Ex-FBI director headlines Tabor graduation

Integrity, patience and humility.

They're three tenets that ex-FBI director and current Special Counsel Robert Mueller lives by, and he encouraged the 2017 graduates of Tabor Academy to follow them as well.

Mueller was Tabor Academy's 2017 Commencement speaker, on hand to witness the graduation of 133 students, his granddaughter among them.

Though rain and wind flew outside, the interior of the tent on the waterfront was warm as Tabor's Head of School John Quirk made introductory remarks. "I'd like to point out that I am the person responsible for stopping the rain at exactly 2 p.m.," he joked.

He thanked the graduating class for its leadership, particularly in pulling together during the tragic death of Tucker Francis '16. "You've been the star by which we steer," he told them. "With you to guide us, our course has been firm."

Co-Heads of School Eddie Hannon and Joslyn Jenkins (both of the class of 2017) addressed their fellow classmates. "Uncertainty has been my biggest fear," said Hannon, "because you never know what could happen today, or tomorrow, or years from now."

"Tabor's greatest gift," he continued, "is allowing me to overcome my fear."

"This moment feels like a dream," said Jenkins. "I'm only 50 percent sure it's actually happening. My mom will tell you I'm not good at explaining my feelings," she joked, before urging her fellow classmates to stick together even after school ends. "Keep the sea salt flowing in your veins."

Graduating senior Campbell Donley then took to the stage to introduce her grandfather, "Bubba" - known better to the rest of us as former FBI director, (and current special counsel to the United States Department of Justice) Robert Mueller III.

"That's the finest introduction I've ever received," Mueller said as he took to the stage, smiling Donley.  "Perhaps my experiences and mistakes will strike a chord with you."

He noted that he "fell" into a life of public service after following David Hackett, a friend and Princeton lacrosse teammate, to the Vietnam War. Hackett never returned. "Because of that, I've always felt very compelled to give back," Mueller mused.

He stressed the importance of living by several tenets, firstly addressing humility. At one point during his tenure as director of the FBI, he was asked by one co-worker what the difference was between the director of the FBI and a four-year-old child. "Height," was the answer, he said to a gale of laughter.

"Humility is essential. If we can live by it, we can listen and learn. I for one, learned not to behave like a four-year-old child," he added.

He also underlined the importance of integrity. "It's not only what we do, but how we do it," he said. "You are only as good as your word," he told the graduating class. "Once lost, a good reputation is impossible to win back."

Among the 133 graduates are 19 from the tri-town area. An asterisk denotes a student graduating with Cum Laude distinction.

Marion

Kayla Alison Aimone; Sarah Elizabeth Crosby; Cailyn Hope Garber; Jackson Taylor Gebhardt; *Jack Kendall Gordon; Jonathan Edward Mabie; Aidan Bliss McEnroe; Phoebe Alexandra Mock; Revanth Reddy Munnangi; Sophie Catherine Polonsky; *Eleanor Claire Russell; Lucy Ann Saltonstall; Caitlin Elizabeth Sheehan

Mattapoisett

Chad William Lavoie; Justin Thomas Sayers

Rochester

Bendrix Nakuusiaq Bailey; *Mason Roy DaSilva; *Campbell Standish Donley; Melvin Michael Vincent II

(Full video of Robert Mueller's address courtesy of Liberty Square Group and Tabor Academy)