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They are at time.com/newsletters and are separate from a paid subscription. ## Video: Mellody Hobson Speaks at USC Commencement 2015 [Watch (HLS stream): Mellody Hobson Speaks at USC Commencement 2015](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/RHSUoAiu.m3u8) (21:21)  _Published 2015-05-19. Mellody Hobson Speaks at USC Commencement 2015_ --- Jul 27, 2023 6:17 PM UTC --- ## More From This Series [All Videos](https://time.com/video/) [Mellody Hobson | TIME 100 Talks](/video/3gqk1Ie5/) ### Mellody Hobson | TIME 100 Talks [Ed Helms Speaks at UVA Commencement 2015](/video/tmCJbbY6/) ### Ed Helms Speaks at UVA Commencement 2015 [Ken Burns Speaks at WUSTL Commencement 2015](/video/yOOzfLJA/) ### Ken Burns Speaks at WUSTL Commencement 2015 --- ## Transcript It is now my pleasure to ask Dr. Mellody Hobson to offer the 2015 commencement address for the University of Southern California. [ APPLAUSE ] What a day. [ APPLAUSE ] I want to send my congratulations to the USC Class of 2015. And all of those who celebrate and champion them. Now I would like to ask the graduates to do something. I'd like you to look past the rain. And look up at the sky. Now I'd like you to imagine that you are in a lightweight capsule, and it took you two hours to be 24 miles up. Insane, right? The only way that you can get back to Earth, is to jump. This actually happened in 2012 for parachutist Felix Baumgartner. He put himself in this exact situation. He said as he looked out he could see the curve of the earth as he contemplated his next move. And if you watch the video you will hear his ground crew tell him to disconnect The two oxygen supply hoses attached to his pressurized suit. Felix doesn't move. Moments pass. Then you hear the command again. Disconnect the oxygen. So why did Felix hesitate? Well, I think that most of you know. In fact I would say that sitting 24 miles up is not that different from where you're sitting here right now. Graduating from college is a major transition. You know that. You're probably feeling eager, you're feeling excited. And like Felix you may also be feeling scared. [ APPLAUSE ] The world may look bigger than it's ever looked, and you will feel smaller than you've ever felt. But those of you graduating today, you know why Felix hesitates. It was because he was not ready. It was because, you cannot be brave without fear. So, despite a racing heart, extremely sweaty palms, Felix did disconnect the oxygen. And, he put his faith in his preparation and his parachute. And just like you're doing today, he jumped into the great unknown. [ APPLAUSE ] Did Felix make it. Okay, we're going to leave him suspended in free fall for a minute and come back to him. In the meantime, I'm very excited to be here on solid ground with all of you. And I want to thank president [ UNKNOWN ] for that very kind introduction. And congratulate my fellow honorary degree recipients. I also want to welcome the distinguished faculty and enthusiastic alumni of USC as well as all of the crowd relatives and supportive friends. Now today we're all one big trojan family. Some of you were born into it. Some of you chose it. I married into it. I remember the first time my husband, George Lucas, brought me to campus. I like him too. [ APPLAUSE ] First stop was the film school, obviously. [ APPLAUSE ] Then we football game. Okay, not a game the game, against Westwood High. [ APPLAUSE ] Now, I went to school back east, and the one thing I can tell you. Ivy- league football is mostly cold, and boring. Cold like it is right now. But, the game was amazing. I cheered the entire time. I could not believe you have a real horse as a mascot. I was amazed. And then I learned that that's not the original traveler. I thought to myself, " What a nice tradition ." But doesn't it make more sense to replicate Pete Carroll? [ LAUGH ] No, I can tell you, I'm truly grateful to now have my own degree from USC. And I cherish this honor as well as the opportunity to speak to you. And as I was preparing for today it made me think about my own college commencement 24 years ago. Our speaker was a highly esteemed leader who was very well known for what he did and he talked to us about, [ INAUDIBLE ] Honestly, I cannot remember a thing that he said, nothing. [ LAUGH ] And it, he may have actually divulged the meaning of life. But my mind was racing, and I was so eager, I could not focus. And I didn't have texting as an excuse back then. And I was just like you guys are today. My brain was going a mile a minute. And I'm sure many of you are feeling the exact same way. So, what I'm going to do is give you permission not to remember a thing that I say 24 years from now, except for three words. Three words. Come on, it's not a lot. And those three words are just add bravery. Bravery. [ APPLAUSE ] Just have bravery. Now let me be clear about what I mean about bravery. To me, being brave means that even when you know an action can end very badly, you still forge ahead. Now there's supersized bravery, the kinds that leads a relatively sane person to jump from 24 miles up. And there is what I call bite size bravery. Which requires smaller, but equally important leaps. It was bite size bravery that compelled you to take that applied mathematics class. It was bite size bravery that lead you to speak out when everyone agreed on a topic and session, and you knew they were completely missing the point. It was bravery that lead you to fight for a friend in need, or perhaps even a stranger. It was bravery that lead you to take that shot at the buzzer, and it was bravery that lead not one, but two women to run for President of the USC Student Council. [ applause ] [ APPLAUSE ] Bravery allows us to push beyond the boundaries that hold us back from living the lives that we want. For those of you, some of you, those boundaries might have been imposed by your family and in this regard I have to tell you I was lucky, I grew up in Chicago the youngest of six kids to a single mom. And my situation was one that was challenged, some of you may have had the same situation. Sometimes we didn't have enough money for rent, and we'd get evicted, which happened a lot. Now that's not why I was lucky, I was lucky because the one thing that my mother did despite all of the harsh realities that we sometimes had to deal with She made sure that she never gave up. And she made sure that we didn't either. Even when my childhood was filled with some of her brutal pragmatism, she always gave us a tremendous amount of love and encouragement. And what mattered most to me were the words she spoke nearly every day. When she said Melody, you can be or do anything. And it was because of those words, that I would love school more than anything. I would wake up at the crack of dawn, I still do. To study. And it was because of those words, that I dreamed the biggest dreams. And I hope you have your family support as you pursue your passions, and dream your own dream. You might need bravery also to push past some of the stereotypes that come with our culture and where we live. When I was a little girl taking public transportation to school, I can bet not too many people were sitting on the bus saying, there goes the future president of an investment firm with nearly $ 11 billion in assets under management. They might have got that if they had spent five minutes talking to me, but I don't think they had those ideas. And their expectations didn't run that high from afar. So I hope we can be better at judging people. Not on their assumptions and appearances, but on their achievements and on their actions And here's how we can do that. Just how I told you that you can be or do anything, I want you to believe that that's true of anyone and everyone. [ APPLAUSE ] You see, at college you have a fair amount of control around your social interactions You can decide who to sit next to in class. You can decide who to roommate, who to room with. But I bet in the next chapter of your life you won't have much say about who's in the cubicle next to you at work. And you might actually sit next to someone who you have absolutely nothing in common with. And I actually think that's great. It's so easy to get trapped in a self selected subset of humanity. Yes, it feels comfortable, but it's also extraordinarily confining. There's a whole world out there. Why limit ourselves? Make an effort to step outside of your circle. Do more than just accept diversity, seek out diversity. I promise it will make you more interesting, more understanding, and just basically smarter. And here's another benefit, when you have the courage to expand your world you expand the entire world because tolerance scale Person by person, we can end stereotypes and remove barriers to opportunity. Although this change begins with awareness, it actually doesn't end there. We need action. And the way to move from awareness to action? Just add bravery. So which brings me back to [ UNKNOWN ]. I left him suspended in air, right? After leaping into the great unknown, he went into a free- fall and all went well, for seven seconds. In the eighth second, Felix had accelerated to 600 miles an hour and he began to spin violently. He was still in an uncontrollable spin when he broke the sound barrier. Now he says, it turns out the most terrifying part was not the leap. It was trying to get his bearings and to right himself. Once again, Felix provides the perfect metaphor to after college life. Each of you will head off onto your own unique path. You may have different goals, but there is one thing you will all have in common. It's 100 % certain, 100 %, that you will have significant challenges in your life. You will spin out, and you will struggle to right yourself. And you know the best way to confront those inevitable life challenges, and struggles? Just add bravery. And that wont always mean charging the hill with fists in the air. Sometimes it will mean not charging the hill. This year we commemorated the 50th Anniversary of the march on Selma. People of all faiths came together to walk to the Alabama state capital to demand the passage of the voting rights act. What is less well known except perhaps to the American studies majors, is that there were three attempts to do this march. The first time 600 peaceful protestors tried to cross the Edmund Pettus bridge and they were attacked with tear gas and night sticks. The second time, Martin Luther King, Jr. came. And he assembled all the marchers, they were ready to cross the bridge, he told them first let's kneel in prayer. They did, and when they got up, he told them to turn back. They were shocked, You see, sometimes restraint takes bravery. It was the third time, 16 days later, when they had all of the federal protections in place, that Dr. King actually completed the 54 mile march to Montgomery with 25, 000 marchers. Now let's return to Felix. He's in this violent death spin, remember? 15 seconds into the jump, he's going at 844 miles an hour. Or as the physics majors know, Mach 1. 25. Now He starts working systematically in using all of his years of preparation and training to right himself and it actually doesn't matter what he did or how he did it because I don't think any of us are going to find ourselves in this situation, but what we can all take away from this is this. When you feel yourself spinning out At super sonic speeds, keep your wits about you. And rely on your preparation. Five minutes later, Felix landed, safe and sound, except for a few bruises, and a slight case of whiplash. Basically, the equivalent of a fender bender on Exposition. And I hope wherever you land, [ INAUDIBLE ] You, too, will wind up successful, happy, and proud to have done something unique. And if you can't see a clear path to your dreams. I can offer you three equations that can help get you there. Now, this is simple math. So simple that even the students who took the selfie class are going to understand what I'm talking about. Okay, equation number one. Hard work plus bravery equals success. However you define success, set your sights high. Be a hard grader no yourself. When I started in money management, I knew that there were people who had a lot more experience, a lot more knowledge. And the one thing I knew I could do is outwork them, and I actually did. If I didn't understand something, I'd ask questions. If I didn't know how to do something, I'd ask to learn. Most people don't want to admit what they don't know. I do. I see nothing wrong with that. I think it's actually smarter. So don't pretend that you know more than you do. In fact, I have to tell you I'm jealous of you. You've got years you can milk, because you're new as you go into the work force, so take advantage of that. At the same time, don't pretend to loan, no less than you do either. Learn. My first day at Ariel, my boss and mentor John Rogers told me, you're gonna be in rooms with people who make a lot of money and have huge titles, and just because you're young and new doesn't mean you don't have great ideas, I want them. And even if you don't have support from the top, I urge you to participate fully. Not in a cocky or smug way but with confidence and humility. Be willing to speak up and stand out. I know first hand this can be very hard at times for women and minorities who are desperate to fit in. I see a lot of women hang back and say, tell me what you want me to be and I'll be it. When a better attitude is really, this is who I am. And I have value. And I hope that you like it. But if you don't, this is who I am. [ APPLAUSE ] And no matter who you are, I promise. If you focus on the work. Success will come. If you focus on the success, nothing will come, equation number two, imagination plus bravery equals creativity. There are so few originals in life. I think the best compliment you can ever receive is I have never met anyone like you. Being unique means forming your own opinions. It helps if you reach for questions, and push for answers. If you bring that attitude to work, you not only will advance yourself. You will advance all of humanity. USC has produced visionaries in every field. Technology, medicine, and the arts. And I want to talk about the arts for a minute because they are near and dear to my near and dear. You see this university has something that no school anywhere can match the greatest film school in the country. This matters because our society is held together- all societies- are held together by stories. From cave paintings to Star Wars, stories serve an essential purpose in our communities and in our lives. Five centuries ago, the majority of people could not read. At all. So the church relied on artists to turn the Sistine Chapel into a stunning class room. These frescos did more than give people something to stare at as they were listening to long services in Latin. They were actually like a 15th Century highlight reel of Moses and Jesus Christ. The art entertained as well as educated. George Lucas' movies, not just because it's fun to watch Harrison Ford fly through space with his furry co- pilot but to really teach the values of society. He crafted a story that offered a choice. Between being selfish and being compassionate. He took a stand and made his beliefs clear. That all the dark side could be more powerful and alluring, the light will bring more joy. Which brings me to my last equation. Love Plus bravery equals happiness. A lot of graduation speeches will encourage you to be passionate about something, I am going to encourage you to be passionate about someone. Now I am going to be brave and talk about love and I know for some of you, just the word probably makes you squirm, I get that I was totally that way. For a long time I avoided the subject. For me, it was career, business, those were my priorities. It took me a long time to be as brave in my personal life as I was in my professional life. That's because, to be brave in love, means opening yourself up to the possibility of heart break. And for me, like Felix in that violent spin. I didn't want to lose control. I didn't want to be in a situation where I would not be able to right myself. Then I met George. People talk about soul mates. I met my mind's friend. And since I always trusted my mind. When it told me to leap, so did my heart. USC has a rich tradition of brave graduates. Now, it's up to you to carry on that tradition. Your bravest self will be your best self. Moving forward from this momentous occasion I hope you'll embrace these words written by W. E. B Du Bois who cofounded the NAACP. In 1914 he sent his then teenage daughter to boarding school in England. And here is the advice he offered to her as she set out on this exciting and terrifying adventure. I mean, think about it. 1914, black teenager, going to England. He said, and these words apply to you, you're in one of the world's best schools, in one of the world's greatest modern empires. Deserve it then, be frank, honest, and fearless The main thing is the you beneath the clothes and skin. Don't shy away from new experiences and custom. Take the cold bath bravely. And so I say to you as you plunge into your own new adventure. Take the cold bath bravely. And as inspiring and important as that message was, he didn't end his letter there. He actually ended it with something more important. He said above all remember your father loves you, and he believes in you. That is my hope for all of you. That you were brave and that you're loved. Congratulations to the USC Class of 2015. Fight on! [ APPLAUSE ] ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Mellody Hobson Speaks at USC Commencement 2015","description":"Mellody Hobson Speaks at USC Commencement 2015","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/RHSUoAiu/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2015-05-19T21:15:22.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/RHSUoAiu.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/video/RHSUoAiu/","duration":"PT21M21S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/video/RHSUoAiu/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}} ```