Lisa Su urges graduates to embrace challenges for growth
- Lisa Su shared insights from her 10-year journey as CEO of AMD, emphasizing the value of challenges in career development.
- Terence Crawford inspired graduates with his story of perseverance from a difficult upbringing to boxing success.
- Both speakers urged graduates to embrace challenges and strive for continuous improvement in their careers.
On May 10, 2025, in the United States, Lisa Su, CEO of Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), delivered a commencement speech at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. During her address, she drew upon her own journey at AMD, emphasizing the importance of facing challenges for career growth. Su recounted how she joined a company with a mixed track record but recognized its potential, stating that emerging from difficult challenges is rewarding. She highlighted the need for teamwork and collaboration to tackle complex problems, encouraging graduates to pursue work that excites them and builds their confidence. Additionally, Terence Crawford, a renowned boxer and four-division world champion, spoke to graduates at the University of Nebraska at Omaha on the same day. He shared his experiences rising from a challenging childhood in Omaha to achieving international fame in boxing. Crawford conveyed a message of perseverance, urging graduates to work hard and maintain a fighting spirit when faced with obstacles. His words resonated with the audience, reinforcing the idea that determination and resilience lead to success. Both speakers underscored the value of hard work and curiosity in achieving personal and professional ambitions. For Su, challenges provide the fastest path to growth and impact, while Crawford reminded graduates that the journey to success is filled with setbacks and hurdles that need to be overcome. They both stressed the necessity of continuous self-improvement and the pursuit of goals. The inspiration drawn from these commencement speeches serves not only as a guideline for recent graduates but also as a reminder of the universal truths of persistence and ambition. Su’s and Crawford’s stories highlight that anyone can achieve their dreams through determination, collaboration, and a willingness to confront and learn from challenges. This advice is especially crucial as graduates prepare to enter a competitive job market and a world that demands innovation and teamwork.