Graduation speaker is Navy SEAL, author
Humanitarian, best-selling author and Navy SEAL, Eric Greitens has been selected as the 2012 USU Commencement speaker.
The 125th graduation ceremony at USU will take place at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, May 5, in the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.
The Board of Trustees selects the Commencement speaker each year. Chairman Ron Jibson, of the Board of Trustees, speaking on behalf of the board, said he met Greitens at a dinner he attended in San Diego, where Grietens was the keynote speaker.
“I remember from the very first ‘Hello’ how impressed I was with him,” Jibson said.
Jibson said one of the things that caught his attention from the beginning were the accomplishments he has had at such a young age.
Grietens was born and raised in Missouri and attended Duke University as an Angier B. Duke Scholar. After completing his bachelor’s degree, he was selected as both a Rhodes and Truman Scholar. He went to the University of Oxford for his graduate work, earning a master’s in 1998 and a doctorate in 2000.
“When I was approaching high school graduation, I was thinking about a few different paths,” Grietens said. “I was really excited about the prospect of college. It was the place where – I had always been told – doors could open and the wider world could be explored.”
After graduating from Oxford, Greitens decided he wasn’t done with his education. From there he went to Naval Officer Candidate School, graduating with Class 237 in 2002. He was later appointed to serve as a White House Fellow by President George W. Bush. He worked in the Department of Housing and Urban Development, helping with rebuilding efforts after Hurricane Katrina.
Greitens has served four tours of duty as a Navy SEAL in Iraq, Afghanistan, Africa and Southeast Asia. He has served as the commander of a Joint Special Operations Task Unit, commander of a Mark-V special operations craft detachment and as commander of an al Qaida targeting cell. Among his many accolades for his service are the Purple Heart and Bronze Star awards. In 2011, he was named Navy Reserve Officer of the Year by the Association of the U.S. Navy.
“When I finished graduate school, I was faced with three distinct job opportunities,” Greitens said. “Ultimately, I made my decision to join the Navy SEAL teams because I knew that experience would develop my character and leadership in a way that other experiences could not.”
Greitens’ doctoral dissertation at Oxford focused on how organizations can help children and families affected by war. That research served as the inspiration for “Strength and Compassion,” a book of his photography and essays. The collection was recognized as ForeWord Magazine’s photography book of the year and was the winner of the New York Book Festival winner in 2009.
His second book, “The Heart and the Fist: The Education of a Humanitarian, the Making of a Navy SEAL,” is a New York Times best-seller.
Greitens’ latest endeavor is a non-profit organization, The Mission Continues. The group works with hurt and disabled military veterans to rebuild their lives and be leaders in their communities after returning from service.
“I’m working at The Mission Continues to ensure that this generation of veterans is seen as the next “Greatest Generation” – a generation that comes home, dedicates themselves to continued service, and makes our country stronger,” Greitens said.
Because of his work founding and running The Mission Continues, Greitens was presented with the President’s Volunteer Service Award in 2008 and is a fellow of the Draper Richards Foundation.
In 2011, The Social Venture Network recognized Greitens and The Mission Continues as one of the most impactful forces in the community.
“Besides being a perfect gentleman, I was impressed with this man who at such a young age, had accomplished so much in his life,” Jibson said. “His humility in regards to all he has accomplished was something that I remember specifically.
“Eric is someone who has given back so much in his life through his humanitarian service, military service as a Navy SEAL and his efforts today of working with returning soldiers whose lives have been impacted so drastically through their service to our country and preserving our freedoms.”
Greitens identified three things to which he attributes his successes – his friends, his motivation and a healthy lifestyle.
“I’ve been very fortunate to work with friends and mentors who have both supported and challenged me,” he said. “Their friendship has been a driving force in my success. Second, I’ve found my ‘Why.’ I know why I get up every day, and that sense of purpose keeps me strong.
“When you have a ‘Why,’ you can work through any ‘How.’ And finally, though it may seem obvious, it is important for me to eat right, get enough sleep, and exercise regularly. Great work demands great energy.”
Former Utah governor and once presidential candidate hopeful Jon Huntsman Jr. is the Commencement speaker at USU Eastern. Although some have said he doesn’t have the big name that Huntsman does, Greitens appointment as the main campus Commencement speaker has garnered generally positive reviews from graduating seniors.
“I think people underestimate the value of speakers who aren’t big names,” said Derek Kent, a senior graduating with a dual degree in marketing and economics. “Most of the truly inspiring speeches I have heard are from people I don’t know much about. I come in not having some level of expectation to be met.”
Erin Jones, a senior studying fisheries and aquatic sciences, said the speaker doesn’t really matter to her – that isn’t the reason she chose to walk at graduation.
“How many people will remember or care who gave their commencement speech 20 years down the road, unless it was because there was some controversy,” she said. “He sounds like a really great guy, but the reason I am going to commencement is because I want to celebr
ate the hard work I put into earning this degree, not to hear a speech that could be summed up by reading a Dr. Seuss book – regardless of who gives it.”
Greitens said his outlook focuses on broadening horizons and constantly challenging himself to grow and be better. That is the message he hopes to pass on to graduates in his Commencement speech.
“Stepping away from college and into the wider world requires you to make many choices. As soon-to-be graduates, it is important to seek out opportunities that challenge you to grow,” he said. “Know that you will have to work hard to create excellence in your life.
“Know that your friends and family should be treasured. Know also that you will encounter pain and fear and suffering in your life, and be courageous, because on the other side of pain is wisdom, on the other side of suffering is strength, and with wisdom and strength you will find a way to build a flourishing life.”
Jibson said he is looking forward to Greitens’ speech and fully stands behind the decision to extend the invitation to him.
“In my mind, there could not be a more appropriate, inspirational and memorable commencement speaker for our great Utah State graduates than Eric Greitens,” he said.
– megan.allen@aggiemail.usu.edu√