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Chancellor Andrew D. Martin conveyed his thoughts to the Class of 2025 at Washington University in St. Louis during the Commencement ceremony on Francis Olympic Field on May 12.

Below are Martin’s prepared comments to the graduates.

Class of 2025, congratulations once more. Everyone here on stage — our administrators, faculty leaders, and trustees — along with all who gathered to support you today — are truly impressed by the dedication you’ve shown on your journey to this achievement.

It has been my honor to meet many of you throughout these years. We have coexisted on this campus, learning together inside and outside of the classroom. We’ve shared meals, celebrated our sports teams, and grown stronger collectively — not just at Sumers Rec, but also in our skills, ideas, beliefs, and character. With each year spent at WashU, I believe we’ve all evolved into more capable leaders.

My role as a leader seems evident. I mean, I’m not donning this large gold medallion just to impress Simone Biles. And as I’ve mentioned before, leading this esteemed institution, my beloved alma mater, is a privilege like no other.

But what about you, graduates? Do you consider yourselves leaders?

Some of you might easily say yes. You are team captains, teaching assistants, student senators, and Bear Ambassadors. Others might hesitate at the thought of being a leader — particularly as you contemplate your next chapter, which may introduce entirely new experiences.

Here at WashU, we hold the belief that leadership is not confined to those who occupy formal positions or status. Instead, every individual possesses the potential to lead. To mobilize and inspire others in pursuit of a collective objective.

We’ve all heard the expression ‘born leader,’ but the reality is that effective leadership is only attainable and sustainable through deliberate effort. It is our aspiration that every student, regardless of their talents or aspirations, embarks on this essential journey here at WashU.

In fact, we’ve embedded this aspiration in our university’s mission statement, which seeks to serve truth through cultivating leaders, uncovering knowledge, and caring for patients to improve our region, our nation, and our world.

We’ve also incorporated this into our strategic plan, where we aim to establish the national benchmark for nurturing purpose-driven leaders of character and ability. Specifically, our WashU Leads initiative strives to instill in each student three fundamental attributes of leaders.

First, a sense of purpose. You have spent your time here not merely acquiring knowledge, but exploring what motivates you, what provides your life with significance and direction. That sense of purpose — that internal compass — serves as the bedrock of leadership. It’s what will allow you to motivate others not through authority, but through the strength of a shared vision and meaningful objectives.

Second, character. Throughout your time here, we have emphasized integrity, empathy, and ethical decision-making. Character is crucial because others must trust you to lead them. Your principles — what you uphold, what boundaries you won’t cross — will define your leadership more than any title ever could.

Finally, capability. In addition to the specialized knowledge you’ve acquired in your chosen field, you’ve devoted countless hours at WashU building relationships; mastering the navigation of conflict and complexity with nuance and compassion; and making challenging decisions. These abilities aren’t mere enhancements of the college experience; they are vital tools for anyone aspiring to unite people around a shared purpose.

When these three components — purpose, character, and capability — converge, that’s when leadership is realized. That’s when you can enact change, regardless of your position on an organizational chart.

Yet, here’s the difficult aspect: adhering to your principles isn’t always straightforward. There will be occasions when doing the right thing appears perilous. You may find yourselves in organizations with foundational principles that clash with your own. There will be pressure to compromise for convenience, advancement, or acceptance.

In those instances, I encourage you to be brave. I recall what British author and scholar C.S. Lewis insightfully remarked. He stated: ‘Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point.’

Your principles are most significant when they are challenged. Your character shines not when leadership is effortless, but when it requires sacrifice.

My hope for you, graduates, is that in whatever path you choose, you pledge to be leaders who can merge clear purpose with steadfast values. Individuals who strive to join and enhance institutions with strong collective principles. People who possess the bravery to do what is right, not merely what is anticipated or rewarded.

Take a moment right now. Close your eyes if you wish. Envision a moment at WashU when you stood up for something. Perhaps you confronted a misguided idea in class despite your racing heart, or maybe you motivated your weary lab partners at 2 a.m. to complete that seemingly impossible project. Those weren’t just memories; they were your leadership abilities strengthening. Maybe you have been leading all along, whether you recognized it or not.

So, yes, I am wearing the golden adornment today. But each of you carries something far more precious: the ability to be a principled leader. The world you are entering needs you to embrace that potential, to keep nurturing it, and to employ it with courage.

I have every faith that you will meet this challenge.

Graduates, we wish you tremendous success, fulfillment, and joy. We are immensely proud of you. And we hope you’ll return and visit us often. Congratulations, Class of 2025. You’ve done it.

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