June 11, 2025

Wheeling University Commencement Address to the Class of 2025 by Fr. David Griffin

President Vargo, Mr. Hendrickson, members of the Board of Directors, administration, faculty, guests, Miss Jade Miller, and the Class of 2025, I wish to begin by again expressing my sincere gratitude for inviting me to participate in today’s ceremony. Today is a day of celebration of your work, your accomplishments, and your talent. You have earned your degree and certainly the respect. However, your success was not solely a personal endeavor. Faculty, coaches, classmates, and teammates formed that bond as well.

I wish to pause from my prepared remarks to also recognize a very important and vital group of individuals that support you. Allow me to ask that all the parents of these graduates please stand and be recognized as well … Thank you for your support and trust in Wheeling University.

In recognizing your parents, I am certain that they too share in this milestone in your lives. Only yesterday, it seems your mother or dad held your hand crossing the street, taught you how to ride a bike, helped with your homework, and was the on-call driver to countless practices and games. Yes, today’s date has been circled on family calendars for quite a while, but I imagine your parents are thinking right now how quickly this day has arrived.

We come from different faith traditions in our worship of God, but I would like to share a verse from the Scriptures that I believe reflects the importance of this ceremony. St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, Chapter 13, Verse 11: “When I was a child, I would talk like a child, think as a child, and argue like a child, but now that I am a man, all childish ways are put behind me.”

Some memories of our childhood will never and should never be forgotten such as, family birthdays and vacations, holidays, and cookouts. In fact, these moments are to be preserved, shared, and passed to the next generation.

What have you now put behind you and what now do you place before you?

A phrase often used and perhaps overused is “be yourself.” The cynic would ask, just what does that really mean? My answer is simple: why attempt to be anyone else? You are made in the image and likeness of God, a person of dignity, hope, and courage. Your strength is your moral compass. Your service to others is a reflection of your self worth.

Throughout the University, in the chapel, classrooms, dining room, athletic center, library, and meeting rooms are framed documents of the Wheeling University mission statement. A daily reminder and a personal source of pride for the reason of this celebration.

Life: “Graduates of the University enter the world of work with socially responsible goals.”

Leadership: “Wheeling University envisions a dynamic leadership role in the lives of its students.”

Service: “The University firmly believes its graduates will enter the professional world prepared to use their God given talents as men and women in service of others.”

If that sounds familiar it is because it is, and has been the guiding principles of this Catholic University. It is the foundation of the Christian concept of educating the whole person, the body, the spirit, and the soul. It is mandated to encourage, support, correct, and foster your talents in the biblical command of the Gospel of Mark, Chapter 12: “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind and with all your strength, and you must love your neighbor as yourself.”

Authentic leadership is rooted in service. Our souls are nourished by the genuine respect for the dignity of all people. 

Mother Teresa, an international icon, a woman small in stature yet strong in character wrote, and I quote, “Let no one ever come to you without leaving a better person. Be the living expression of God’s kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, and kindness in your heart. If you only judge people, you will have no time to respect them.”

Years ago, I had the privilege of meeting and knowing a person you may recall from your early childhood, Mr. Rogers, a TV icon, author, and a Presbyterian minister. A gifted, remarkable man. Aa man who spoke to children with honor and quiet comfort. He had that gift of treating everyone with the same respect from Presidents to 5-year-olds. His message still resonates today.

The strength, pride, and diversity of your class is outstanding. Today in this graduating class are men and women from 15 different countries. I believe it is fitting that we recognize their presence and contributions.

Commencement is a rather unique word of both the completion of one chapter and the beginning of a new chapter. An exciting and incredible one in your personal and professional lives.

From freshmen move in day, orientation, early morning practices, late night studying, community service projects, the Wheeling City Christmas parade, coffee in the kiosk, shared meals in the B Room, daily greetings of Junior, the security uber service of Joe, Vern, and Wayne, the migrating geese, the deer crossing the fields and parking lots, quiet prayer, the Kairos retreat, midnight food runs to Sheetz, someplace called Generations, and the Last Blast. 

Now you begin again, but far better than before, you have put aside those childish ways of yesterday. Now you begin with the confidence and excitement of establishing life-long friendships and the signature of a Wheeling University graduate.

Some final thoughts, I have learned along the way …

• Be for something and not just complain about it.

• Seek out role models and mentors and become one yourself. You will be defined not only by what you have achieved, but by what you shared.

• Admit when things go wrong and seek a solution instead of an excuse.

• Never settle for ‘good enough, you are better than that.

• You don’t have to have the perfect future plan. Life will surprise you.

In 1960, President John Kennedy, in his inaugural address, said, that the United States would send an American astronaut to the moon within the decade and return to Earth safely. Critics immediately said it won’t happen, we don’t have the technology to do it. Decades later, the Space agency announced that a space station would be launched and circle the Earth. Critics said it won’t happen, it is too expensive.

So, one final assignment on Canvas and in the diversity of your professional careers, Dream and Make it Happen.

God Bless you!