Secretary of Education Linda McMahon delivered the commencement address for The Apprentice School at Newport News Shipbuilding on March 21, congratulating the class of 2025 and their families. In her prepared remarks, McMahon praised the achievements of the 128 graduates and highlighted their contribution to both their personal futures and to the nation.
McMahon said that shipbuilding holds a unique place in American history, especially as the country approaches its 250th birthday. She emphasized that ships have played a foundational role in America's story, from early Atlantic crossings to modern naval power. "Ships are the backbone of America’s story—without them, this nation would never have been born," she said.
She also reflected on Newport News Shipbuilding's legacy, noting its significant contributions such as building nearly half of the Great White Fleet and a quarter of all U.S. Navy dreadnoughts in the early twentieth century. "The hands that build these ships create the enduring handiwork of freedom," McMahon said.
McMahon shared stories from among this year’s graduates, including Clyde Barden V and his father Clyde Barden IV, who together participated in sea trials for a new aircraft carrier—a testament to generational skills passed down within families. She also recognized Stacey Frye for her academic achievements and community service, highlighting her receipt of this year’s James P. Healy Community Service Award.
Addressing broader issues in education and workforce development, McMahon contrasted traditional four-year degrees with skilled trades training: "In a time when too many students leave college burdened with debt and degrees that don’t deliver, you stand as proof of what higher education can—and should—be: a pathway to both learning and earning." She pointed out that workers with associate degrees or skilled trades training now experience lower unemployment rates than those with traditional four-year degrees.
Concluding her speech, McMahon urged graduates to be examples through their actions: "The greatest influence you have over others isn’t money, a job title, or connections—it’s the power of your example." She encouraged them to build not only good ships but also good lives as they move forward.
