What does it mean to Finish Strong? What is it about being an American that suggests we are too impatient to finish a task before we go on to the next thing? Why do we think that we can control our environment, as opposed to work within it? What does it mean to move toward "commencement"? Dr. Joe Thomas currently serves as the Director of the Stockdale Center for Ethical Leadership at the Naval Academy. He is a retired Marine officer, and he served previously as the Class of 1961 Professor Of Leadership Education, and as Director, MajGen John A. Lejeune Leadership Institute at Marine Corps University in Quantico, Virginia. Dr. Thomas earned a PhD from George Mason University.

How do you get through the Dark Ages? What does Perseverance have to do with it? Is there a framework to get through the day? What is the "long look"? What do you do if the future reward is a long way away? RDML Alan T. “Blues”Baker, USN [ret.] served as the 16th Chaplain of the United States Marine Corps and was the first graduate of the Naval Academy and former Surface Warfare Officer selected as a Chaplain Corps Flag Officer. He currently serves as the Director of Influencer Development at the Stockdale Center.

As we get ready to re-engage with the new semester, we thought it is timely to listen to an earlier presentation of Ethics and Cross-Cultural Competence, with Naval Academy professor Dr. Clementine Fujimura. Now is the perfect time to build a deeper appreciation for the complexities of our American culture, and your place in it. Build a better understanding of your need to be cross-culturally competent, in order to be a successful leader.

This is an encore presentation of The Politics of Crisis Response. In these uncertain times, it is important that junior officers understand their roles within the politics of governmental affairs. What are you responsible for when communicating with your leadership, policymakers, and the public? Mr. Brian Kamoie served as Associate Administrator for Mission Support at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). He discusses the need to tell the truth and maintain credibility, and understand how to “stay in your lane”.

The demands placed upon naval officers to show courage comes in many forms. When guns are blazing and missiles firing; when you climb a rope ladder to board a suspect ship; all of those require courage. But moral courage, the courage to do the right thing day in and day out, is just as hard. And frankly, it's where most of your courageous leadership will be displayed.

Who are the Department of Defense senior civilian leaders? We talk today with former Acting Deputy Secretary Christine Fox who has served in several administrations, and has been the second in command at the DOD. She has been the most senior female official in the history of the Department. Why is it important for a naval officer to understand the civilian-military relationship? Where is the "line" - Where do the civilian leaders "take over" from the Admirals and Generals? What is meant by the phrase, civilian authorities have the "right to be wrong"?

This is the story of a young officer, reporting aboard his first duty station, and an accident that ensued on his watch. Why is it important to embrace responsibility, for your actions, and the actions of your team? How do you balance the creative engineering initiative of your sailors and Marines with the classroom work you learn in school? When does it make sense to stop work, and reset the direction and focus of your unit's task? How can you have the courage to ask questions and seek help in order to fulfill your unit's mission?

What is the significance to immigration to the United States? Is immigration today any different than it was 100 years ago? Is America Full? As we "pivot" to Asia, might we see great powers competition in Latin America? Dr. Sharika Crawford is an expert on Latin America, and its interrelationship with the United States.

Are leadership principles any different in Space? What's it like to be the commander of the International Space Station? Ground control is an integral part of your team. How do you build trust with a crew that doesn't share the same risk that you do on-board the station? How has Calculus III helped you on the ISS?

What are the Attributes that a graduate of the Naval Academy must possess when he or she graduates? What is the Fleet and the FMF looking for in a graduate? Can you pick the ones you want, or do you need to embrace them all?