President J. Larry Jameson’s Remarks for the University of Pennsylvania's 270th Commencement Ceremony

By J. Larry Jameson, MD, PhD

May 18, 2026

Thank you, Reverend Howard—and thank you, Noah, for that moving rendition of our national anthem.

As I look out at you today, I do not just see graduates. I see intrepid learners who left home to explore a defining chapter in their lives. I see bold thinkers who experienced moments of doubt and discovery. I see amazing people who will change the world and make it better.

But none of us makes it to graduation entirely on our own. So, students, take a moment to thank your families and friends.

And now, from the stands, let’s hear it for the Class of 2026!

Graduates, two hundred and fifty years ago, the members of the Penn Class of 1776—all seven of them—gathered for their Commencement. The next day, just steps away at the State House—now Independence Hall—drafting began on the Declaration of Independence.

One of the most important edits, attributed to our founder, BenjaminFranklin, gave us this foundational assertion: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” Eight Penn affiliates would go on to sign that document and help define the promise of this nation.

They faced an uncertain future with no roadmap, only preparation and courage. They stepped into a world being remade from scratch.

You, too, are stepping into a transforming world. Forces moving faster than we imagined are reshaping how we live and connect. Every day brings new tools—in computing, energy, robotics, and medicine. Just a few years ago, these advances might have seemed like science fiction.

That pace of change can feel exhilarating. It can also feel disorienting.

But this is not the first time humanity has faced such a moment. The philosopher Socrates worried that a new technology would weaken memory and one’s ability to think deeply. He was concerned that we would be repeating information without truly understanding it. He was talking about writing.

Other generations worried that the printing press, radio, or TV would erode human skills. Each time, people found ways to adapt and to channel new tools toward human ends.

At Penn, we prize innovation. We teach it. We study it. We help shape it. This time last year, we witnessed a child, just across Spruce Street at the Children’s Hospital, cured of a lethal disease through gene editing. Every generation believes its technologies will change everything—and every generation is, in part, right.

The pace of change today is extraordinary. But a deeper question has not changed: How do we define a life that is meaningful?

You are entering a world that rewards acceleration: Faster answers, faster decisions, faster everything. But the most meaningful parts of life are not built at speed. Family. Friendship. Health. Justice. Beauty. Fulfillment. These are characteristics that make us human.

Today, I want to offer you three time-tested ideas for building a meaningful life: cherish the arts, embrace nature, and choose people.

First, cherish the arts.

Art can be restorative and instructive, both unsettling and beautiful. At Penn, you have lived inside an art gallery and performance stage. From the Button to Brick House, you have been surrounded by creativity, sometimes without even realizing it. Long study days were enriched by songs that stayed with you, or an exhibition that opened a new perspective. At your 25th reunion, you may look back at today’s music with nostalgia—and maybe a laugh.

The arts can challenge and connect us. They remind us why life is worth living.

Wherever you go, hold onto the arts. Support them and let them shape you.

Second, embrace nature.

We are part of an ecosystem. Step outside and notice the light change at sunset. Smell the air before a storm, or sit quietly long enough to hear what goes unheard. Time outdoors reduces stress and reconnects us to the rhythms of the larger world.

Think about your time here, when you strolled down Locust Walk or sat by the Bio Pond or on College Green. Those moments matter.

Recommit to protecting the environment, not as an obligation, but as an inheritance you are passing on.

Third, choose people.

This may be the most important of the three.

I have watched you show up for one another. I also know that many acts of support went unseen. Those are the moments that define a life and reveal character.

When you face a choice between isolation or in-person, choose people. When you face a choice between scrolling or connecting, choose people.

You have already experienced what it means to be part of a vibrant community. You have listened to and learned from different perspectives and debated ideas. Research from Penn's Positive Psychology Center confirms what you already know: relationships and a sense of purpose within a community are essential to our well-being.

Screens can inform and entertain. But it is time spent together that gives meaning. So, invest in people. Show up for them. Build something together that is larger than yourself.

And finally, remember that you are heirs of Benjamin Franklin. So long as we uphold that foundational truth, that all people are created equal, we help ensure that everyone can pursue a more meaningful life.

I believe that future students—perhaps even the Class of 2276, two hundred and fifty years from now—will look back at this moment just as we look back at the Class of 1776. May they see what I see: People who privilege substance over speed, who love learning, balance ambition with care, and leave communities better than they found them.

The world will test you. But you are ready—not because you have every answer, but because you have learned how to ask better questions. At Penn, you learned to listen to evidence and change your mind when warranted. Intellectual humility, combined with moral courage—the world needs more of that, just as it needs more of you.

Before I close, a small challenge: Tonight, reach out to one person who helped you through college and thank them. You applied to Penn with a letter of gratitude. Let that also be your first act as members of our amazing global alumni community.

Cherish art, protect nature, and always choose people. Carry these lessons with you. I know you will make your time count, and our world will be better for it.

Congratulations to the extraordinary Class of 2026.