Ambassador Edward McMullen, Erskine Commencement 2026

Saturday, May 9, 2026

Erskine was honored to have Ambassador Edward McMullen, Jr. speak for Commencement 2026. View the video of his speech and the full transcript below.

Thank you all very much. President Adamson, distinguished faculty, proud parents and families, honored guests, and most importantly, the graduating class of 2026: Congratulations.

This is a great day. Today is one of those rare and sacred moments in life when you are given the chance to pause, to reflect on how far you’ve come, and to look with anticipation toward everything that lies ahead. For many of you, this journey has not been easy. It has taken faith, discipline, sacrifice, and perseverance. There were late nights, difficult exams, uncertain moments, and perhaps times when you wondered if you would make it to this day. Lord knows I remember those days very well, I can tell you. Yet here you are today, thanks be to God.

Today, you leave Erskine College with more than a diploma in your hand. You leave with the foundation beneath your feet. In a world that often celebrates speed over substance, noise over wisdom, and popularity over principle, Erskine has prepared you for something far greater than just making a living. It has prepared you to live a life of meaning. This institution has shaped not only your mind, but your faith and your character. And in the years ahead, faith and character will matter more than you know. Your degree may open doors, your ambition may create opportunity, your talent may earn attention, but your faith in Christ gives you life’s roadmap. It is your integrity, your humility, and your courage that will determine whether you are trusted, whether you are respected, and whether you are remembered. Your faith in Christ is what steadies you when success tempts you to arrogance. It is what carries you when failure tempts you to quit. It is what calls you to do what is right, especially when what is right is very difficult.

And your generation will face many difficult moments. You’re entering a world filled with extraordinary innovation and extraordinary uncertainty. A world of immense opportunity but also deep division. A world where truth is too often blurred, civility is too often abandoned, and leadership is too often confused with celebrity. And that is why the world does not simply need more smart people. It needs more good people—people of conviction, people of faith, people willing to stand firm in principle and still extend grace.

We are blessed beyond measure to live in the greatest nation in the history of the world. The United States of America remains the most free, prosperous, and generous nation that mankind has ever known, now in its 250th year. But freedom, my friends, is not automatic. It is not permanent, and it is not self-sustaining. Every generation is called to preserve it.

Our founding fathers understood and made clear that liberty and responsibility go hand-in-hand. Benjamin Franklin, when he was asked what kind of government had been created, famously answered, after concluding the Constitutional Convention in 1787: “A republic, if you can keep it,” he said. That simple phrase carries profound truth. A republic can only survive when its citizens are informed, engaged, and virtuous. You’ve learned that here at Erskine. That new government that Franklin referred to demanded for its survival, more so even today, an active citizen involvement and vigilance to maintain freedom. Rights and responsibilities are inseparable. You cannot enjoy freedom of speech without the responsibility to listen. You cannot expect justice without a willingness to pursue truth. You cannot demand leadership without being willing to lead and serve yourself. So be engaged, vote. Serve your church and your communities. Protect the freedoms that generations before you fought and sacrificed to preserve.

As in Matthew chapter 5, verses 13 through 16, being salt and light today is to mend a broken world through intentional action, unconditional love, and a strong and purposeful voice that brings others to Jesus. And as you do this, remember something our country desperately needs today: civility. We are living at a time when disagreement too often turns into division. Debate becomes hostility, and too many people confuse being loud with being right. But strength does not require cruelty. It does not require hatred. And disagreement does not require disrespect. Some of the strongest people I have ever known were also the most gracious. Some of the most effective leaders were those who listened before they spoke. People remember how you make them feel long after they forget what you said. Treat people with dignity. Lead with humility. Seek understanding before judgment. Civility is not weakness. It is discipline, and discipline is strength.

I have had the privilege in my life to serve our country as ambassador to Switzerland and Lichtenstein. And through that experience, I learned something about leadership: leadership is rarely glamorous. It is rarely easy. It is almost never convenient, and leadership is not about titles. It is not about social media followers. Leadership is faith-based service. It is sacrifice, and often taking responsibility when others avoid it. It is standing firm when others compromise what matters most.

In my experience as ambassador, and as a businessman, I’ve engaged with some of the world’s most powerful people: presidents, CEOs, religious leaders—recently the pope, two days ago—and what I’ve witnessed is that often, the greatest leaders are not the loudest people in the room. They are the calmest, the steadiest, and the most dependable. As graduates of Erskine College, you are uniquely equipped to lead because you have been taught not only how to think, but how to live. My prayer for you all is that you will lead in your homes, your churches, your workplaces, and your communities—and across this nation. And to do so with courage, do so with humility, and do so with faith.

President Kennedy said, quote, “If freedom is to survive and prosper, it requires sacrifice, the effort and thoughtful attention of every citizen,” end quote. President Reagan also said, quote, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction,” end quote. That generation is now yours, my friends. The future of this country cannot simply be shaped by presidents or politicians. It must be shaped by graduates like you: pastors, teachers, entrepreneurs, parents, business leaders, public servants. So go into the world with confidence. Go with courage. Go with humility. Go with purpose. Be men and women of character in a world that too often rewards compromise. Be voices of civility in a culture too often defined by division. Be citizens who serve, not simply spectators who criticize. And be leaders, not for recognition, not for applause, but for the good of others and for the future of this country, as it is your God-given duty.

Your story is just beginning, and Erskine has prepared you well. Your degrees matter in a world that needs broad liberal arts graduates. The lessons you have learned here, the values that have shaped you here, and the experiences that have strengthened you here will carry you farther than you can imagine. So dream boldly, work hard, stand firm. Serve well and lead faithfully. And wherever life takes you, live in such a way that your family is proud, your community is stronger, and your life makes a difference.

Congratulations, Erskine Class of 2026. I’m truly honored to share this day with you, and may our good Lord bless each and every one of you. Thank you.

 

About the speaker:

Edward McMullen, Jr. served as Ambassador of the United States to Switzerland and Liechtenstein from November 2017 to January 2021.

During his service as ambassador, McMullen was recognized for developing the strongest bilateral relationship in history between the United States and Switzerland. He focused on FDI (foreign direct investment in the United States) and met over 300 CEOs and chairs of boards of directors throughout Switzerland and Liechtenstein, building relationships and a favorable environment for economic growth. Thanks to his leadership in this initiative, Switzerland became the sixth-largest foreign direct investor in the United States.

Now a senior policy advisor with Adams and Reese LLP, McMullen serves on the board of a Paris-based communications firm as well as on the North American boards of several Swiss companies. He continues to build relationships among investors and corporate leadership in Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Europe. He is a member of the Swiss American Foundation’s Board of Directors.

Prior to his appointment as ambassador, he founded and served as president of McMullen Public Affairs, a South Carolina-based corporate advertising and public relations firm. McMullen’s clients have included several Fortune 25 companies and associations operating in the aerospace, high-tech, data analytics, pharmaceutical, finance, and biotech sectors.

McMullen raised funds and served as a policy adviser in several national presidential campaigns, as well as in congressional and statewide political campaigns in Virginia and South Carolina.

He served on the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education and completed two terms as Chairman of the South Carolina Endowed Chairs Research Centers Board, among other appointments and leadership roles. He is a recipient of the Order of the Palmetto, the state of South Carolina’s highest civilian honor.