The Class of 2019 and the Class of 1969

The Class of 2019 is off and away.  Like thousands of alumni before them, they were a talented group of students.  As one indicator of their potential, the Class of 2019 was awarded nearly $14 million in scholarships from some of the best colleges and universities in the United States.  That’s an average of about $107,000 per student.  Forty-nine students in the Class of 2019 received scholarship offers in excess of $100,000 and ten students in the Class of 2019 were awarded over a quarter of a million dollars in scholarships.

Judge Daniel Loughry, Class of 1969, a retired federal judge was this year’s commencement speaker.  He was joined by a cadre of his classmates at the graduation as part of their weekend’s activities to celebrate their 50^th high school reunion.  In his remarks, Judge Loughry focused, in part, on the mission of Austin Prep:

The efforts of so many were visible expressions of the Mission of Austin Prep, which in reality is the Mission that has been entrusted to you as graduates, and to all of us here present.  The whole experience of our senior year reinforced and brought into focus what we had been taught all along…to live and act as Christians and good citizens.

You, the Class of 2019, have been blessed with a truly superior education, both within and without the classroom.  In reading the publications that come my way, and talking with people associated with Austin, I have taken note of the emphasis on service.  You have been provided with, and have taken advantage of the many opportunities available to students to lend a hand to others.  At the same time, you have worked very hard to complete a challenging curriculum and achieve the academic success that we celebrate today.  Your academic achievement has prepared you well for even higher education, and I wish you the best in whatever endeavors you undertake in this regard.  But you need to see education as a tool to assist you in serving others.