Annie Chu delivered the commencement address at USC, urging graduates to “say yes” to learning, collaboration, service, and the ethical practice of design. Drawing from her own journey as an immigrant from Hong Kong who nearly left architecture school before a mentor changed her course, Chu spoke about the importance of embracing the many identities we carry and letting them empower us. She praised the cohort’s perseverance through remote learning and campus transitions, and reminded them that their design education equips them to integrate conflicting needs into solutions that benefit humanity. Above all, she called on graduates to hold themselves accountable to the social and environmental impact of their work, to advocate for human dignity, and to use their craft to improve the lives of others.