Days after Donald Trump announced that Vivek Ramaswamy would join his government alongside tech mogul Elon Musk, an old video of the biotech entrepreneur's high school graduation speech is going viral. The video features a young Ramaswamy, then an 18-year-old student at St Xavier High School, delivering a commencement address.
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In the video, Ramaswamy reflects on his journey through high school, saying, “I have been racing my entire high school career, but now, when we are finally crossing the finish line, I wish I could have stopped, just a little earlier, and catch a breath of the fresh air that has surrounded me the whole time.” His words have resonated deeply with viewers, who admire his introspective and forward-looking mindset.
He then goes on to welcome everyone, saying, “Teachers, staff, classmates, counsellors and friends, I'd like to welcome you to the 2003 Saint X graduation ceremony.”
Drawing on literary references from his English class, Ramaswamy explores the duality of graduating. "It is better to travel than it is to arrive," he quotes, admitting to having mixed feelings about the moment. “How am I supposed to feel right now?” he asks, capturing the uncertainty and excitement of an impending future.
Ramaswamy also reflected on the word “commencement,” saying it comes from the French word “commencer,” meaning “to begin.” Yet, he pointed out it was used here to mark the end of their four-year high school experience. “So, what is it really?” he asks. “The climactic ending to it all, or the launch pad from which we now embark.”
Ramaswamy also reflected on what the “Class of 2003” might truly signify 18 years down the road for all of them. While they may remember achievements — like the record number of National Merit finalists, their cross-country and football victories, or their swim team's 25th state championship — he said these accomplishments may not be what would resonate most in the future. For Ramaswamy personally, memories of navigating St Xavier as a non-Catholic Hindu were likely to stand out. He recalled feeling out of place as a freshman at the Mass of the Holy Spirit, awkwardly trying to follow rituals he didn't understand. But over time, these experiences helped him discover a unique, personal faith —neither strictly Catholic nor Hindu, but his own. It's this journey of self-discovery, he said, that would likely be the lasting essence of their class.
Watch the speech here:
Ramaswamy's parents emigrated from Kerala to the US in the 1970s. He attended St. Xavier High School, a private Catholic college preparatory school for boys in Cincinnati, graduating in 2003.
In Trump 2.0, Ramaswamy will co-lead the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) with Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
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