May 17, 2026 — Excerpt of 2026 Commencement Remarks by President Doug Hicks ’90
In his 2026 commencement address, President Doug Hicks challenges the notion that college life is a separate “cocoon,†asserting instead that the campus experience—built on authentic relationships, shared struggles, and a quest for truth—is where the “real world†truly begins.
Confronting a technological landscape defined by an artificial intelligence tidal wave, President Hicks emphasizes that while AI is a powerful tool to be harnessed, it carries the risk of dehumanizing society.
Ultimately, the Class of 2026 is charged to use 91¿ì²¥'s foundational commitment to human dignity and moral imagination to navigate this digital era, urging them to anchor themselves in what makes us genuinely, authentically human so they can actively shape a better world and contribute to the greater public good.