Fed’s Powell Tells Princeton Class to Prioritize Integrity and Bold Choices in a Divided Era

• by Arlen Fitzpatrick
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Fed Chair Powell Shares Candid Advice With Princeton Grads

Jerome Powell didn’t sugarcoat it for the Princeton Class of 2025. Standing in front of a packed baccalaureate crowd, the Federal Reserve Chair delivered a message that felt both personal and urgent — a call to protect integrity, dare to fail, and serve something bigger than themselves.

Powell took everyone back to his own Princeton days. He admitted his early campus years were heavy on music and light on academics. By his own account, he let his studies slide until he realized he needed to knuckle down and truly focus on earning his politics degree. He wasn’t preaching from a pedestal; he was saying, "I’ve been there too." For a lot of students (and their nervous parents in the audience), that honesty landed. There’s comfort in knowing someone leading the central bank once goofed off and regrouped just like any other college student might.

The speech steered clear of technical talk or economic forecasts. Instead, Powell zeroed in on three things: luck, courage to make mistakes, and initiative. He didn’t just toss out buzzwords. Instead, he shared how gutsy moves shaped his own path — like the time he asked a senior official at the Treasury if he could join his team, even though he barely knew him. That leap, Powell explained, set off a chain reaction that launched him into public service. His message? Playing it safe often means missing out. "If you aren’t failing from time to time, you aren’t asking enough of yourself," he said.

The Push for Public Service and Protecting Democracy

Powell didn’t just urge the new graduates to chase personal achievement. He spotlighted the deep value in public service, pointing directly to notable Princeton alumni — like former Secretary of State George Shultz — as examples of what it means to put national interests before oneself. At a time when public trust in institutions is shaky and political discourse is often toxic, Powell’s comments felt like more than just ceremonial encouragement. He signaled that public life requires grit and, yes, integrity, even when the noise is loud and the risks are high.

Brushing up against today's polarized climate, Powell’s emphasis on preserving democracy and upholding core American values wasn’t lost on anyone in the audience. While he stayed clear of referencing current controversies outright, the subtext was clear: standards matter, even when others might cut corners. Princeton’s leaders echoed this, reiterating the university’s historic motto — to be in service to the nation and to all humanity.

Through it all, Powell kept returning to the idea that life’s not linear. He reminded grads not to panic if their next steps don’t unfold perfectly. Growth comes from asking hard questions of yourself and not dodging the tough moments. For Princeton’s newest graduates, the takeaways hit more than just the usual platitudes. In an era where headlines about ethics and leadership seem to break every week, Powell’s simple advice to stay honest, stay brave, and get involved felt both timeless and tailored for now.