Persevere — it’s what Thomas Jefferson would have done, newswoman Katie Couric told the University of Virginia’s Class of 2012. ... “Thomas Jefferson was the ultimate optimist,” Couric said. She told the class that despite the adversity they’ll face, they should take risks, overcome rejection and outlast setbacks. She recounted the deaths of her husband and her sister, both of whom died of cancer. “Life can deal you some crushing blows, and we all need a deep reserve of resilience to survive,” she said.