"Lift Off On This Wonderful Journey We Call Life"

Excerpts from the Commencement Address
The Hon. Daniel Goldin, NASA Administrator
May 20, 2001

It is a great privilege to be addressing you today. To the graduating seniors ... let me start with two simple words: well done! Well done, but not mission accomplished.

Each and every one of you is an explorer in the journey we call life. And, yes, today's milestone is an important one. But, commencement means a beginning, not an end. The bulk of this journey is still ahead of you.

... My advice is this: always remember that life's lessons will not come from the guy delivering a speech in front of you. But, they have been developed and nurtured by the people around you.Your friends. Your professors. Your mentors. And, even though you may not realize to what extent now, life's lessons come mostly from what I like to call Mission Control—your family. Especially your family. And never forget it.

... So go for it. Never deterred by the fear of failure. In life, having no failures is rarely a sign of perfection, but rather that your goals aren't bold enough. Find something you love. Have a dream. Pursue it. Believe in yourself. Whether it is in Minneapolis or on Mars—make your mark.

... So to the Augsburg College Class of 2001 ... Go for launch. Lift-off on this wonderful journey we call life. And Godspeed to all of you.

Goldin's speech was included in both the New York Times and NBC Nightly News in their roundup of top college commencement speeches.

Visit the Commencement 2001 photo gallery

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Rozenia Fuller receives Marina Christensen Justice Award

Rozenia Fuller, a senior youth and family ministry major and McNair Scholar, was selected as the 2001 recipient of the Marina Christensen Justice Award.

This award is given each year to the graduating senior whose community-service work best illustrates Augsburg's motto, "Education for Service"—itself brilliantly displayed in Marina Christensen Justice's personal and professional dedication to the vitalization of urban communities.

Fuller represents the best blend of excellence in scholarship and an untiring commitment to the community. She has been active at Spirit Church and the Harvest Preparatory School in North Minneapolis and serves on the boards of the Glenwood Lyndale Community Center and Minneapolis Community and Technical College.

An Augsburg student recently said of her, "I could not imagine an Augsburg minus Rozenia Fuller. She has helped make Augsburg the intentionally diverse community that it strives to be, and she alone has kept many students of color tied into this community."

The mother of two children—Jeremiah and Rosetta—Fuller lives by the words she loves to share with them, "try to take advantage of the opportunities that God presents you with." She has helped homeless mothers locate housing, developed support groups for junior high and high school students, and helped with counsel and spiritual support for juveniles in the Hennepin County Detention Center.