ALUMNUS TONY GARZA'S ADDRESS AT 2023 SMU COMMENCEMENT

The Rio Grande Guardian

By Antonio Garza

(Editor’s Note: On December 16, Antonio Garza, the former U.S. ambassador to Mexico, Brownsville native, and frequent Rio Grande Guardian International News Service contributor, gave the 2023

commencement address at Southern Methodist University.

The occasion marked 40 years since Garza’s own graduation from SMU School of Law. Click here to watch the speech, which starts shortly after the 1 hour, 21 minute, mark. Here are Ambassador Garza’s prepared remarks:)

Lord, we thank you for this glorious day, and your presence on this joyous occasion.

And Gerald, thank you for that introduction…do remember that cold day … and I also recall a day in June of 1995 when the sun shone bright in Dallas and you became President of SMU…and every day since, the Mustang community has been grateful for your leadership…and for what you and Gail have meant to the University…

And thank you to the Chairman of our Board of Trustees, David Miller. The big guy put the Atlantic Coast Conference in his sight and never wavered, never relented…50 years ago on this very floor you couldn’t out-hustle David, and as our Chairman that’s still the case…

And to the faculty, staff, distinguished guests, proud family…and especially the Southern Methodist University, class of 2023…Thank you for having me.

I remember the day I graduated, how I felt and how proud my dad was, but I don’t remember who spoke…and I have no illusions you’ll remember me.
I don’t have all the answers to life after graduation…although there were times when I thought I knew it all, but life had a way of correcting me.

My favorite “reminder” occurred shortly after graduating from SMU’s School of Law in 1983. I was tutoring a South Texas high school student named Raul.

Raul needed help preparing for his high school exit exam, and I was a volunteer in an at-risk program.

Raul and I worked together for weeks, all in anticipation of his big test.

On the Monday after the exam, I caught up with Raul and asked how he’d done. It took him a few moments to find the right words and he looked at me, shrugged and said: “Let me put it this way, sir…you’re not as smart as you think you are. ”

It was a humbling experience, one I’ll never forget …But you, SMU graduates of 2023, have much less reason to be humble.

You leave SMU with memories of the Boulevard, Lighting Ceremonies, the Commons experience 3 conference championships … but most of all you leave here knowing this…You are the graduating class of 2023…And by every benchmark or measurement you are considered the strongest class to ever graduate from SMU.

All of you excelled…Well, all of you, except for…Gerald, was it seven students?…And you know who you are.

Each of you came here to become a better version of yourself, to experience the transformative power of education…And education is a powerful force. I know, I’ve seen that in my own life.

My grandparents came to Texas from Mexico in the early 1900’s, and my Dad grew up along the border during the depression in the 1930’s……After high school he served abroad in WW2, returned to South Texas and did what he said being a tech sergeant in the army had fully prepared him to do; he worked hard, pumped gas, wiped windshields and became the proud owner of a 2 pump filling station.

Dad took care of his family and did what he felt was the right thing, his duty…and he did that every single day.

But Mom, no sitting around the house for her. When I was 8 or 9 years old, she decided to go back to school.

In addition to being that “cool mom” that made sure we got to swim practice and little league games, let us grow our hair long and tie-dyed our t-shirts…she also questioned the Vietnam war, talked about civil rights, and decided that she was going to get a degree…and that meant that I’d be spending time at our local college, in the kids section of the library while she went to class…And while I learned to love the library, I wasn’t so sure about college.

You see, it seemed like every few months or so Mom would come down with the flu, lose her hair and then bounce back. In July of 1972 I turned 13 and our college President asked my Dad if me and my little brother couldn’t visit Mom in the hospital so he could present her something, a degree. One month later she was gone, cancer…but that education transformed my mother…into my hero, and the most powerful example a young boy could possibly have.

Each of you has had your battles, large and small. Over the course of the last several years your generation has had to reckon with serious questions about race and justice, you’ve succeeded in the face of a pandemic, economic collapse and live in a world of radical uncertainty.

In the process you have learned one of life’s most profound lessons… and that is, “life is not easy”; and really big challenges are seldom confronted alone. You are the strivers and survivors…You succeeded because you believed in yourselves, and others believed in you…

Thank your parents for their love. You made the grades, they likely helped with the bills…and today, mom’s tearing up thinking about how quickly this day came…and dad’s praying to god you’ve found a job and aren’t moving back home…

As I was preparing today’s remarks I couldn’t help but returning to what a challenging time we’re living in…the Middle East, Ukraine, China, a deeply polarized country…and technological advances a force for both good and evil. I honestly thought: “Come on, it’s a day to celebrate…and then I realized, I can’t get up here and not acknowledge those very stubborn, harsh realities.”

To read entire post, click on link: https://riograndeguardian.com/garza-education-is-a-powerful-force-i-know-ive-seen-that-in-my-own-life/