SECNAV Del Toro Delivers Remarks at the University of Michigan College of Engineering Commencement

Good afternoon, Michigan!

It is absolutely wonderful to be with you on this very special day in Ann Arbor-the heart of the Wolverine State.

I wouldn't miss being with you for the world.

I flew all night from Hawaii-directly from meeting with our nation's top commanders in the Pacific-but I know I'm probably not the only one here that pulled an all-nighter-ah, to be young again.

Family, friends, loved ones, and supporters of the graduating class-thank you for being here to see your graduates achieve their academic dreams.

I know how important friends and family have been in everything I've achieved in my own life.

You have labored, you have encouraged, and you have sacrificed to get these graduates to this moment.

The students graduating today-and indeed all of us-owe you a debt of gratitude.

I was thrilled when I received your invitation to be the commencement speaker at undeniably one of our nation's greatest universities.

The opportunity to join you here today is one of the great honors of my life.

I am humbled and profoundly grateful to share this life milestone with you.

This institution means a lot to the United States Navy and has for a century and a half.

Indeed, this engineering school, at this university, in this state, play an indispensable role in our national life.

You are the industrial and manufacturing heartland of America.

Many of you will make your careers here in this "pleasant peninsula" on America's Northern Coast.

And I am committed to growing our Department's relationships with all of you in the years to come.

This school is truly a national treasure.

As one example relevant to the Navy, it is the last R1 school in America that teaches Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering from undergrad through postdoc.

The future of naval architecture and marine engineering education is a central pillar of my Maritime Statecraft initiative.

And the University of Michigan is at the forefront of our efforts to rebuild our shipbuilding industry and restore our nation's comprehensive maritime power.

In fact, this university is one of our Department's foremost academic partners.

Wolverine engineers lead the way in nearly every field of consequence to our Navy and Marine Corps, from expanding our understanding of traumatic brain injuries, to spearheading hypersonic flight, to developing complex turbulence models to make better materials for our ships.

Let me be clear: America would not have the world's most powerful Navy and Marine Corps if not for our 150-year partnership.

In fact, for as long as you have played football at Michigan, the Department of the Navy has been your teammate.

In 1879, Congress authorized a Naval officer-Ensign Mortimer Cooley-to teach "steam engineering and iron shipbuilding" at this esteemed institution.

He became this university's fifth professor of engineering, the youngest professor in your history, and eventually your second-and longest serving-Dean of Engineering.

President Gerald Ford-perhaps Michigan's second most famous graduate behind Tom Brady-served in the Navy during World War 2 aboard USS Monterey (CVL 26) and his heroic actions helped save his ship from sinking.

And while you might know you're one of only five universities with a President and a Super Bowl winning quarterback among your alumni, you may not believe the Naval Academy is in that exclusive group with you-but it is.

More importantly, another thing we share is the iconic Admiral Arleigh Burke-one of our most consequential and beloved Chiefs of Naval Operations-our nation's highest uniformed naval leader.

And Secretary Donald Winter-74th Secretary of the Navy-received his P-H-D from this school and later taught in the university's preeminent Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering program.

I make a point of surrounding myself with our nation's very best, and that is why I also have Wolverines in key positions throughout my staff.

There's my White House Fellow, Dr. Monica Dus-a professor of neuroscience here and a fellow first generation American.

There's Howard Fireman-Vice Chair of my Science and Technology Board and himself a NAME [NAH-mee] graduate.

And Dr. David Singer-a professor in that same department-is an expert consultant on the future of our Navy.

Although in full disclosure, I do have a Buckeye on one of my boards. My good friend Vice Admiral Ted Carter is the president of a small state school a few hours south of here.

Seriously, we need more Michigan alumni on our Department of the Navy team.

For those of you who may not have a job lined up yet and want to come work for us, I know a guy who might be able to hook you up.

After all, "blue and gold" and "maize and blue" are pretty similar.

Like me, I know there are many of you out there who are the first in your family to go to college.

I know that some of you are fellow first-generation Americans.

And I remember how relieved I was at my own graduation.

I had just survived four years of electrical engineering at the Naval Academy-and I can assure you that I was nowhere near the top of my class. I am now, though!

But it was worth it.

At that moment I could have never imagined pursuing a master's in Space Systems Engineering at the Naval Postgraduate School.

And I certainly never imagined that I would one day become an entrepreneur and start my own engineering firm.

No matter where you stand in this class, know that the sky is the limit.

I am living proof of that.

So Class of 2024, Congratulations.

I cannot wait to see what you do with your world class education. This is indeed a momentous occasion.

During your time here on campus, you have pushed yourselves to tackle complex problems, to envision solutions, and to bring those solutions to life.

You've mastered the fundamentals of physics, mathematics, and the balance of design and construction.

You've made lifelong friends and cherished memories.

Your football team even won a national championship.

Your resilience-after beginning your studies at the height of the COVID pandemic-is truly remarkable.

And now, you're on the precipice of your own professional journeys.

What you do now is up to you.

My one piece of advice to you is that you don't have to be the captain of the ship, the admiral commanding the fleet, or the CEO of a company in the future.

You don't need a title to be successful.

What's most important is to find the jobs where you value the work you're doing-where you can thrive, and where you can enjoy the journey and pursue your passions in life.

Don't let your ambitions for the future keep you from making the most of the present.

Because really, life is a collection of moments lived.

So I'd like to take a moment to talk about something that has been important to my own journey: service.

When your former Dean and my fellow Naval Academy grad, Mortimer Cooley-who I mentioned earlier-ran for Senate in 1924, he said:

"I am convinced that we, as engineers, have a duty to perform for the public which we have not realized, and if I can inspire the engineers to take an active interest in public affairs…I shall consider the race won."

As a fellow engineer in the nation's service, I couldn't agree more.

And service can be as local or as global as you wish.

Every act of service, big or small, technical or social, strengthens the communities you touch and paves the way for a brighter future.

After all, it was at a commencement right here in Ann Arbor, that Lyndon Johnson called on Americans to aspire to a "Great Society."

And in 1960, on the steps of your Michigan Union, that candidate and former Naval officer John F. Kennedy first described his idea for the organization that would become the Peace Corps.

In those remarks, he asked the Michigan students, the people of Ann Arbor, and the people of Michigan, to, and I quote:

"join in building a stronger country, to demonstrate…in the most difficult time in the history of the free world…to help in building here the kind of society which will serve as an example " to any who wish for freedom.

He challenged the audience to transcend their own lives and become active participants in shaping our nation to serve as a beacon of hope for the world.

His call to action wasn't simply about individual service, but about collective action in building a stronger, more just society.

More than that, though-he asked them to be leaders… Leaders.

Leadership isn't about giving orders from the top of the corporate ladder or from the Office of the Secretary of the Navy.

Leadership is about inspiring others, fostering collaboration, and driving innovation towards a common purpose.

And in my experience, service and leadership are linked together.

They are about changing the world in ways big and small.

They are about the everyday acts of kindness, compassion, and dedication.

They're about using your skills and knowledge to lift up those around you.

To bridge divides.

Our job as leaders-and all of you are leaders; after all, your fight song calls you the "leaders and the best"-is to make things better for those we lead and protect.

Imagine the young graduate who not only designs a fuel-efficient cargo ship, but who also leads a team to develop new, clean-burning propulsion technologies.

Picture the marine engineer who prioritizes both cutting-edge technology and environmental sustainability, leading efforts to minimize the impact of shipping on our delicate ecosystems-including that of the Great Lakes.

True success isn't measured only by patents or profits, but by your positive impact on the lives of others, on the health of our oceans and lakes, and indeed on the future of our planet.

Let's be frank-it's not people my age who are going to solve the challenges facing our society, our nation, or indeed the world in the decades ahead.

It's going to be young people like you.

Whether it is taking action to reduce the effects of climate change, building sustainable cities, advancing the transition to electric vehicles, developing fusion energy, or landing on Mars-it will be accomplished by people like you.

And much, much younger than me.

The future today is brighter because of all of you-and if any of you want to join the Navy or Marine Corps, I'd be happy to administer the oath right after the ceremony!

And if you want your parents to join you, let me know and we'll sign them up too!

Thank you again for this honor, congratulations again, and may God grant all of you, this beautiful state, this venerable institution, our Navy, our Marine Corps, and indeed our nation fair winds and following seas.

Go Blue!

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.