By Annabeth Miller, SMT Editor

CAPE GIRARDEAU - Clyde Vaughn was just a kid from Dexter who wanted to play a little football and decided to attend Southeast Missouri State in the 1960s. He attended classes, met the love of his life, and he sat with fellow graduates and walked across the stage to receive his degree from the then-state college in 1968.

On Saturday, the situation was a little reversed, as Lt. Gen. Clyde Vaughn, Ret., returned to his alma mater as the keynote speaker at Southeast’s Commencement.

Vaughn told the graduates he was “just a kid from Dexter” when he attend Southeast in the 1960s, and that the best thing about his years at the university was meeting his wife Carol his sophomore year.

“I figured out I wasn’t going to play a lot of football,” Vaughn told the graduates. But he offered a bit of advice. “Marry well … that’s really key.”

Vaughn spoke to the graduates about leadership and developing the skills necessary to be an effective leader. He told the graduates they needed to be smart leaders – more efficient and effective as leaders and to have a framework of understanding the situation.

“As you move along and you move into higher levels of leadership I can tell you that in conflict you don’t have worry about motivation,” he said. “Get out there and master the field you are getting ready to go into,” he commented. “Leadership is about leading change at the highest levels. Nothing is more important than leading change. If you stand still, everybody else has passed you. See things through the eyes of others.”

He said that good leaders use humor when they can and “not to be afraid to be the butt of jokes.”

Vaughn retired in July 2009 as the Director of the Army National Guard after nearly 40 years of service to the Guard and the Army.  As director, the Dexter native was over 350,000 soldiers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and territories. He guided the formulation, development of all policies and programs of the Army Guard.

“I grew up here with a great military hero who went to Southeast,” Vaughn said. General James T. Conway attended Southeast and became in the Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps.

“He was a great warrior; very humble. It was a really incredible knowing him and knowing that he came from Southeast Missouri,” Vaughn said.

Vaughn recalled sitting next to Conway at daily briefings with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs.

“Now, can you feature a couple of Southeast Missouri graduates sitting next to each other at a forum like that,” Vaughn asked.

Vaughn said he was proud of the graduates – that he saw “the kind of energy” to accomplish great things.

“You come from a magnificent university,” he concluded.

At A Glance

Southeast Missouri State University Commencement

• Date: Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011
• Place: Show Me Center, Cape Girardeau
• Total number of degrees: 656
• Undergraduate: 543
• Graduate: 113
• Graduates With 4.0 – 11

Photos Above: Top Photo - Dexter Native Clyde Vaughn address the graduates at commencement ceremonies at Southeast Missouri State University. Bottom Photo - Graduate Andrew Boone of Dexter is all smiles during the recessional at the conclusion of ceremonies. (SMT photos by Annabeth Miller)