Former Congressman Charlie Dent M'93 Tells Graduates ‘You Can and You Will Make a Difference’

Charles W. Dent M'93, vice president of the Aspen Institute and executive director of the Congressional Program, told graduates during Lehigh’s 2026 Graduate Commencement and Doctoral Hooding Ceremony that although they are entering a turbulent world, Lehigh has prepared them to face challenges that lie ahead.

“Fear not—this is a great time to be alive and a great opportunity for all of you,” Dent told the graduates. “You can and you will make a difference.”

Dent, who earned a master’s in public administration from Lehigh, had a nearly 30-year public service career. He served seven terms in the U.S. House of Representatives as a delegate of Pennsylvania’s 15th Congressional District (now the 7th District), held roles on the House Appropriations Committee and House Committee on Ethics, and also served in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and Pennsylvania Senate. Throughout his career, Dent has navigated the complexities of public policy and government, tackling real-world challenges head-on—a mindset that defines Lehigh’s 2026 graduates.

The university conferred 541 master’s degrees, 115 doctoral degrees and 43 graduate research certificates to graduates who represented 47 different countries. While at Lehigh, many of the graduates applied their creativity and knowledge to address emerging global challenges through research, dissertations, academic studies, collaborations and more, developing innovative solutions to spur progress and change in a rapidly evolving world.

During his address, Dent, a third-generation Lehigh graduate, reminded the audience that founder Asa Packer’s vision was for the university to bridge the gap between technical education and the demands of a rapidly changing, industrializing world, like the one Dent’s grandfather faced upon graduation from Lehigh in 1906.

“Lehigh has been true to Packer’s vision for its entire 161 years of existence,” he said.

Dent said the graduates will lead the U.S. through “massive disruption caused by artificial intelligence and all the biotechnology, renewable and nuclear energy breakthroughs, quantum computing, fintech and other advances associated with the digital age.” He noted that some have compared this moment to the Gilded Age in terms of rapid technological change and disparities in wealth.

“Just as our grandparents, great-grandparents and great-great-grandparents left their farms to seek work in urban factories, today you face similar challenge in how and where people will work, what skills they will need to thrive and ways to assist those left behind because of such dramatic change,” Dent said.

He said new ways of thinking will be necessary to meet these demands of a rapidly changing economy.

As the Class of 2026 prepares to begin the next phases of their lives, Dent encouraged them to pursue their passions and be flexible.

“As graduate students, you probably have a fairly good idea of what your next career move will be, something most likely related to your particular interest or field of study and expertise—and that’s a great thing,” he said. “Nevertheless, remain flexible about your career choices.”

Dent also advised graduates to seize opportunities.

“I firmly believe those who are passionate about their work get noticed and opportunities will find you, or you them,” Dent said. “Good luck is often not accidental; it is the consequence of dedication, determination and preparation. So go forth and make your own luck. I know you can do it.”

He closed his address by telling the graduates they can determine their own destinies. While the graduates may face personal challenges, Dent said he has witnessed many people surmount seemingly unimaginable circumstances.

“The world is in terrible disorder right now, and more turbulence is in the forecast,” Dent said. “No matter the state of the world, you have been well prepared by Lehigh to face the challenges thrown in your path.”

Solving Challenges Through Education and Research Innovation

Throughout their studies, many of the graduates were motivated to embrace challenges and opportunities for change they discovered, channeling their passions, skills and curiosity into research and hands-on projects that served as catalysts for creating innovative solutions.

‘Keep Moving Forward’

Prior to Dent’s address, President Joseph J. Helble ’82 opened the ceremony and introduced Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Nathan Urban, who welcomed the graduates and guests, and introduced Marsha Akua Akoto Ph.D.’26, who received her Ph.D. in counseling psychology.

A widely published researcher, Akoto’s work focuses on social justice, mental health and reducing disparities in underserved communities. Following graduation, Akoto will complete an APA-accredited internship at Yale School of Medicine where she works with underserved patients with severe mental illness. She will continue her training as a postdoctoral fellow with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, supporting veterans with complex mental health challenges.

Akoto congratulated the graduates, acknowledging that they’ve “made it here through some incredibly demanding times,” from countless assignments to hundreds of pages of dissertations.

“And as innovators, scientists, authors, clinicians and researchers, you’ve carried stress, sleepless nights and sometimes uncertainty, and you still made it here—and that matters,” Akoto said. “Because it means you’ve already learned something important: you can keep moving forward even through difficult and seasons of uncertainty.”

She added that none of us move through those difficult seasons alone, and emphasized the importance of community.

“Everyone is here because somebody believed in us, and somebody gave us a chance, and somebody encouraged us, and all of this moved us forward when we needed it the most,” Akoto said. “What we do here matters. It’s about impact. It’s about creating ideas, solutions and new ways of thinking that extend far beyond this very moment.”

Akoto encouraged graduates to move forward with intention and share what they’ve learned, stay connected and give back to the communities that supported them along the way.

“Because in a world that can feel so uncertain, demanding and heavy, what we carry matters, but who we carry with us matters a lot,” Akoto said. “So wherever life takes you next, go far, but don’t go alone.”

‘Embrace That Friction’

President Joseph J. Helble ’82 closed the ceremony, recalling how the diverse community of graduates came from the world over to learn together and from one another. He said the graduates came together in the classroom, laboratory and even at the International Bazaar last month, sharing food, music, stories, culture and community.

“Transcending national boundaries. Interested only in sharing and learning. Face-to-face, curious about your differences, connecting in ways that remind us of the essence of being human,” Helble said.

However, Helble noted that human connection—deeply personal and in-person conversation—is something we are doing less of in a world of connected devices and social media.

We communicate so often through our devices, and with generative AI, we have begun to communicate by our devices, having generative AI craft the perfect sentence, email, report or story, Helble said.

He then offered a piece of advice: “It’s too easy … to fall into the trap of having AI do the thinking for you, not with you. True learning, and true understanding, comes from wrestling with a problem, asking, ‘What am I missing?,’ and finding that spark of inspiration, sometimes in a completely unrelated or unexpected place.”

He noted that life is not smooth, and encountering friction on your path and working to overcome it is where true learning emerges.

He asked the graduates to think about how and where they use AI, particularly when they communicate.

“Human interactions are messy and imperfect,” Helble said. “They’re subject to misinterpretation and misunderstanding. There is that friction. That’s risky. And that, I think, is so often the beauty in life. So I ask you, embrace that friction.”

When thinking about using AI to express themselves in the perfect way, Helble told the graduates to ask themselves, “Is perfect really the goal?”

“Think about what it means to you to be authentically human.”

The Allentown Band, under the direction of conductor Ronald H. Demkee, opened the ceremony with a musical prelude and the processional and concluded the festivities with a recessional. This year marks the band’s 43nd performance at Lehigh’s Commencement ceremonies. The ceremony began with an invocation from Endowed Director of Jewish Student Life and Associate Chaplain Rabbi Steven P. Nathan, and it was followed by the national anthem, led by Temma Leeba Schaechter M.Ed.’26. Marsha Akua Akoto Ph.D.’26 delivered the graduate student remarks. The benediction was offered by Imam Tariq Ameer, director of Muslim student life. The alma mater was led by Marti Anna Colasurdo MS’26.