And congratulations to the class of 2017.

That's some achievement.

This is your day and you've earned every minute of it.

And I'm thrilled to be back at Liberty University.

I've been here, this is now my third time.

And we love setting records, right?

We always set records.

We have to set records, we have no choice.

It's been a little over a year since I've spoken on your beautiful campus and so much

has changed.

Right here, the class of 2017, dressed in cap and gown, graduating to a totally brilliant

future.

And here I am standing before you as president of the United States.

So I'm guessing there are some people here today who thought that either one of those

things, either one, would really require major help from God.

Do we agree?

And we got it.

But here we are celebrating together on this very joyous occasion.

And there is no place in the world I'd rather be to give my first commencement address as

president than here with my wonderful friends at Liberty University.

And I accepted this invitation a long time ago.

I said to Jerry that I'd be there, and when I say something I mean it.

I want to thank President Jerry Falwell and his incredible wife, Becky — stand up, Becky

— for their kind words, their steadfast support, and their really wonderful friendship.

Let me also extend our appreciation to the entire Falwell family, Trey, Sarah, Wesley,

Laura and Caroline.

Thank you for everything you do to make this university so exceptional, one of the truly

great, great schools.

Most importantly to our new graduates, each of you should take immense pride in what you

have achieved.

There's another group of amazing people we want to celebrate today and they are the

ones who have made this journey possible for you.

And you know who that is?

Nobody, you forgot already.

You're going to go out, you're going to do whatever you're going to do, some are

going to make a lot of money, some are going to be even happier doing other things.

They're your parents and your grandparents, don't forget them.

You haven't forgotten yet, have you?

Never, ever forget them, they're great.

And especially this weekend, let's make sure we give a really extra special thanks

to the moms.

Don't forget our moms, because graduates, today is your day.

Today is your day.

But in all of this excitement don't forget that tomorrow is Mother's Day, right?

I had a great mother, she's looking down now, but I had a great mother.

I always loved Mother's Day.

We're also deeply honored to be joined by some of the nearly 6,000 service members,

military veterans and military spouses who are receiving their diplomas today.

Will you please stand?

Please stand.

Wow, that's great.

Thank you very much, great job.

We're profoundly grateful to every single one of you who sacrifice to keep us safe and

protect God's precious gift of freedom.

It is truly a testament to this university and to the values that you embrace that your

graduating class includes so many patriots who have served our country in uniform.

Thank you very much.

To the class of 2017, today you end one chapter, but you are about to begin the greatest adventure

of your life.

Just think for a moment of how blessed you are to be here today at this great, great

university, living in this amazing country, surrounded by people who you love and care

about so much.

Then ask yourself, with all of those blessings and all of the blessings that you've been

given, what will you give back to this country and indeed to the world?

What imprint will you leave in the sands of history?

What will future Americans say we did in our brief time right here on earth?

Did we take risks?

Did we dare to defy expectations?

Did we challenge accepted wisdom and take on established systems?

I think I did, but we all did and we're all doing it.

Or did we just go along with convention, swim downstream so easily with the current and

just give in because it was the easy way, it was the traditional way or it was the accepted

way?

Remember this, nothing worth doing ever, ever, ever came easy.

Following your convictions means you must be willing to face criticism from those who

lack the same courage to do what is right.

And they know what is right, but they don't have the courage or the guts or the stamina

to take it and to do it.

It's called the road less traveled.

I know that each of you will be a warrior for the truth, will be a warrior for our country

and for your family.

I know that each of you will do what is right, not what is the easy way, and that you will

be true to yourself and your country and your beliefs.

In my short time in Washington I've seen firsthand how the system is broken.

A small group of failed voices who think they know everything and understand everyone want

to tell everybody else how to live and what to do and how to think.

But you aren't going to let other people tell you what you believe, especially when

you know that you're right.

And those of you graduating here today, who have given half-a- million hours of charity

last year alone, unbelievable amount of work and charity, and few universities or colleges

can claim anything even close, we don't need a lecture from Washington on how to lead

our lives.

I'm standing here looking at the next generation of American leaders.

There may very well be a president or two in our midst.

Anybody think they're going to be president?

Raise your hand.

In your hearts are inscribed the values of service, sacrifice and devotion.

Now you must go forth into the world and turn your hopes and dreams into action.

America has always been the land of dreams because America is a nation of true believers.

When the pilgrims landed at Plymouth they prayed.

When the Founders wrote the Declaration of Independence, they invoked our creator four

times, because in America we don't worship government, we worship God.

That is why our elected officials put their hands on the Bible and say, “so help me

God” as they take the oath of office.

It is why our currency proudly declares, “in God we trust.”

And it's why we proudly proclaim that we are one nation under God, every time we say

the Pledge of Allegiance.

The story of America is the story of an adventure that began with deep faith, big dreams and

humble beginnings.

That is also the story of Liberty University.

When I think about the visionary founder of this great institution, Reverend Jerry Falwell

Senior, I can only imagine how excited he would be if he could see all of this and all

of you today, and how proud he would be of his son and of his family.

In just two days we will mark the 10th anniversary of Reverend Falwell's passing.

And I used to love watching him on television, hearing him preach.

He was a very special man.

He would be so proud, not just at what you've achieved, but of the young men and women of

character that you've all become.

And, Jerry, I know your dad is looking down on you right now and he is proud, he is very

proud.

So congratulations on a great job, Jerry.

Reverend Falwell's life is a testament to the power of faith to change the world.

The inspiring legacy that we see all around us in this great stadium — this is a beautiful

stadium and it is packed.

I'm so happy about that.

I said, how are you going to fill up a place like that?

It is packed, Jerry.

In this beautiful campus and in your smiling faces, but it all began with a vision.

That vision was of a world-class university for evangelical Christians.

And I want to thank you because, boy, did you come out and vote, those of you that are

old enough, in other words your parents.

Boy, oh, boy, you voted, you voted.

No doubt many people told him his vision wasn't possible, and I am sure they continued to

say that so long after he started, at the beginning with just 154 students.

But the fact is, no one has ever achieved anything significant without a chorus of critics

standing on the sidelines explaining why it can't be done.

Nothing is easier or more pathetic than being a critic, because they're people that can't

get the job done.

But the future belongs to the dreamers, not to the critics.

The future belongs to the people who follow their heart no matter what the critics say,

because they truly believe in their vision.

At Liberty, your leaders knew from the very beginning that a strong athletic program would

help this campus grow so that this school might transform more lives.

That is why a crucial part of Reverend Falwell's vision for making Liberty a world-class institution

was having a world-class football team, much like the great teams of Notre Dame, great

school, great place.

In fact, Vice President Mike Pence is there today doing a fabulous job, as he always does.

A few years ago, The New York Times even wrote a story on the great ambitions of the Liberty

Flames.

That story prompted a longtime president of another school to write a letter to Jerry.

It's a letter that Reverend Falwell would have been very, very pleased to read.

Jerry tells me that letter now hangs in the wall in the boardroom of your great university.

It came from the late Father Theodore Hesper, who was the beloved president of the University

of Notre Dame 35 years ago.

Like this school's founder, he was a truly kindhearted man of very, very deep faith.

In the letter, Father Hesper recalled that Notre Dame's own meteoric rise from a small

Midwestern school to a national football powerhouse.

And then he wrote something so amazing and generous.

He wrote, “I think you are on that same trajectory now and I want to wish you all

the best and encourage you from the starting and from being able to start very small and

arriving in the big time.”

Thanks to hard work, great faith and incredible devotion those dreams have come true.

As of February of this year, the Liberty Flames are playing in the FBS, the highest level

of competition in NCAA football.