Published May 2006 — Download PDF of the original newspaper column
Byrd's-Eye View By U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd Guiding West Virginia's Graduates As the warm breezes of spring spread through the hills of West Virginia, signs of new beginnings are all around. Flowers are blooming. Birds are chirping. Young people are graduating high school and college and embarking on new journeys. It is an exciting time indeed for these young adults, their families, and all West Virginians who are proud of their academic accomplishments. I recently had the honor of delivering the commencement address at Marshall University's graduation of its largest class ever. It was a pleasure to see the pride and emotion in the faces of the graduates and their loved ones. The sky is the limit for what young West Virginians can accomplish in their lives. As thousands of young West Virginians all across our state graduate, I hope that they will never stop learning. Commencements are an important stepping stone along a life-long pursuit of knowledge. Some graduates will continue their formal education, but not all learning takes place in the classroom. People of all ages can continue to learn and thrive through reading, travel, and the study of history. While the real world holds boundless promise and opportunity for our young people, it also offers challenges. There will be rocky days and stormy nights, but all problems are made for solving. In His wisdom, Almighty God provided mankind with a brain and the will to use it. Perseverance is the key. In fact, it is the mark of a true West Virginian. All it takes is believing in oneself. We can all be proud of our West Virginia heritage and the values we cherish. Honesty, hard work, love of country, family, and fellow man, and faith in God are time-tested West Virginia values and a key part of what makes our state unique. As students from Marshall University and West Virginia's other colleges and universities start out on their life journeys, I urge them to forge their futures in West Virginia. We need their energy, their idealism, and their enthusiasm. West Virginia will undoubtedly be a better place because of the active involvement of this spring's fresh crop of graduates. I commend them for their accomplishments, and I look forward to important contributions from them for our beloved state for years to come. May 10,2006