December 2010 Undergraduate Commencement Address

Greetings Earthlings!!! I come in peace!!!

Thank you Vice Chancellor Weissinger and the University of Nebraska for the prestigious award of the Bessey Medal - I am proud and humbled to be considered worthy of such an honor. And thanks to all of you in Husker Nation, especially Annette Wetzel, for making this day a possibility.

Wow...the Commencement Address for the University of Nebraska! I must admit that this is a somewhat overwhelming environment for me: the man with the "Right Stuff"...the Steely- eyed astronaut; yeah right! I have flown in outer space for more than 167 days. I have performed 6 spacewalks totaling 38 hours and 28 minutes. I have operated the International Space Station's Robotic arm, using it to move a docking port worth millions of dollars from one hatch and softly dock it to another. But I'm not sure that I know how to give a good commencement address! Ever since Chancellor Pearlman asked if I would return to Lincoln to speak at today's ceremony, I have been thinking long and hard about what I might say. Having previously sat in a similar chair some 30 years ago, I realize that listening to me is not your primary objective today!

So...needless to say, I longed to come up with the perfect address for you, the UNL graduating "Class of 2010." I wanted a speech that only a student could love...one that would speak directly to you and not leave the impression that I am filled with embalming fluid. I also wanted to "...work in the NASA astronaut thing...," so that one day you'll be able to tell your kids and grandkids that a "...really, really old guy spoke at my graduation...I think he was an astronaut, but I can't be sure because I really wasn't paying much attention that day!

Well, I came up with a few possibilities...

• "...May the Force be with you..."
• "...To infinity...and beyond."
• "...Live long and prosper;"

Unfortunately, I felt like these ideas didn't fit the bill, so you're stuck with what I came up with next.

Way back in the 60's, before all of you were born, I was enthralled as a youngster with a brand new Television Series, called Star Trek. Each week, glued to the television, Captain James T. Kirk could be heard in the opening monologue...

"Space, the final frontier....These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise. Her five year mission: (pause) to explore strange new worlds. To seek out new life and new civilizations; To boldly go where no one has gone before."

So, what of you, the Class of 2010? What is your mission? What do you seek; where will you explore? Your University experience is fast drawing to a close and you are beginning a new phase of your lives.

Thinking back on it; as my college days were winding down and graduation was imminent, I had a myriad of questions running through my mind. "Now what do I do? Don't I need some goals? Will Mom still do my laundry? Will I have the courage to take risks? What if I fail...can I pursue a different direction? Is Valentino's hiring?"

I trust that many of you today are thinking those very same thoughts; and that's a very good thing! You have just completed an important phase of your life's journey and it's time to contemplate the next step.

Today, I want to share with you some thoughts on my personal story and perhaps those experiences will help you begin to build a mindset that will allow all of you, in true Star Trek fashion, "...To Boldly Go...Nebraska Style!!"

I am not any different than you are. I am a small town boy, who was nurtured by his parents, family and friends. I had teachers who cared about me and dared me to grow intellectually. As a young adult I was an active part of my community and was taught by my parents the importance of making good choices and giving back.

I believe that your time here in Nebraska was well spent. Whether you were born and raised here like me, or you just showed up in Lincoln to get your education, the impact of this State on who you are, and more importantly, who you will become, is profound.

People who are touched by just a modicum of what this great state embodies, come to exhibit key characteristics that I think you should all strive to emulate. They work hard, they rebound from hardships with renewed resolve and they never quit. Your examples here are many and they are indeed impressive;

• Athletic Director Tom Osborne;
• The Oracle of Omaha, Mr. Warren Buffet;
• That down to earth gentleman who calls for Americans to "Git R Done," Dan Whitney aka Larry the Cable Guy;
• The CEO of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, a fellow Ashland native and my dear friend, Jeff Raikes.

All of these people know the value of solid effort, measured tenacity and perseverance...and they know how to give back. They exemplify the premise that "...there's no better exercise for strengthening the heart, than reaching down and lifting people up."

You must pursue your future with perseverance, passion and a clear understanding of managing risk. It turned out to be very hard for me to succeed at this space gig...I tried 15 times to become an astronaut, and was on the verge of giving up when I got my first interview at try number 13. For those first 13 years, I didn't even get a sniff! Then, after selection and once safely inside the training flow, I questioned my decision to agree to fly on the International Space Station while I was living in frozen Russia, away from my family for weeks at a time. And then of course, there was the Columbia tragedy. Let me share with you a short letter I wrote very soon after the accident, when people questioned me about my future:

"On February 1, 2003, I experienced one of the most difficult days of my life. On that day at 0916 Eastern Standard Time, the Space Shuttle Columbia was scheduled to touchdown on Runway 33 at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. She didn't make it.

I was there at the landing site that day, as an astronaut family escort. In that capacity, along with two other astronauts, I was responsible for providing support to all of the family members of Columbia's crew.

"Support" is a broad and general term...we were to give them whatever they needed: transportation, food, smiles and assurances. We all (or at least I) thought it would be easy. Just get them to their designated spot near the runway on time for the joyous return of their spouses; then shuttle them off to the place where they would greet their favorite heroes with hugs, kisses and cheers. How shortsighted I was.

With a somber yet urgent look from a KSC Security Officer our roles became instantly transformed and I had to call on my faith in God in ways that I had never before imagined. Our astronaut and family escort job had now become "real"...with consequences that I have always understood, but maybe never really fully comprehended. I can comprehend them now.

I want everyone to understand just how brave the STS-107 crew and their families truly are. Clearly knowing the risks, these 7 pioneers moved forward with focused determination and joyful hearts; anticipating the wonders and discoveries they were going to experience in a place that so few ever come to know. With the courageous support of their loved ones, they ventured into their lifetime dream of flying into space.

My personal dreams and aspirations have not changed. I still long for the opportunity to explore the heavens and I hold firmly to the belief that what we (NASA) do benefits all those back on Earth. Our Space Program will continue. We will persevere. It will be better than before; it has to be or my friends will have died in vain.

My choice to continue was borne of my desire to succeed and to persevere while clearly understanding that life is always full of risks...we - YOU must take those risks smartly and with conviction; for ultimately one will learn from their mistakes in order to be better and more effective the next time.

Nelson Mandela said it well, "...The greatest glory in living lies not in never failing, but in rising every time we fall."

Today...through the Grace of God and a little bit of luck; I have flown two successful missions to outer space. I launched and landed safely on two different Space Shuttles. I lived onboard the International Space Station, one of our world's greatest technical achievements for five months.

It was there that I witnessed 16 sunrises and sunsets every day, soaring some 200 miles above the Earth; speeding around the globe once every 90 minutes at 17, 500 mph. I was Superman every single day: I flew to breakfast, I flew to work, I flew to the bathroom...I even flew while I was going to the bathroom! And - I even pooped in four different space craft...now that's what I call "going boldly!"

None of this was given to me. I had to earn it. I neither expected nor felt entitled to, anything in my life. No doors miraculously opened wide for me...sometimes they opened partially and I had to stick my foot in enough to get leverage so that I could eventually kick it wide open. But I stuck to my Nebraska roots...I worked hard...I took risks...I never quit; and now I am able to begin to give back. I don't know what my future holds, but of one thing I'm certain; there are challenges ahead for me, more hard work and more risks to take.

As Richard Bach says: "There is a test to find whether your mission on Earth is finished; if you're alive, it isn't!"

Perhaps my next mission is just beginning!

In closing, remember that today is also about family. Take a moment to look around you and out into the audience. Find your family. Find those people that have made a difference in your life, those that helped make this day possible. Find not just moms, dads, brothers and sisters, but friends, classmates, teammates and teachers. These are the people that have molded you, mentored you and helped bring you to where you are today. Thank them, cherish them and love them always.

So, while I was really hoping that I would be able to tell you something very worldly and uniquely profound, my message is actually quite simple:

• Never quit...ever!
• Persevere with passion and
• Continue to hold true to your Nebraska roots.

If you do those things, I know you'll be able, "To Boldly Go....Nebraska Style!!!"

"Godspeed... Class of 2010!"