Commencement 2025 - Elizabeth Banks Speech

Commencement Speech by Dr. Elizabeth Banks

Introduction and Acknowledgments

• Dr. Elizabeth Banks expresses gratitude for the invitation to speak and congratulates President Jameson on becoming a full-time university president, acknowledging the challenges of leadership during difficult times.

• She greets family, friends, faculty, and fellow honorees, humorously referencing her role in "Cocaine Bear" to connect with the audience.

Personal Reflections on Education

• Dr. Banks shares her pride as a Penn alumna from the class of 1996 and reflects on her experiences at Franklin Field during graduation.

• She reminisces about her time at Penn, including checking emails before smartphones were common and taking photos with Ben Franklin's statue.

Lessons Learned in College

• Emphasizing that impactful lessons extend beyond academics, she recounts a challenging experience with a strict professor regarding attendance policies.

• The professor taught her about adult responsibility and decision-making, highlighting the importance of agency in life choices.

Values and Decision-Making

• Dr. Banks discusses how personal values can conflict when making decisions—illustrating this through her choice between attending a family wedding or maintaining academic performance.

• She emphasizes that adulting involves navigating these conflicts to clarify one's identity and values.

Current Challenges Facing Graduates

• Addressing graduates directly, she notes they are entering an era marked by rapid technological advancements alongside significant societal issues like income inequality and climate change.

• She stresses that economic disparity is the primary division in society today rather than superficial differences among people.

Personal Journey and Opportunities

• Sharing her background as a scholarship student who worked hard to afford education, she highlights how access to resources is crucial for success.

• Dr. Banks explains that higher education was not just about pursuing arts but also about achieving upward mobility through employability.

Embracing Failure and Creating Opportunities

• Encouraging graduates to pursue their passions despite fears of failure, she describes how rejection can lead to new opportunities for growth.

• Reflecting on turning down lucrative offers early in her career, she illustrates how investing in oneself can yield greater long-term rewards.

Mindset Shift: Abundance vs. Scarcity

• Dr. Banks urges graduates to abandon scarcity mindsets; life is not zero-sum where one person's gain equates another's loss.

• Using metaphors related to baking pies, she encourages creating opportunities rather than waiting for them.

Building Safety Nets Through Relationships

• She emphasizes the importance of support systems—friends, family—and how they serve as safety nets throughout life's challenges.

• Highlighting historical figures who fought against limitations imposed by society reinforces the idea that progress requires collective effort.

Final Thoughts on Responsibility

• Concluding with advice on embracing mistakes as learning opportunities while stressing responsible choices regarding parenthood.

• Advocating for reproductive rights as essential for personal freedom underscores the significance of autonomy in shaping one's future.

Congratulations Class of 2025! May your journey be filled with courage and creativity!