The Honorable Bill Bradley

COMMENCEMENT 2001

     Helping American children and families was constantly at the top of Bradley's legislative agenda. He considers his greatest achievements in the Senate to be expanding health care for families, insuring that new mothers are provided with a 48 hour hospital stay following the birth of their babies, cleaning up rivers and oceans and providing tax relief for families. He says he always felt it was important to give a part of his life to public service and encourages New England Tech graduates to do the same as they set out on new career paths.
      "I think that your work life is terribly important, but so are your community and family life," Bradley said. "Community work creates a better context for kids to grow up in, to be educated, to worship and to interact with friends. It's the strength of communities that makes life more positive."
      Throughout his life, Bradley has been unafraid to take chances, to go for the difficult hoop shot or the highest public office. "People fail to realize that you can't achieve it overnight, but that the prize goes to the persistent. You have to stay focused on the goal."
      When Bradley was a young senator he spent many hours presiding over the Senate, a job usually delegated to the most junior members. While most senators viewed presiding as a chore, Bradley used it as an opportunity to master Senate procedure, thus insuring his future success. In his first year he won the Golden Gavel Award for the most hours spent as the presiding officer. His hard work and diligence served him well. Still it's a substantial career jump to go from the floor of Madison Square Garden to the floor of the U.S. Senate and Bradley offers some advice to students stepping into new careers. "The main thing is not to be afraid of ending up in an environment in which you initially feel uncomfortable or don't know what's going on," says Bradley. "I always remember the story of Harry Truman. When he came to the U.S. Senate, an old senator from Michigan came up to him and said, 'I know how you're feeling. You just arrived, you look around and you wonder how the hell you got here. Six months from now you'll wonder how the hell the rest of us got here.' "
      Bradley is often asked whether being elected to the Senate or winning the NBA title is more important to him. "The greatest honor was being elected to the Senate, but once you're elected you work 16 hours a day to prove you're worthy of the voters' support," Bradley said. "Once you win the NBA title you know you're the best in the world. There's a clear cut winner and loser."
      Bradley has written best-selling books about his experiences. Values of the Game, a book about the lessons Bradley learned from the sport of basketball, became a New York Times best-seller. He also authored a best-selling memoir, Time Present, Time Past, about his life as a Senator and his travels throughout the country. His newest book is The Journey From Here. He's currently working with young companies he feels can make positive changes in the world and he continues to speak out on issues facing the country.
      When Bradley addresses New England Tech graduates he hopes to convey the message that education doesn't end with a diploma. "Their lives will be richer because of their educational experiences. They'll be able to get a better job and have a deeper understanding of the world around them, and that education remains a part of their lives forever. They need to refresh it every so often."
      Bradley will receive an honorary doctor of humane letters during New England Tech's commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 6. More than 800 students will receive associate or bachelor's degrees. Commencement exercises begin at 11 a.m. at Meehan Auditorium, located on the campus of Brown University on Providence's East Side.