President Alan Garber's Welcome | Harvard Commencement 2025

Summary

In this inspiring graduation speech, the speaker addresses the Class of 2025, emphasizing the importance of curiosity, personal growth, and the pursuit of knowledge. The speaker encourages graduates to remain open-minded and humble, rejecting comfortable thinking and false convictions. The speech highlights the value of embracing discomfort and being open to new ideas as they navigate their journeys. The graduates are urged to carry the values of their education into the world, leading with empathy and insight, and to create meaningful change for themselves and their communities. The speech concludes with heartfelt congratulations and wishes for their success.

Takeaways

• 😀 A warm welcome is extended to the graduates, their families, and guests from all over the world, emphasizing the global community at Harvard.
• 😀 The speech stresses that the graduates are not defined by their individual schools, but as one united Harvard community with shared values of knowledge, wisdom, and service.
• 😀 The importance of curiosity is highlighted as a key lesson learned at Harvard, encouraging graduates to stay open to personal growth and exploration beyond their degrees.
• 😀 The dangers of comfortable thinking are discussed, with a warning about the risks of absolute certainty and willful ignorance.
• 😀 The speaker urges graduates to embrace discomfort, both mentally and physically, as a means of growth and staying ambitious.
• 😀 The need for humility and openness to being wrong is emphasized as a way to expand thinking and personal insight.
• 😀 Graduates are encouraged to live with curiosity and to challenge their assumptions, continually seeking opportunities to expand their knowledge.
• 😀 The speaker advocates for embracing diverse ideas and perspectives, both familiar and unfamiliar, with arms outstretched and minds open.
• 😀 The graduates are described as the hope of the institution, with the ability to change lives and communities through the lessons they have learned at Harvard.
• 😀 The journey ahead is acknowledged as uncertain, with unexpected turns, but graduates are encouraged to stay true to their values and connections, bringing honor to themselves and their alma mater.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the speech?

The main theme of the speech is about the importance of curiosity, humility, and openness to new ideas as graduates embark on their future journeys. The speaker emphasizes the value of personal growth, critical thinking, and service to society.

How does the speaker describe the Class of 2025?

The speaker describes the Class of 2025 as a community bound by a shared sense of purpose, seeking knowledge, acquiring wisdom, and serving society. The graduates are seen as remarkable individuals who take chances rather than resting on their laurels.

What is the speaker’s perspective on certainty and ignorance?

The speaker suggests that absolute certainty and willful ignorance are two sides of the same coin, both detrimental to personal growth. They stress that false conviction can limit one's potential and that being wrong can lead to important lessons in humility, empathy, and insight.

What does the speaker hope for the graduates of the Class of 2025?

The speaker hopes that the graduates remain comfortable with discomfort, especially in their intellectual pursuits. They should embrace curiosity, challenge their assumptions, and be open to new ideas, both familiar and unfamiliar.

How does the speaker use the metaphor of folding chairs?

The speaker uses the folding chairs as a metaphor for being uncomfortable in one's journey. They suggest that if the graduates feel like they have everything figured out in the future, they should remember the discomfort of sitting on folding chairs as a reminder to stay curious and avoid complacency.

What role does curiosity play in the speech?

Curiosity is presented as a key driver of personal growth and intellectual development. The speaker encourages the graduates to maintain a sense of curiosity throughout their lives, as it opens up opportunities for learning, growth, and the willingness to adapt to new ideas.

What message does the speaker convey about the future of the graduates?

The speaker acknowledges that the graduates’ future may be uncertain and full of unexpected turns. However, by remaining open-minded, curious, and connected with others, they will be able to navigate challenges and bring honor to themselves, their families, and their alma mater.

What does the speaker mean by 'living your life in a state of curiosity'?

Living in a state of curiosity means approaching life with an open mind, being willing to challenge your beliefs, and actively seeking new knowledge and perspectives. It involves staying humble and adaptable rather than relying on what one already knows.

How does the speaker relate the concept of curiosity to ambition?

The speaker suggests that ambition requires stepping out of comfort zones and embracing challenges. The discomfort of curiosity and growth should be valued over complacency or the illusion of having everything figured out.

What kind of legacy does the speaker hope the graduates will leave?

The speaker hopes the graduates will leave a legacy of making meaningful contributions to their communities, serving others, and being agents of positive change. They are encouraged to chart their own paths while inspiring others to follow.