Chancellor Andrew D. Martin delivered his message to the Class of 2025 at Washington University in St. Louis during the May 12 Commencement ceremony on Francis Olympic Field.
Below are Martin’s prepared remarks to the graduates.
Class of 2025, congratulations again. Everyone on this stage — our administrators, faculty leaders and trustees — and everyone who showed up to support you today — all stand in awe of the hard work you have put in on the road to this milestone.
I’ve had the pleasure of meeting a good number of you over the years. You and I have lived together on this campus. We’ve learned together in and out of the classroom. We’ve shared meals, cheered on our sports teams and become stronger together — not just at Sumers Rec, but in our skills, our ideas, our convictions and in our character. With each passing year, here at WashU, I’d like to think we’ve all grown as leaders.
My position as a leader is sort of obvious. I mean, I’m not wearing this giant gold medallion just to impress Simone Biles. And as you’ve heard me say before, leading this great institution, my dear alma mater, is the privilege of a lifetime.
But what about you, graduates? Do you consider yourself a leader?
Some of you might easily answer affirmatively. You are the team captains, teaching assistants, student senators and Bear Ambassadors. Some others might balk at the idea of being a leader — especially as you look to your next chapter, where you might be starting something entirely new to you.
At WashU, we believe that leadership is not reserved only for those who hold formal roles or positions of status. Rather, each person has the capacity to lead. To help organize and energize others in pursuit of a common goal.
We’ve all heard the term ‘born leader,’ but the truth is, effective leadership can only be achieved and sustained through deep intentional work. And it’s our hope that every student, regardless of their aptitudes or ambitions, begins that important work here at WashU.
In fact, we’ve enshrined that hope in our university’s mission statement, which is to act in service of truth through the formation of leaders, the discovery of knowledge, and the treatment of patients for the betterment of our region, our nation and our world.
We’ve also woven it into our strategic plan, through which we aim to set the national standard for cultivating purpose-driven leaders of character and capability. Specifically, our WashU Leads initiative seeks to develop in each student three essential qualities of leaders.
First, a sense of purpose. You’ve spent your time here not just accumulating knowledge, but discovering what drives you, what gives your life meaning and direction. That sense of purpose — that inner compass — is the foundation of leadership. It’s what will help you inspire others not through authority, but through the power of shared vision and meaningful goals.
Second, character. Throughout your time here, we’ve emphasized integrity, empathy and ethical decision-making. Character is essential because others must trust you in order to be led by you. Your principles — what you stand for, what lines you won’t cross — will define your leadership more than any title ever could.
Third, capability. Beyond the specialized expertise you’ve gained in your chosen area of study, you’ve spent countless hours at WashU building relationships; learning to navigate conflict and complexity with nuance and empathy; and making hard decisions. These capabilities aren’t nice extras of the college experience; they’re essential tools for anyone who hopes to bring people together around a common purpose.
When these three elements come together — purpose, character and capability — that’s when leadership happens. That’s when you can make a difference, regardless of your position on an org chart.
But here’s the challenging part: standing by your principles isn’t always easy. There will be times when doing the right thing feels risky. You may find yourselves at organizations with institutional principles that don’t align with your own. There will be pressure to compromise for the sake of convenience, advancement or acceptance.
In those moments, I urge you to be courageous. I think of what British writer and scholar C.S. Lewis once wisely observed. He said: ‘Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point.’
Your principles matter most when they’re tested. Your character is revealed not when leadership is easy, but when it demands sacrifice.
My hope for you, graduates, is that whatever else you choose to do with your lives, you commit to being leaders who are capable of combining clear purpose with unwavering values. People who seek to join and advance institutions with strong collective principles. People who have the courage to do what’s right, not just what’s expected, or what’s rewarded.
Take a moment right now. Close your eyes if you’d like. Picture a time at WashU when you stood up for something. Maybe you challenged a flawed idea in class despite your racing heart, or maybe you rallied your exhausted lab partners at 2 a.m. to finish that seemingly impossible project. Those weren’t just memories in the making. They were your leadership muscles growing stronger. Perhaps you’ve been leading all along, whether you realized it or not.
So, yes, I am wearing the golden bling today. But each of you is carrying something far more valuable: the capacity to be a principled leader. The world you’re entering needs you to embrace that capacity, to continue developing it, and to exercise it with courage.
I have every confidence that you will rise to this challenge.
Graduates, we wish you great success and fulfillment and joy. We are proud of you. And we hope you’ll come back and visit us often. Congratulations, Class of 2025. You made it.
