New UGA graduates prepared with life’s lessons

Source: UGA Today by Krista Richmond | Photo by Peter Frey

For the members of the University of Georgia’s Class of 2022, their education extended far beyond the classroom.

They benefited from completing assignments, passing exams, working in labs and taking advantage of experiential learning opportunities. They also learned from weathering a global pandemic. And all those lessons will stay with them for a lifetime.

“Yes, you learned a lot in your chosen field of expertise. But importantly, you now have the opportunity to apply that knowledge through a new lens into our world and in a new way,” said Delta Air Lines Chief Executive Officer Ed Bastian, who gave the undergraduate Commencement address May 13 in Sanford Stadium. “Our world needs you, and I know you are ready for the challenge.”

Bastian offered a few life lessons to the new graduates. First, he reminded them that character is not built by crisis—it is revealed in crisis. Second, he encouraged them to make learning a lifelong pursuit.

“Please don’t let today mark the end of your ‘learning’ and the beginning of your ‘doing.’ Life is a learning journey,” he said.

Bastian also shared the importance of building a quiet, inner confidence by putting in extra effort, by not being afraid to fail, by venturing into unfamiliar territory, by expanding the horizon and by remaining humble.