Ford Fellow Speech

Ford Fellow

Aug 20

August 13, 2026

Good evening, everyone.

As President of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Fellows Program here at the Palm Desert Campus, I am proud to represent a group that has had the rare opportunity not just to join a fellowship, but to help build one.

As founding members of the only Gerald R. Ford Presidential Fellows chapter in California, we have been able to help shape what this program means for our campus, the Coachella Valley, and the communities and Tribal partners we serve.

From the beginning, we wanted this fellowship to be more than prestige, networking, or another line on a resume.

We wanted it to mean something.

To us, that means service, leadership, civic engagement, and bringing people together.

As a military veteran, the idea of service has always carried a great deal of meaning for me. This fellowship has given me another way to think about service - not only through military service, but through civic engagement, leadership, and contributing to the community around us.

One of the most meaningful lessons I have taken from this program is that public service does not have to begin with partisanship. We can come from different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives and still listen to one another, find common ground, and work toward something larger than ourselves.

President Gerald Ford once said, “I have never mistaken moderation for weakness, nor civility for surrender.”

I think that idea captures much of what this fellowship represents. Leadership is not about shouting the loudest or insisting that we all agree. It is about having the courage to listen, the willingness to engage, and the commitment to serve. That became especially clear to me at our retreat. Sitting in a room with students from different campuses who genuinely cared about leadership and public service made me realize that we were becoming part of something much larger than our own chapter. The Foundation has given us opportunities to broaden our perspectives, meet civic leaders, build relationships, and begin forming a national community around shared values.

Before I close, I would like to recognize several people whose leadership and support have helped make this program possible.

First, I want to thank Dr. Grisham, our academic advisor, for the tremendous amount of time, energy, guidance, and care he has invested in this program. He has helped us build this chapter, connect with our community, and turn an idea into something that can continue long after the founding members have moved on.

I would also like to thank Jeff Polet, Director of the Ford Leadership Forum at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation, for his leadership, his support of our chapter and hosting us for our first Leadership Retreat in Michigan, as well as for helping connect us to the larger mission and legacy of President Ford.

We are also deeply grateful to President Emeritus Tomas Morales, whose leadership and vision helped create opportunities such as this for students at CSUSB and the Palm Desert Campus.

I would also like to recognize Dr. Terri Gomez, the fifth President of CSUSB, for her continuing support of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Fellows Program. President Gomez, thank you for your support of our students and this fellowship, and thank you for joining us this evening.

I would also like to recognize Provost Mohamed, Dr. Edna Martinez, and Dr. Avi for their continued support of our students, our campus, and the growth of this program.

And I want to give a special thank-you to Jim McFarlin, Chairman of the World Affairs Council of the Desert, for his support of our Fellows and for helping provide our club members with opportunities to attend World Affairs Council events. Those experiences have allowed us to hear from distinguished speakers, engage with important national and global issues, and broaden our perspectives beyond the classroom. We are very grateful for the doors he has helped open for our students.

Programs like this do not happen because of any one person. They happen because people believe in students, invest their time in them, open doors for them, and give them opportunities to grow.

My hope is that years from now, students will look at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Fellows Program at the Palm Desert Campus and want to be part of it - not simply because of the name or the prestige, but because of what this fellowship has come to represent in our community.

As founding Fellows, we have the privilege of laying that foundation today. And as President of this chapter, I am incredibly proud of what we have started together and excited to see what future Fellows will build upon it.

Thank you.

Jose Ramirez II, President of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Fellows Program @ California State University, San Bernardino, Palm Desert Campus