"Professor [Kathleen] McGinnis, thank you so much for your gracious introduction and for your outstanding work in the Political Science department.

"President Pat McGuire, thank you for your commitment to 'our Trinity.' You have maintained Trinity's standards of excellence while both respecting its traditions and embracing the future. Thank you, Pat, for your vision and for your dedication.

"Chair Peggy O'Brien, thank you for ensuring that the future of Trinity is as bright as its past.

"To each of you and to the entire Trinity College family -- trustees, faculty, staff, and especially the students - thank you for the magnificent honor that you are bestowing on me today.

"Our thoughts and prayers tonight are with Congresswoman Barbara Kennelly, who could not be here due to a death in her family. Her extraordinary leadership is a gift to us all, and we are praying for her and her family at this sad time.

"This honor is greatly enhanced because I am receiving it with Governor Kathleen Sebelius. Both of us were raised in political families. And both of us can thank Trinity for reinforcing the value of public service we learned at home.

"Governor, as a woman, as a Trinity alum - and as a Democrat - I must say how proud I am of your success. Congratulations on your exceptional leadership. It is indeed a cause for celebration!

"I am delighted to be joined by my friends from the Class of 1962. It is a joy of my life that my best friends from Trinity are still my best friends today. They helped my husband Paul and me celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary on September 7th, and around the table there were 10 couples and 350 years of marriage.

"For these friendships and so many other reasons, I am personally and professionally indebted to Trinity College.

"I was asked to speak about how Trinity helped prepare me for my role as a public servant. To understand how important Trinity College has been to me, I think back to my time here in the early 60's. Two elections took place that were significant to Catholics of my generation: John XXIII was elected Pope, and John F. Kennedy was elected President of the United States.

"It was a start of a very important time for Catholics in this country. It was a time of optimism and hope. Inspired by President Kennedy, young, idealistic Americans joined the Peace Corps. Courageous African-Americans became Freedom Riders, challenging the evil of segregation and leading to the greatest demonstration for justice in American history - the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s 1963 March on Washington.

"And in our Church, our beloved Pope John 23rd called for a great renewal of the Church in the modern world, a renewal that would become Vatican II. He reinvigorated the Church with a new openness while remaining true to the unshakable foundations of our faith, and he intensified our faith in God and in each other. He would have been open to the Sisters of Notre Dame.

"Trinity College was the perfect place to be at that exciting time. It provided the serenity and the teaching to appreciate the gift of faith and the conviction that we all contain a spark of divinity, and our beautiful chapel was a magnet for us.

"As they do today, our professors encouraged fresh thinking and gave us confidence. Trinity challenged us to expand our horizons. We had living laboratories - whether it was the U.S. Capitol or Embassy Row - to learn about our own government and those of other countries. We had all of that at our doorsteps.

"I know it sounds like ancient history to the students here when I speak of Pope John 23rd and President Kennedy. You read about that time in books. We lived it. But I know you recognize the spirit of Trinity College, which continues to this day.

"Our country and our Church were changing in those days. And Trinity prepared us for the future the same way it prepares women today - by adhering to timeless values: a sense of sisterhood; a nurturing environment; and as in Trinity's mission statement, an emphasis on 'equality, justice and honor.'

"Trinity 'prepares students across the lifespan for the intellectual, ethical and spiritual dimensions of contemporary work, civic and family life.' That is not only the mission of this school. It is a challenge to each of us - a challenge to infuse our lives with the pillars of our Trinity education: faith and family.

"I took these lessons into my most fulfilling work - raising five children with my husband Paul. I also took them into the Leader's Office in the Capitol, the same office Tip O'Neill had when he was Speaker of the House, quite a legacy and an honor. I really enjoy it when my colleagues and dignitaries from the world over come to visit and pass the sign on the door of the House Democratic Leader - Ms. Pelosi.

"I also want to thank Trinity for the unique benefits that come from attending a women's college. Colleges like Trinity are special -- not because of any shortcomings in co-ed schools - but because of the strengths of a single-sex education.

"From the administration of the College to the opinion leaders in the classes to the faculty, Trinity offers an abundance of women role models. It offers more opportunities for women's leadership.

"It is no wonder that last year's freshmen class here at Trinity was the largest in 20 years, and that the trend continues today.

"So let us celebrate Trinity women's leadership. Let us commend Trinity for creating the Institute for Women's Leadership to help educate and inspire the next generation of women leaders.

"And let us honor the personal stories of so many Trinity graduates - whether they are raising a family, starting a business, teaching our children, or serving their community or their country. Let us celebrate their leadership and the leadership of every graduate. There is nothing more wholesome than including more women in government and leadership.

"I hope I bring some of the serenity of Trinity College to my position. I know I rely every day on the values, the confidence, and the sense of responsibility that were deepened for me at Trinity.

"Trinity College has been a blessing in my life and in the lives of so many here today. We will always love and appreciate 'our Trinity.'"

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