Name: Steve Ballmer gives UW Commencement Speech
Uploaded: 2014-09-05T06:58:36.000Z
Duration: 19 min 49 s
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resources to the enormous benefit of our nation and

region. In recognition of Mr. Ballmer's extraordinary

achievements in technology and business, his inspirational

public service, the university today conferring upon him the

honorary degree of Doctor of Science. The honorary citation

will be read by the chairman of the Board of Regents, Mr. Orrin

Smith. Will Mr. Ballmer and Mr. Smith please join me. [ APPLAUSE ]

>> Stephen Anthony Ballmer, you are the founding father of the

information age, one of its foremost architects, and for

over three decades, an unparalleled force at the heart

of its rapid development. Your vision and drive have brought a

new freedom of discovery to virtually every field of human

endeavor and transformed the world in which we live. Your

success began in cool and opened  systems that would lead to your

life's purpose' you were a valedictorian of your high

Magna cum laude from Harvard University. It was learning that

propelled you forward in the university setting that led you

to opportunity. Stephen, you were also a risk-taker, leaving

Stanford university's graduate school of business in 1980 to

join forces with a former classmate Bill  Gates and a

fledgling startup with a very uncertain future. You had the

courage to follow an uncertain path into an unknown future and

the boundless energy to make such a bold venture

succeed. Your leadership was fundamental to the company whose

products, imagination and enterprise, have radically

accelerated the pace of scientific research and ill

illuminated the vast expanse of creativity and possibility. You

guided Microsoft's exponential growth with a style and a

genuine enthusiasm that  ever inspired those you led. The

ecosystem of hardware and software you envisioned brought

success not only to Microsoft, but thousands of other companies

as well. In 2000, you became the company's Chief Executive

Officer, a position you held for  14 years. Under your

leadership, annual revenues more  than tripled and profits

soared. Yet, you have always been and remain a man of the

people. Compassionate, without pretension, and extraordinarily

giving. Your civic and philanthropic contributions are

technological achievements. Your support in healthcare,

education, the arts, and countless charitable

organizations has uplifted the lives and hopes of people around

the world. For the extraordinary success of the

for Crafting tools that have made it possible to vastly

extend the frontier of knowledge, and for all you have

given towards the betterment of society, the University of

Washington is proud to confer on  you the degree of Doctor of

>>> Well, thanks! I'm a little fired up to be here today! This

hat gets in the way! Sorry about  that! I -- you never told me in

my wildest dreams that I would be in the end zone at Husky

Stadium, lower bowl, 40,000 people! I would have told you no

way! So I have exactly two thoughts for you. One, touchdown

Washington! And two, go dogs! [  CHEERS & APPLAUSE ]

>> I want to congratulate everybody who is graduating

today. It's been a little low key in here for my taste. I want

actually all the graduates, every one of you to get up and

give yourself a round of applause. Congratulations! [

>> Actually for me, you may not know this. This is a special

class, the class of folks graduating this year are the age

of my oldest son, and the notion that some of his friends

are in this audience graduating today just gives me a little

extra special umple, Hank, Justin, others, you know who you

to all and the surprise of seeing one of my son's mothers

here, Melissa, congratulations! Great job!

[ APPLAUSE ] >> Michael and Chris made, I

think, a wonderful point. Neither one of them knows what

the heck at age 22 or 30 life holds for them. And you know

what? It's okay. It's okay. This  class is graduating at perhaps

the best time in history, a time  -- and if you don't remember

anything else from this speech, this is it. You have the

greatest opportunities in front of you of any class ever to

graduate from university. You have the opportunities to go out

and change the world in so many  ways. I've had an amazingly

fortunate and lucky journey. I was born at the right time and

the right place to be able to participate in the launching of

the information age. And if you only take the perspective

information technology, the impact you all can have on the

world, the world of business, the world of science, the world

of education, the world of healthcare, there has never been

a better time, opportunity, opportunity, opportunity, it

awaits you. It's there for you! You have an extra blessing.

You're graduating from one of the best universities bar none

in the entire world. The University of Washington! [

>> This university is unbelievable. Mike and I were

actually talking up on stage and  some of the various

departments, but I certainly know the medical school here and

Dean Ramsey, I've gotten exposure to the school of social

work, certainly the computer science department! Will all the

computer science graduates please stand up! Yeah! [

wonderful departments at the University of Washington and to

graduate from here means you have opportunity sitting in