This piece originally ran on the Web on June 14. It was revised for print publication on July 1.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice ’86 recalled her memories of being a Stanford student and urged graduates to take an active role in bettering the world during her address at the 119th Commencement on Sunday, June 13 at Stanford Stadium.

“Susan Rice has been breaking boundaries and surprising people her entire life,” said University President John Hennessy in his introduction.

“Stanford has had an enormous impact on my life,” Rice said, stating that the Farm taught her focus and discipline.

“Once you’ve learned to study on the grass with muscled men throwing a Frisbee over your head, you can accomplish almost anything,” she said.

“Hold onto this jubilant moment and cherish your memories of this extraordinary place,” she added. “The warmth and security of Stanford can sustain you…as you enter a world changing at a furious pace.”

Rice surveyed many of the global changes that have taken place since she graduated from Stanford 24 years ago.

“In 1986, only 0.2 percent of the United States population had a cell phone,” Rice said. “Twenty-four hour news was in its infancy.”

“The face of America has changed too,” she added.

Rice urged graduates to take an active role in effecting positive change.

“Things get better because we make them better, and things go wrong when we get too comfortable,” she said. “If you want change, you have to make it. If we want progress, we have to drive it.”

Rice said that global poverty was “not only one of the great moral challenges of all time, but also one of the greatest national security challenges of our time.”

She recalled giving an old baseball cap to an impoverished boy in Angola.

“That little boy’s future is tied to ours,” she said. “We must shape the world that he deserves.”

Rice also urged students to better their world by joining the Peace Corps and Teach for America, and to work to end child labor, forced marriages and human trafficking.

“Graduating from Stanford is great, but it’s just the beginning,” she said.

Rice said that as a senior at Stanford, her goal was to become a U.S. senator.

“I’ve not followed a preordained path,” she said. “Rather, I’ve tried to push myself, stretch myself.”

Rice emphasized the importance of family and reminded students to focus on more than just financial success.

“Comfort and economic security are good, but they’re not enough,” she said.  “As you’re changing the world, never neglect family.  There’s usually someone else who can do your job, but there’s no one else who can be a loving child or a devoted parent.”

Attendees found Rice’s speech both touching and motivational.

“I thought overall it was good,” said Adam Grossman, who received his Ph.D. in bioengineering. “She laid out a good challenge for everyone.”

“This speech just blew me away,” said Tunji Munabi ’09.

“This is a day of celebration, and you have certainly earned it,” Hennessy told graduates following Rice’s address.

He echoed Rice’s call to service.“We believe a Stanford education brings with it a responsibility to make use of your knowledge and make the world a better place for future generations,” Hennessy said.

The University expected to award 1,727 bachelor’s degrees, 2,109 master’s degrees and 1,016 doctoral degrees on Sunday, June 13, according to a statement released before the ceremony.

Rice holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Stanford. She was a Truman scholar and graduated with Phi Beta Kappa honors before earning master’s and doctorate degrees in International Relations from Oxford on a Rhodes scholarship.

The senior class presidents suggest the Commencement speaker to the University president and provost. This year’s Class of 2010 presidents were Walter Foxworth, Dan Ha, Ansaf Kareem and Aria Florant.