Thasunda Brown Duckett is the President and CEO of TIAA. TIAA ranked No. 8 on the Fair360 2023 Top 50 Companies for Diversity list.
Thasunda Brown Duckett, President and CEO of TIAA, reflected on delivering the commencement speech to graduates of the MBA program at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
She said titles — like President and CEO — are something that are rented. They describe achievements but don’t define a person.
“Character is what defines you — your attributes, qualities and the things that distinguish you as an individual. My character shows in the way I live my life, in the way I lead, in the way I treat others, and in what I expect of myself,” Brown Duckett said.
She encourages others not to focus on where they are right now but on the journey that got them there — the experiences, the heroes in their lives, the lessons learned.
“The journey you are on is where your confidence lies. Remember the energy and grit and perseverance that got you to where you are today. Always go back to the moments that shaped your character. You are enough, and you always were. You belong, and you always did,” Brown Duckett said.
Read the whole adaptation of her speech on LinkedIn.
