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Sal Khan salutes ‘the wizards of tomorrow’

In commencement address, 1998 alumnus asks the Class of 2012 to perform a thought experiment in time travel.
A graduating student walks out of Lobby 7 on the morning of the Commencement ceremony.
Caption:
A graduating student walks out of Lobby 7 on the morning of the Commencement ceremony.
Credits:
Photo: Dominick Reuter
An MIT alumnus — whose red coat signifies he graduated 50 years or more ago — and his wife walk toward MIT's main entrance at 77 Massachusetts Avenue.
Caption:
An MIT alumnus — whose red coat signifies he graduated 50 years or more ago — and his wife walk toward MIT's main entrance at 77 Massachusetts Avenue.
Credits:
Photo: M. Scott Brauer
Graduating students gather for a posed photo outside of Rockwell Cage, where they lined up for the procession into the ceremony in Killian Court.
Caption:
Graduating students gather for a posed photo outside of Rockwell Cage, where they lined up for the procession into the ceremony in Killian Court.
Credits:
Photo: M. Scott Brauer
Graduating students sit on the floor of Rockwell Cage, prior to lining up.
Caption:
Graduating students sit on the floor of Rockwell Cage, prior to lining up.
Credits:
Photo: M. Scott Brauer
A doctoral student sits among the strings that separate out the students during the line up for procession.
Caption:
A doctoral student sits among the strings that separate out the students during the line up for procession.
Credits:
Photo: M. Scott Brauer
A doctoral student sits among the strings that separate out the students during the line up for procession.
Caption:
A doctoral student sits among the strings that separate out the students during the line up for procession.
Credits:
Photo: Dominick Reuter
Students sit in Rockwell Cage, waiting for the ceremony procession to begin.
Caption:
Students sit in Rockwell Cage, waiting for the ceremony procession to begin.
Credits:
Photo: Dominick Reuter
A student grabs some coffee at the Student Center before the ceremony begins.
Caption:
A student grabs some coffee at the Student Center before the ceremony begins.
Credits:
Photo: M. Scott Brauer
Or, maybe, soda is the drink of choice.
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Or, maybe, soda is the drink of choice.
Credits:
Photo: M. Scott Brauer
MIT students take pride in adorning their caps with various decorations. Here, a student has turned her cap into Earth, surrounded by satellites.
Caption:
MIT students take pride in adorning their caps with various decorations. Here, a student has turned her cap into Earth, surrounded by satellites.
Credits:
Photo: Dominick Reuter
A student proudly wears a scale replica of Killian Court, the site of the Commencement ceremony, on his mortarboard.
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A student proudly wears a scale replica of Killian Court, the site of the Commencement ceremony, on his mortarboard.
Credits:
Photo: Dominick Reuter
Faculty members get ready before the ceremony in Kresge Auditorium.
Caption:
Faculty members get ready before the ceremony in Kresge Auditorium.
Credits:
Photo: M. Scott Brauer
Robes await faculty inside of Kresge Auditorium.
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Robes await faculty inside of Kresge Auditorium.
Credits:
Photo: M. Scott Brauer
A set of antlers sticks out among the caps and gowns.
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A set of antlers sticks out among the caps and gowns.
Credits:
Photo: M. Scott Brauer
Doctoral students line up in preparation to march to Killian Court.
Caption:
Doctoral students line up in preparation to march to Killian Court.
Credits:
Photo: M. Scott Brauer
MIT musicians play outside of Lobby 7 as administrators and faculty prepare to march into Killian Court.
Caption:
MIT musicians play outside of Lobby 7 as administrators and faculty prepare to march into Killian Court.
Credits:
Photo: M. Scott Brauer
The MIT Police Honor Guard enters Killian Court to begin the 146th Commencement exercises.
Caption:
The MIT Police Honor Guard enters Killian Court to begin the 146th Commencement exercises.
Credits:
Photo: M. Scott Brauer
Alumni who have graduated 50 or more years ago are given red coats. Members of the Class of 1962, who received their coats this year, enter Killian Court at the beginning of the ceremony.
Caption:
Alumni who have graduated 50 or more years ago are given red coats. Members of the Class of 1962, who received their coats this year, enter Killian Court at the beginning of the ceremony.
Credits:
Photo: M. Scott Brauer
The 'Red Coats' listen intently from their seats in Killian Court during the ceremony.
Caption:
The 'Red Coats' listen intently from their seats in Killian Court during the ceremony.
Credits:
Photo: M. Scott Brauer
Salman Khan '98, MEng '98, founder of Khan Academy, delivers the Commencement address to the Class of 2012.
Caption:
Salman Khan '98, MEng '98, founder of Khan Academy, delivers the Commencement address to the Class of 2012.
Credits:
Photo: Dominick Reuter
MIT President Susan Hockfield delivers the Charge to the Graduates during the Commencement ceremony. This was Hockfield's final Commencement as president of MIT.
Caption:
MIT President Susan Hockfield delivers the Charge to the Graduates during the Commencement ceremony. This was Hockfield's final Commencement as president of MIT.
Credits:
Photo: Dominick Reuter
A student wears her Brass Rat, MIT's class ring.
Caption:
A student wears her Brass Rat, MIT's class ring.
Credits:
Photo: M. Scott Brauer
Programs for MIT's 146th Commencement sit on chairs prior to the graduates' entrance into Killian Court.
Caption:
Programs for MIT's 146th Commencement sit on chairs prior to the graduates' entrance into Killian Court.
Credits:
Photo: M. Scott Brauer
A view from the Great Dome above Killian Court.
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A view from the Great Dome above Killian Court.
Credits:
Photo: M. Scott Brauer
A view from the Great Dome above Killian Court.
Caption:
A view from the Great Dome above Killian Court.
Credits:
Photo: M. Scott Brauer
President Susan Hockfield leads MIT administrators, faculty members, Corporation members and the Commencement speaker, Sal Khan, down Massachusetts Avenue on their way into Killian Court.
Caption:
President Susan Hockfield leads MIT administrators, faculty members, Corporation members and the Commencement speaker, Sal Khan, down Massachusetts Avenue on their way into Killian Court.
Credits:
Photo: Dominick Reuter
A birds-eye view of the main stage, where MIT administrators and faculty members sat.
Caption:
A birds-eye view of the main stage, where MIT administrators and faculty members sat.
Credits:
Photo: M. Scott Brauer
R. Gregory Turner, president of MIT's Alumni Association, holds the ceremonial mace, which is adorned with a beaver — the Institute's mascot — on top.
Caption:
R. Gregory Turner, president of MIT's Alumni Association, holds the ceremonial mace, which is adorned with a beaver — the Institute's mascot — on top.
Credits:
Photo: Dominick Reuter
Provost and President-elect L. Rafael Reif, left, poses for a photo with MIT's 14th president, Paul Gray.
Caption:
Provost and President-elect L. Rafael Reif, left, poses for a photo with MIT's 14th president, Paul Gray.
Credits:
Photo: Dominick Reuter
Commencement speaker Sal Khan, middle, speaks with Provost and President-elect L. Rafael Reif, while President Susan Hockfield listens.
Caption:
Commencement speaker Sal Khan, middle, speaks with Provost and President-elect L. Rafael Reif, while President Susan Hockfield listens.
Credits:
Photo: Dominick Reuter
An audience member wears a graduating student's cap.
Caption:
An audience member wears a graduating student's cap.
Credits:
Photo: Dominick Reuter
It's not just the graduating students who take to decorating their headgear.
Caption:
It's not just the graduating students who take to decorating their headgear.
Credits:
Photo: Dominick Reuter
MIT Corporation Chairman John Reed '61, SM '65 speaks during the exercises.
Caption:
MIT Corporation Chairman John Reed '61, SM '65 speaks during the exercises.
Credits:
Photo: Dominick Reuter
Chaplain to the Institute Robert Randolph delivers the invocation to open the Commencement exercises.
Caption:
Chaplain to the Institute Robert Randolph delivers the invocation to open the Commencement exercises.
Credits:
Photo: Dominick Reuter
Nathaniel Fox, president of the Class of 2012, delivers an address, followed by the presentation of the senior class gift 镄 which this year was the creating of 'Mad Money Grants' a new funding source for student groups.
Caption:
Nathaniel Fox, president of the Class of 2012, delivers an address, followed by the presentation of the senior class gift 镄 which this year was the creating of 'Mad Money Grants' a new funding source for student groups.
Credits:
Photo: Dominick Reuter
Alex Evans, president of the Graduate Student Council, delivers his address to the graduating students.
Caption:
Alex Evans, president of the Graduate Student Council, delivers his address to the graduating students.
Credits:
Photo: Dominick Reuter
Members of the Chorallaries, MIT's oldest coed a cappella group, sing at Commencement.
Caption:
Members of the Chorallaries, MIT's oldest coed a cappella group, sing at Commencement.
Credits:
Photo: Dominick Reuter

On a beautiful sunny morning, 939 undergraduates and 1,545 graduate students received their MIT diplomas today after hearing an address by Sal Khan ’98, MEng ’98, founder of the online Khan Academy, that elicited gales of laughter while also providing thought-provoking advice.



MIT President Susan Hockfield told the graduates that she has more in common with this year’s class than with previous ones: She too, she said, will be moving on after nearly eight years as the Institute’s leader. Hockfield, who will be succeeded as president by Provost L. Rafael Reif on July 2, said, “All of us likely look forward to commencing our next chapter with a sense of breathless excitement.”

Among the lessons Hockfield said she has learned at the Institute: “Every day, MIT faculty, students, postdocs, staff and alumni take a sharp look at the way things are — and find a way to make them better.” One sterling example of that, she said, is Khan, who has created “a brand-new catalyst for transforming how, when and how well everyone learns everywhere, online.”

In introducing Khan, John Reed ’61, SM ’65, chairman of the MIT Corporation, pointed out that this was not Khan’s first appearance before Killian Court: As president of his senior class, Khan spoke at Commencement in 1998, saying then that “it is no exaggeration to say that we will change the world.”

Reed added: “Having checked this assignment off his to-do list, he joins us here today.”

Khan said that his experience at MIT has “played a much deeper role than many of you might appreciate” in his own life. He was proud of his alma mater, he said, when hearing of its plans a decade ago to launch MIT OpenCourseWare, making course materials available to anyone in the world for free — and more recently with the announcement of edX, a partnership with Harvard University that will carry that concept of free access to top-level higher education even further. While other institutions were looking for ways to profit from, or defend against, online education, MIT opted for free and open access — “to put principle over profit,” as Khan put it.

That model, he said, “in no small way inspired what has now become the Khan Academy,” which offers thousands of free educational videos aimed at elementary and high school students.

Khan compared MIT to the fictional Hogwarts school in the bestselling Harry Potter series. “The ideas and the research and the science that percolates behind these walls, that’s the closest thing to magic in the real world,” he said. “Frankly, to people outside this campus, it looks like magic.”

Khan described the MIT faculty as “the leading wizards of our time, the Dumbledores and McGonagalls,” he said, referring to Harry Potter’s fictional teachers of wizardry.

Coming back to MIT, Khan said, felt like returning to a close family. MIT students all share “that same core desire to understand the universe … to push humanity forward,” he said. Faced with the demands of a curriculum that pushes them to their limits, he said, “you cry together, you laugh together, you procrastinate together, you have sleepless nights together,” resulting in “the deepest possible bonds” — which Khan compared to those of soldiers who have ventured through combat together.

Khan urged the graduates, as they face life, to try to be “as incredibly, and maybe delusionally, positive as possible,” and to force themselves to smile “with every atom of your body,” even in difficult times.

Before they set out into the world, Khan asked the Class of 2012 to carry out a “thought experiment.” He urged them to imagine themselves 50 years from now, reflecting back on their lives, and thinking about the things they might have wished to do differently: spending more time with family members, or expressing their love more openly to those they care about.

But then imagine, Khan said, that a genie appears and gives them the chance to travel back those 50 years, and find themselves back again at Commencement — with a second chance to realize that “I can laugh more, I can sing more, I can dance more, I can be more of a source of positivity for the people around me, and empower more people.”

As they embark on this imagined “second chance,” Khan said, he was “just in awe of the potential that’s here.” Addressing the graduates as “the wizards of tomorrow,” he said, “I’m just excited to see what you’re going to do with your second pass.”

Hockfield, in her charge to the students, thanked the Class of 2012 for its class gift of $20,000, which will be used to fund special projects and trips by student clubs and organizations. More than 80 percent of the class contributed, she said, noting that this was, “by an enormously wide margin, the highest participation in the history of MIT.”

“I know you will leave here with the deep imprint of this community’s profound commitment to service,” Hockfield said. “Now is the moment for us to send you forth … to put MIT’s spirit and principles to work around the globe.”

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