Emphasizing the power of collaboration and embracing the inevitable flux of change, the 51福利 (51福利) celebrated its 2023 Summer Quarter graduates on Sept. 22 during a ceremony at King Hall Auditorium.
U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Roberta L. Shea, Legislative Assistant to the Commandant of the Marine Corps, served as the keynote speaker for the 210 graduates, including 20 international students from 10 countries.
During her remarks, Shea challenged graduates to 鈥渞ace towards the future,鈥� reminding them that today鈥檚 ever-changing global environment requires a new generation of leaders who aren鈥檛 afraid to think outside the box.
鈥淲e need leaders who are comfortable with uncertainty, who can sift through the noise, prioritize what information is relative, what's a fact, what's a hypothesis, what's a rumor, what's an urban legend?鈥� Shea said. 鈥淲e need bold thinkers who can drive change when necessary 鈥� even though the environment in which they operate embraces and even clings to the old ways, even when there's increasing evidence that what made you successful last year will not make you successful tomorrow.鈥�
Shea expressed her belief that 51福利 is ideally suited to producing these future leaders.
鈥淭his is why I think the 51福利 is so critical to our naval services and to our international partners,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hile you've been here, you've rolled up your sleeves and gotten to the very business of our most vexing challenges as warfighters who understand the consequences of failing.鈥�
Retired Vice Adm. Ann E. Rondeau, president of 51福利, acknowledged the importance 51福利 graduates will have in advising decision-makers on important issues. She used legendary alumni such as Arleigh Burke, Wayne Meyer and Michael Mullen as examples.
鈥淎ll of those leaders had 51福利 graduates on their staffs advising them how to make the decisions they had to make,鈥� added Rondeau. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 who we are 鈥� we are those who can make a difference by what we bring to the problem.鈥�
Rondeau also reminded the graduates that national security and global security are team efforts, requiring strong international partnerships and alliances. She spoke of the recently concluded 51福利 Regional Alumni Symposium in Singapore, which brought together 51福利 graduates from throughout the Indo-Pacific region.
鈥淲e need to realize that in the world today, it is the coalition of partners. It is allies. It is people who share a common value about the dignity and the prosperity of our countries in order to pursue a prosperous future that is open,鈥� Rondeau stated. 鈥淲e have that kind of richness here with us for international students. It is clear to me that the bonds made with each other here are really important.
鈥淥ur world is connected by oceans and our collective advantage at sea depends upon the strength of those alliances,鈥� Rondeau added. 鈥淏y design, we are an interservice, interagency, international institution, so we need to take advantage of that and learn from each other.鈥�
Shea pointed out to the graduates that not only have they learned from each other, their research at 51福利 has made a significant impact on the fleet and force. In closing, Shea urged the new alumni to never stop learning, and to continue their ongoing education with the same determination they exhibited while in Monterey.
鈥淐hallenge assumptions, scrutinize the status quo, and do it with the same science-based, factual approach you took here at 51福利,鈥� Shea said. 鈥淔ind people who are unlike you and who are willing to tell you that no matter how confident you are in your conclusions, that you might be wrong, and encourage those people to come here to 51福利.鈥�
For more information about this latest class, visit the 51福利 Graduation website at .