Views From Campus

2024 Issue No. 2

As another academic year has drawn to a close and we bade farewell to the stellar class of 2024 at our 155th commencement ceremonies, I reminded our graduates of a powerful yet often overlooked lesson: to learn from and embrace failure. From ancient Greece to our present day, failure has been viewed not as a defeat but as a critical tool for our own self-improvement. Take the extraordinary tale of Homer’s Iliad, which immortalizes Achilles’ wrath and the tragic confrontation between him and Agamemnon. Though steeped in themes of loss and suffering, this tale imparts a truly invaluable lesson about the perils of hubris, of not learning from our past errors.

Similarly, the ongoing Nakba serves as a poignant reminder of the failures of nation-states and the international community in securing justice and peace for the Palestinian people. Yet, in the seeds of such failures, we can glean the well-disguised kernels that will one day sprout, lighting the path toward equitable progress. We have witnessed a fierce determination ignited in young people globally to advocate for change and justice for Palestinians; they refuse to let this profound injustice endure for future generations.

At AUB, we embrace the spirit of learning from failure. Our campus stands as a testament to the power of resilience and the unwavering pursuit of knowledge, recognizing that failures are not roadblocks but are instead stepping stones toward growth. This ethos is mirrored in our response to crises, whether local or global. We, at AUB, endure; we adapt; and we emerge stronger than we were before.

As I implored the class of 2024, and as is relevant for all people no matter where they are in their life’s journey: Go forth and fail mightily, not reluctantly or shamefully. Fail with all your spirit, and learn from those failures that your successes will one day carry your communities, societies, and nations forward to better, more sustainable, and inclusive futures. Our community is fortified by the lessons of failure, which propel us toward a future brimming with promise and hope.