Thank you for asking me to be part of this special day. Congratulations are in order for so many people here - the faculty and administration who helped shepherd another successful class of students to this moment. The parents and family members who supported these exceptional young people throughout their entire educational journeys. As a mom who celebrated with her own college graduate sons not too long ago, I know how proud you’re feeling right now!
And, of course, our graduates. My biggest congratulations go out to all of you, who put in so much heart and effort to make it to this day.
Soak in this moment—you earned it!
Now, as your commencement speaker, I’ve been asked to provide some words of wisdom for the road ahead—and this is a responsibility I take seriously.
Here’s the good news: your education here at American University has prepared you well for the demands of the real world.
You’ve received a top-notch education that has taught you how to think critically about the world. Kogod has honed a unique approach to building interdisciplinary capabilities, combining entrepreneurship, sustainability, entertainment and analytics – which now provides you with a terrific foundation and distinct leadership and collaboration skills that will help you thrive in your chosen fields.
And perhaps most importantly, living and learning here in our nation’s capital, you’ve honed a bias toward action—a willingness to go beyond the theoretical and into the practical.
With these attributes, you are poised to succeed in just about anything you set your mind to. But how you pursue that success is going to matter—not only for yourselves, but for all of us.
This is especially true at a time when trust—in institutions, and in each other—seems to be eroding just about everywhere we look. It can be found at the root of geopolitical conflict, political extremes, and market challenges. It can be found in our inability to find middle ground in politics, culture, and business.