Larry Fitzgerald had two main objectives in his role as Pitt's commencement speaker on Sunday. He, first and foremost, wanted to celebrate with each and every member of this year's graduating class while sharing some reflections "that I hope will strengthen your ability to stand strong and choose well when life presents you with variables you cannot control."
Fitzgerald, who starred on the football field at Pitt before becoming the third overall pick in the NFL Draft and living up to the hype during a lengthy career with the Arizona Cardinals, reflected on a number of different topics. He touched on the importance of having the courage to move forward and adapt when the path ahead of you is unclear, stressed prioritizing people over possessions and urged students to value character over clout.
Fitzgerald also discussed the impact he felt from his mother, who passed away from breast cancer in 2004. He described her as his rock, his compass and his encourager.
"What should have been one of the most exciting chapters of my life, a heavy cloud of loneliness, guilt and helplessness descended instead. A variable that I had absolutely no control over became a moment of my life that defined it," Fitzgerald said. "I share that experience with you for two reasons. First, to acknowledge a fundamental truth: The world beyond these walls isn't always kind or predictable, and learning to navigate its uncertainties will define your journey far more than any credential. And second, to tell you that it is this special place, the people of this community, the culture that it manifests, the values it cultivates in us and the love it saturates us with that shaped my life and prepared me for every high and low place since. It is with deep humility and gratitude that I stand here today, not because I have all the answers, but because I've lived enough, I've stumbled enough and I've grown enough to understand just how powerful this moment is for each of you."
In addition to serving as commencement speaker, Fitzgerald was also honored with a Doctorate of Letters. Here's his entire 13-plus-minute speech during Pitt's commencement ceremony:
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Fitzgerald delivers commencement speech, receives doctorate
Larry Fitzgerald had two main objectives in his role as Pitt's commencement speaker on Sunday. He, first and foremost, wanted to celebrate with each and every member of this year's graduating class while sharing some reflections "that I hope will strengthen your ability to stand strong and choose well when life presents you with variables you cannot control."
Fitzgerald, who starred on the football field at Pitt before becoming the third overall pick in the NFL Draft and living up to the hype during a lengthy career with the Arizona Cardinals, reflected on a number of different topics. He touched on the importance of having the courage to move forward and adapt when the path ahead of you is unclear, stressed prioritizing people over possessions and urged students to value character over clout.
Fitzgerald also discussed the impact he felt from his mother, who passed away from breast cancer in 2004. He described her as his rock, his compass and his encourager.
"What should have been one of the most exciting chapters of my life, a heavy cloud of loneliness, guilt and helplessness descended instead. A variable that I had absolutely no control over became a moment of my life that defined it," Fitzgerald said. "I share that experience with you for two reasons. First, to acknowledge a fundamental truth: The world beyond these walls isn't always kind or predictable, and learning to navigate its uncertainties will define your journey far more than any credential. And second, to tell you that it is this special place, the people of this community, the culture that it manifests, the values it cultivates in us and the love it saturates us with that shaped my life and prepared me for every high and low place since. It is with deep humility and gratitude that I stand here today, not because I have all the answers, but because I've lived enough, I've stumbled enough and I've grown enough to understand just how powerful this moment is for each of you."
In addition to serving as commencement speaker, Fitzgerald was also honored with a Doctorate of Letters. Here's his entire 13-plus-minute speech during Pitt's commencement ceremony:
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