LA GRANDE — The members of the Eastern Oregon University class of 2025 were asked to keep climbing towards success.

Tyson Johnson, the President’s Scholar for EOU’s class of 2025, told his classmates to enjoy and celebrate graduation before looking for the next peak to summit. Johnson urged everyone to keep climbing and not let fear stop them from achieving their goals.

“We did it! We succeeded, but this success does not end today,” Johnson said Saturday, June 14, at Eastern’s commencement ceremony at Community Stadium in La Grande. “We are Mountaineers and mountaineers do not end their journey at the peak. They stand at the top and see a taller peak in the distance and begin that next climb. So, take this moment to celebrate. You deserve it. Enjoy the view of this peak today because tomorrow a new climb begins.”

Commencement marked Johnson’s second visit to EOU’s campus. Johnson, an online student from Draper, Utah, first laid eyes on campus three years ago during a trip to Oregon with his wife “to see the place that would become my second home.” It was a holiday, he said, so unfortunately everything was closed. This visit was his first time seeing the campus full of life and people.

“I’m very grateful to be here today,” Johnson said. “As an online student it’s nice to be on campus — know that it’s a real place.

Johnson, who as the President’s Scholar is recognized as the top student in his graduating class, felt it fitting as an English writing major to open his speech with a story. He shared a moment he experienced while lead climbing, which is when a climber carries the rope with him as he ascends the route and clips into protection points along the way rather than being hooked into a rope from the top of the route.

The climb was going well, he said, until he got to a move that felt just out of his reach. The next clip-in-point was just above him, so if he slipped that meant a ten free fall until the anchor below caught him.

Johnson said he reached again, but before fully extending his arm to grab the next hand hold, he withdrew back to his position. He was stuck — afraid to fall and convinced the next step was out of reach.

Those below shouted words of encouragement, but they didn’t reach him. Johnson’s arms and legs began to shake from exertion. He knew if he didn’t make a move, he was going to fall. The cheers finally reached him, but he wasn’t sure he believed them.

“With the last bit of strength my shaking muscles contained, I stretched. I reached. Fingers inches from security,” Johnson said. “Then … I fell.”

He dropped. The anchor caught him and the rope swung him into the rockface. He was lowered back down to the ground — nursing new pains in his shoulder and knee and unwilling to climb again

“This experience has taught me two valuable lessons,” Johnson said. “First of all, don’t look down. And secondly, how we face fear determines our trajectory.”

Johnson went on to say that fear often presents itself in two ways — the fear of failure and the fear of success. You never stop being afraid, he said, but the journey makes it worth it.

“We are equally afraid of falling off the cliff as we are standing at the top. Fear of failure and fear of success will always be at our backs,” he said. “But today, fellow graduates, today we have proven that both those fears no longer hold us back. They push us forward.”