DeSantis Delivers Commencement Address at Ave Maria University

Gov. Ron DeSantis told graduates of Ave Maria University in Naples on Saturday to arm themselves with faith and reject the pressures of what he called the "spirit of the age," delivering a commencement address heavy with political and religious themes.

DeSantis praised the Catholic institution as a counterpoint to universities he said are "Catholic in name only." Ave Maria's commitment to classical liberal arts education and traditional moral values sets it apart, he said. "You are not being swept up in the spirit of the age," he told graduates.

The governor urged the class to carry forward what he described as enduring American principles, invoking Florida's record on COVID policy, parental rights legislation and abortion restrictions as examples of the state "carrying the torch" of liberty. He also cautioned graduates that principled leadership carries a cost, referencing "blowback" from "the elites and the media" directed at his administration.

DeSantis tied the remarks to Florida's participation in the America 250 celebration, drawing a line from the nation's founding generation — who, he noted, risked execution for treason — to the struggles he said graduates would face in their careers.

He also raised concerns about artificial intelligence, warning that people cannot "be governed by the almighty algorithm" and suggesting that a faith-based worldview equips graduates to resist that drift.

"The truth is not subject to a popular vote, and it is not subject to popular fads," DeSantis said. "North is still north and right is still right, even when you have to stand by yourself."

Ave Maria University, founded in 2003 and located in Collier County, draws students from across the country and regularly hosts prominent conservative political figures at campus events.

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