealth. It means that the purpose of your degree is that you may serve the welfare of the nation and the world. I think not.
Education is a gift , and the proper response is gratitude and sharing the blessing.
We are gifted people, you and I. We were born with intelligence, concentration, and ambition that many people lack. We have enjoyed opportunities and freedoms most people can only dream of. We have benefited from the world's finest educational system and highest standard of living. These are gifts. We didn't ask for them, we didn't earn them, we do not deserve them more than someone else.