I was pleased to receive an honorary doctorate in Humanities from the University of Miami, and to join the graduates of the Class of 2017, from the School of Business Administration and the College of Engineering.
I was humbled by the opportunity to address the students at their graduation ceremony and share some personal and professional experiences with them. It fills me with joy and pride to think that the lessons I learned over the past five decades can help inspire the next generation to work hard and create ideas and initiatives to benefit others.
Thanks to technology, I can also share these insights with you today.
My message was to keep an open mind and a positive attitude, to learn to make mistakes and see each mistake as a learning opportunity, to understand that you can make an impact on the world in many ways, but it is essential to challenge assumptions, take on professional challenges, and always seek to offer fresh ideas and hard work. I was thinking about my audience when I offered this advice, but it was based both on my own experiences and on what I think they will encounter as they step out into this ever-evolving world.
I was proud and grateful to receive this recognition from the university of one of my most beloved cities: Miami; but I was even more honored by the responsibility to share a message to hundreds of people, and now to you, regarding the value of education as a tool to fight poverty and promote social change.
Our futures are intertwined, and this is why we should always question what we can offer the world and how we can make a difference.
I’d like to once again express my deepest gratitude to the University of Miami for this amazing opportunity to share such a special moment with the next generation of graduates.
