Commencement 2025 Speech
Dear Graduates, esteemed faculty, honored guests, and proud families,
Today marks a significant milestone—not only in your lives but also in the life of our beloved institution, the Lebanese American University. As you stand on the threshold of new beginnings, I want to share with you a few thoughts—reflections that I hope will guide you not only in the years ahead but also in your quest to make the world a better place. Since you are used to be ranked, and to consuming information in small bites, I decided to organize my comments as a short Top 10 list:
Top 10 Messages from the LAU Commencement Address
- Anticipate the future
“Skate to where the puck is going, not where it has been.” — Think ahead. Be a forever learner. Position yourself for what’s next, even when you are not 100% confident. - And take the shot
“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” — Dare to try. Initiative beats hesitation every time. And most decisions are reversible, so try, learn, correct, repeat. - In small margins you find big victories
“Roger Federer won 80% of matches by winning just 54% of points.” — You don’t need perfection—just consistency and resilience. - Always lead with Empathy
As St Francis prayed, seek first to understand, then to be understood. — In divided times, empathy is strength. Listening builds unity. - Be a beacon of peace
Also form Saint Francis Prayer: bring love where there is hate, light where there is darkness, and hope where there is despair. - Build the Future don’t repeat the past’s mistakes
History need not be destiny. Honor your family, your university, and your country’s legacy but shape your own. Lebanon and the world don’t need more survivors—they need architects of a better tomorrow. - Embrace AI but keep your humanity in the pilot seat
Let AI and technology enhance your work, not replace your essence. Do not relinquish your pilot role. Prioritize creativity, empathy, and justice. - Privilege demands purpose
Your being here is a gift, and you owe it to your families and to luck. Your education is a gift—use it to lift others, to unify communities, and to serve a greater good. - Crises reveal character
Lebanon—and you—have been tested. And you passed, you graduated. Now on to the next chapter. Let your integrity and your hope be your legacy. - Strive, Seek, Find, and Never Yield
The “U” in LAU is about You—your drive, your promise—and Us, the power of community. Stand firm in your values, act with integrity, and be a beacon of hope when times are hard. Show the world that grift, and corruption are not the natural state of affairs but rather that everyone is entitled to a life of freedom, respect, and to the pursuit of happiness.
May you always have the wisdom to change your opinion, the courage to act on your convictions, the humility to know that you did not nor will you ever do it on your won, and the empathy to feel the struggles of the less fortunate.
May your past be full of good memories, your present be full of potential, and your future be full of gratitude. And may your commencement day be the first of many happy beginnings.