Bill Gates delivers commencement address to NAU graduates.
“I cannot wait to see how you will drive progress around the world,” Gates said to a Skydome full of excitement and regalia.
Now retired from his global company, Gates left college after three semesters at Harvard to start Microsoft with his friend, Paul Allen. He has given only two commencement addresses previously, one at Harvard University and the other at Stanford University.
“I believe more people should know about the tremendous value of an NAU education,” he said. “You are graduating from an institution that creates opportunity, fosters innovation and builds community, and it has prepared you to find solutions to some of the biggest problems facing us today.”
Gates offered graduates five nuggets of advice he wished he had received.
- Life Is Not a One-Act Play
“What you do tomorrow – or for the next 10 years – does not have to be what you do forever,” he said, noting that in his 20s he thought he would be working at Microsoft for the rest of his life. “Today, I still love my work on software, but philanthropy is my full-time job. I spend my days working to create innovations that fight climate change and reduce inequalities around the world – including in health and education,” he stated in his prepared notes.
- You are Never Too Smart to be Confused
Gates told graduates that at some point in their career, they will be facing a problem they cannot solve on their own. “When that happens, don’t panic. Take a breath. Force yourself to think things through. And then find smart people to learn from.”
- Gravitate Toward Work that Solves an Important Problem
Spending time doing something that solves a big problem, like climate change, Gates says, energizes people to do their best work. “New industries and companies are emerging every day that will allow you to make a living and make a difference, and advances in science and technology have made it easier than ever to make a big impact.”
- Don’t Underestimate the Power of Friendship
Gates reminded graduates that the people they sat next to in class or skied with at Snowbowl are key to their future. “They are your network, your future co-founders and colleagues,” he said, noting his longtime friend Paul Allen, with whom he started Microsoft.
- You are Not a Slacker if You Cut Yourself Some Slack.
In his early days of Microsoft, Gates said he didn’t believe in vacations and pushed everyone around him to work very long hours. “Take a break when you need to. Take it easy on the people around you when they need it, too. And before you begin the next stage of your lives, take a moment and have some fun.”
In his blog prior to the commencement address, Gates called NAU an emerging leader. “Today, almost half of NAU’s nearly 30,000 students are people of color, many of them Hispanic or Native American. Most come from in-state, half are first-generation college students, and many come from low-income families. The school has long been an engine of mobility for such students – but in 2021, NAU President José Luis Cruz Rivera helped revitalize the school’s charter to make delivering equitable postsecondary value to students the top priority and goal. Then NAU made a number of changes to accelerate that progress.”
Cruz Rivera called it a privilege to honor Gates for his pioneering work in science and technology and for “his longstanding thought leadership and philanthropic commitment to creating a world where every person has the opportunity to live a healthy life and live up to their full potential.”
He added, “As NAU advances its mission to deliver equitable postsecondary value, we are honored to have the support of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation as we seek to ensure that the talent and aspirations of people in Arizona and beyond are met with the opportunity to realize economic mobility and social impact—shaping a brighter future for themselves and the communities they represent.”
Before leaving campus, Gates high-fived Louie the Lumberjack, cementing his initiation as one of NAU’s own. FBN
By Bonnie Stevens, FBN
Courtesy Photo: Bill Gates received a warm welcome from Louie and a Skydome of Lumberjacks who greeted him as one of their own.
