Ridge addresses graduates at Edinboro commencement

May 11--Tom Ridge, the nation's first Secretary of Homeland Security and former Pennsylvania governor, addressed a capacity crowd of nearly 4,000 at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania's undergraduate commencement ceremony today at McComb Fieldhouse.

Gannon University conferred 772 degrees at its undergraduate commencement ceremony Saturday at Erie Insurance Arena in downtown Erie.

Ridge told Edinboro graduates to listen to their elders but never let others speak for them or tell them that something can't be done.

"Make change work for you," he said.

The ceremony at Edinboro University's McComb Fieldhouse celebrated the academic success of 738 undergraduate students who completed requirements for associate and bachelor's degrees.

A separate graduate student commencement later Saturday honored 188 recipients of postgraduate certificate and master's degrees.

The combined 926 graduates comprise one of the university's largest graduating classes.

Ridge was awarded the honorary degree of doctor of public service for his numerous contributions as a soldier, congressman, governor and cabinet secretary.

Ridge cautioned his audience against cynicism, to which he linked the partisan gridlock that grips national politics, and he made what he called a "personal appeal" to the graduates to vote.

"Please never let your preoccupation with your busy life keep you from taking the time to vote only twice a year. ... I sincerely hope you embrace it twice a year, every year," he said.

In a wide-ranging speech that evoked the accomplishments of Thomas Edison, Steve Jobs, the Wright Brothers, and Col. Edwin Drake, Ridge cautioned against being deterred from voting because cynics say it doesn't matter or pursuing change and progress because someone says they can't be achieved.

"You will learn more, do more and invent more than any generation before you," Ridge said. "All you have to do is combine passion with vision and make it work. It's that simple, and it is that important. The ability to foresee what people will need and make it happen is an American tradition."

Gannon University's keynote speaker was the Rev. Majdi S. Siryani, director of the global office at the American University of Madaba in Madaba, Jordan.

Gannon officials conferred 416 bachelor's degrees, 280 master's degrees, 44 doctoral degrees, and 32 associate degrees.

Students from 24 nations earned degrees.

To see photo galleries of area university commencement ceremonies, visit goerie.com/photos.

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