Saturday, May 20, 2006                                                                                 Printable Version (PDF)

Sacramento, CA - Congresswoman Doris O. Matsui (CA-5) received an honorary doctorate on behalf of her husband, the late Congressman Robert T. Matsui  from the California State University System during the College of Business Administration commencement ceremony.  Additionally, during the ceremony Congresswoman Matsui was presented the “President’s Medal for Distinguished Service” by CSUS President, Dr. Alexander Gonzalez.  Below are her remarks (as prepared for delivery). 

“I am honored to be here today…not only to represent my late husband, Congressman Robert Matsui…not only to receive the wonderful recognition of the President’s Award…but because of you, the graduates of 2006.  Congratulations.  You are about to embark on an exciting journey.

 

“So, first a word to the graduates.

 

“My husband and I both graduated from UC Berkeley and we were as excited as I imagine you all are today.

 

“Great things await you.  Cherish this turning of the page in your lives.  You’ve lived more than two decades of your life, and they’ve been full of learning.  I encourage you to continue to live the rest of your life in the same way.

 

“Don’t ever stop learning.  Think of who you were when you first joined this institution.  And think of who you are today.  These changes didn’t happen over night, they happened deliberately and with great effort.  It was an effort that changed your future.

 

“My late husband, Congressman Bob Matsui cherished learning.  He would love to be here today to see all of your smiling faces.  Like you, he saw all that was possible in life no matter what “life” you were dealt.  He focused on leaving a better world behind for our son, our granddaughter and their generations.  Bob loved Sacramento, it was part of him, it was where he was born and raised, it was the community he represented in the United States Congress.  And it is where he came home to be in the end.

 

“Bob worked tirelessly for Sacramento because he loved what this community had done for him.  And he wanted to give back through public service so that others could succeed as well.  Sacramento had given him everything and he wanted to give everything he could to Sacramento.

 

“So, on behalf of Bob, thank you President Gonzalez for this honorary doctorate from Sacramento State.  I know that it would have meant a tremendous amount to Bob.  And thank you for my own recognition of the President’s Award.  I am very grateful for the recognition, but representing Sacramento in the United States Congress is work that I love and it is an honor that I will never forget. 

 

“Thank you.”