Commencement with Dr. Eldrin Lewis

Commencement with Dr. Eldrin Lewis

Dr. Eldrin Lewis, father of Upper School student Christopher Lewis, is very familiar with the Delphian program. This past year, Dr. Lewis hosted Delphian’s Business Seminar field trip at Stanford University, where he is both a professor and Chief of the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine.  Dr. Lewis specializes in the care of patients with advanced heart failure. He is an internationally recognized expert on heart failure, heart transplants, and quality of life for heart failure patients.

A fundamental principle of Dr. Lewis’s practice is his belief that there is more to life than death, that cardiovascular care should go beyond helping patients survive to also helping them enjoy the best possible quality of life. He has authored nearly 200 articles that have been published in peer-reviewed journals.  He is on multiple editorial boards for cardiovascular journals. He is an author of professional society clinical practice guidelines and scientific statements from both the American Heart Association and the Food and Drug Administration. He has received numerous honors for his clinical care scholarship and research, and we were honored to have him as our commencement speaker. 

The following is an edited transcript from Dr. Lewis’s address. To watch the full commencement recording on YouTube, look for the QR code at the end of this text.

What an extreme honor it is to be here today and to have an opportunity to address these graduates here at commencement. I would also like to acknowledge the Assistant Head of School, Mark Siegel, who personally invited me to speak here today on behalf of all of you. Thank you.  

I have gratitude. I have significant gratitude, not just for the opportunity to present to you today, but also for my life trajectory—just as I’m sure all of the graduates here today are grateful to you in the audience.  

I would like to acknowledge the parents, friends, and all of you who came here today from near and far to celebrate this day. I would also like to acknowledge the amazing teachers and staff, people like Corey and Dylan, who have helped my son, Christopher, or as he goes by here, Chris. Just to see him blossom over the two years he has been here, you’d expect that with this amount of growth, he’d have been here for six or seven years, and yet it all started with the summer program two years ago.

When the Business Seminar field trip came to visit Stanford University, I was impressed. I’ve met with many high school students who have come through, as I always want to give back, and I have to say, they were the most professional group I’ve seen. I was quite impressed not only by their professionalism but also by their questions and preparation. 

As we travel through life, there are moments that allow us to pause. Years of work, sometimes decades of work, can culminate into an hour and a half, or ninety minutes. This is one of those moments. I expect all of you to cherish this time because these are special times.  

As I stand here today, I can’t help but reminisce about a few decades ago when I found myself at my own graduation in the Mississippi Delta. As I reflect on my childhood, I see how it molded me into who I am today. It includes my parents. My dad, who was a PhD scientist, instilled in me my critical thinking and an interest in biomedical science. My mom, a teacher and a consummate educator who still teaches to this day, taught me how to be a good person and how to be the best that I can be. I also think of my life experiences, the family I was exposed to. The family I lost to heart disease, which prompted me, kind of lit a fire that said, “I want to understand how to manage heart disease.” And more importantly, “how to prevent heart disease.” 

But it was also the hard work. I still remember working on Mr. John’s farm, lifting a bushel of potatoes, which are quite heavy, and I wasn’t smart enough to buy a wagon—because I was frugal—so I would carry each bushel, one by one, to the various clients and wash them off and prepare them and collect the $7 a bushel or $4.50 for a half bushel.  

It was talking to family and friends that made me realize I wanted to take care of people, while also pursuing a career in biomedical science. Medicine was a blend, so I knew at an early age that I wanted to go to medical school. Each piece of these experiences formed a part of me. 

I remember in the fifth grade, at a parent-teacher conference, apparently (I wasn’t there, but my mom tells the story) she was upset because the teacher said, “He’s doing exceptionally well. He’s making straight A’s, but he daydreams a lot.” She said, “What do you mean?” The teacher answered, “Well, he’s just staring outside.” My mom asked if I was disrupting the class or creating an issue. The teacher responded, “No.” My mom asked how long I was daydreaming.  The teacher replied, “Most of the class.” So, my mom said to the teacher, “Well, I think you should probably give him more things to do, and then maybe he’ll stop daydreaming.” 

This brings me back to the Delphian experience, the fact that the school meets the students where they are. They teach students how to learn, and there’s no strict rubric to say you’re done, so you can daydream. In fact, Delphian doesn’t want you to daydream. They want you to dream—to figure out where you can soar, where you can go the extra mile. 

That’s something my parents gave me, but the school system didn’t. 

I remember a quote that I used when I spoke at my high school graduation. It was a quote from William Henry Hudson. “You can’t fly like an eagle with the wings of a wren.” This has been a mantra for me since high school because if you really want to soar, then you have to prepare to do that. It focused me on the challenges and necessary steps to overcome them. Each landing spot layers possibilities, new horizons, and new challenges. 

It took me to Penn State, where I transitioned from a small, safe area to a school of 55,000 people, but I was able to enjoy football, which I loved. This took me to my choice of medical school at the University of Pennsylvania, where my horizon shifted. I knew I wanted to be a doctor, but I didn’t know what kind of doctor I wanted to be. It was then I decided I wanted to help people who would never meet me—people who would never know the work we’re doing is making a difference. 

My residency and fellowship at Boston was where I had to learn to balance my excitement with fear, as I was experiencing a kind of impostor syndrome—that feeling when you’re climbing, then you look back, realize how far you’ve come, and you get a little nervous. That is why you have to stay focused as you climb. 

I have done a lot of volunteer work, which has really helped me get to where I am now, as Chief of Cardiovascular Medicine, in my sixth year. We’ve had the opportunity to expand our faculty, broaden our horizons, and continue the long tradition of biomedical science, while also incorporating clinical science and translational science to make a direct impact on the patients who see us. 

The anchor of all this was education. It was having the education and fearlessness to move forward. To challenge. To fail. There is an important quote from T.S. Eliot: “Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.” It’s easy to stay safe, but when you stay safe, it doesn’t allow for innovation. It doesn’t allow for full, true soaring. 

To the graduates today: you all have a strong foundation. Congratulations to you and your team! 

There’s an African proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child.” And your village is right here. Not only your family and friends, but the teachers too. This village will continue even as you leave and continue to expand. This education has anchored you with how to learn, so now you can learn where there’s uncertainty and where there’s no clear path. So, as you leave the nest at Delphian and embark on adulthood, it’s time to flex your wings. Each of you has a unique journey ahead, shaped by your early years of life. As you embark on your journey, I have a few thoughts I would like to impart. 

First, you must realize that you have the capacity, each one of you, to soar as you pursue your destination. At your stage, you’re like a pluripotent stem cell. [noun: A type of cell that can develop into many different types of cells or tissues in the body; incredibly valuable in medical research and testing] We love pluripotent stem cells! We love them because they can differentiate into anything. 

You, like a pluripotent stem cell, have the possibility of differentiating into anything you want, but you have to have the right environment, the right ingredients, and then, you have to be willing to allow it to move. Unlike the wren in that first quote I gave you, your starting line does not predict how high you fly. For the wren is never going to be able to soar like an eagle, but you can. You just have to define what soaring is for you. 

Secondly, pursue your happiness. It’s important for you to be true to yourself. Don’t try to be me. Don’t try to be your parents. Don’t try to be your biggest idol. You want to be yourself, and who you can be. Don’t dwell on the past, and do not excessively worry about the future. Focus more of your attention on living fully in the present. Sometimes, that means taking a pause to enjoy the moment, or to calmly provide solace to someone who has just lost a loved one, or to celebrate the victories and celebrations like we have today. 

Next, surround yourself with positive people, family, friends, your inner circle, and your mentors. All of these are really important elements to be successful. They provide your safe haven, your nest, as you learn to fly, as you’re leaving this nest of Delphi, leaving the nest of your family to go explore other things. This provides guidance, breeds confidence, and offers a balm during challenges. Remember that troubles shared can be trouble halved. You don’t have to walk this journey alone. 

Find your passion. Do not be afraid to fail and always strive for your personal best. Maya Angelou was once quoted as saying, “You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated.” 

Lead with kindness. That’s particularly important for anyone who aspires to a career in medicine. I remember when I went to medical school, I thought you had to be tough and have grit like a drill sergeant in order to be a surgeon or a cardiologist. Then I realized, no, you don’t. Sometimes, I think, the grumpiest people are probably the people who are most afraid. When you’re kind, you open yourself up to vulnerability. You’re opening yourself up to say, “I don’t know that answer, but I’m going to get it.”  If you scare people away, everyone’s afraid to ask you. So be the light that pierces the darkness, may it surround you. Help one another achieve instead of pulling people down. Always be a teacher, pulling others up while you’re climbing to your own altitude. You don’t have to wait until you’re soaring to teach. You can pull up others, as you’ve all done, to teach those who are coming behind you. 

The next step is to take care of your body. There’s an Arabic proverb, “A person who has health has hope, and a person who has hope has everything.” The American Heart Association lists eight simple things to live a long and healthy life: eat better, be more active, don’t smoke, get healthy sleep, manage weight, control cholesterol, manage blood sugar, and manage blood pressure.

Why is this important? It’s hard to be successful when you’re not healthy. You have to take care of your body. There’s only one. It’s not like a car where we can buy a new one.

Avoid accumulating health debt. It’s like shopping; if I just keep using a credit card and never have to pay it off, it feels great, right? I say drinks are on me for everybody (non-alcoholic, of course). However, eventually you have to pay the bill, and when you have to pay the bill, as you get older, that bill, that debt, is really high with interest, so pay as you go along. You either pay now or you pay later. So, pause and evaluate your check engine light. 

It’s amazing. I remember one time I gave a talk to a group of about 200 men, and I asked them, “How many of you take your car for maintenance, oil changes, tire rotations, and so on when the light comes on?” They all raised their hands. I then asked, “How many of you have a primary care doctor?” The hands were down, and I’m like, “Whoa, whoa, whoa.” Someone from that crowd remarked, “Well, you know, if I don’t feel well, I’ll figure it out.” I said, “Okay, so your car is more important than you?”

Avoid the stumbling blocks of procrastination, pride, and greed. These are all barriers that have been purposefully placed in front of you. There’s a quote by John Wooden: “Talent is God-given, be humble. Fame is man-given, be grateful. Conceit is self-given, be careful.”

Enjoy the journey; each experience creates wisdom. Understanding how you thrive, knowing yourself, is the beginning of all wisdom. Take time to laugh, to cry, to rest. Don’t get too busy to celebrate these special moments, and don’t forget your hobbies. By doing this, I want you to use your wings to create greater strength, more opportunities, a chance to flex even more, and to soar to places that you never expected.

This allows you to majestically create a legacy for others. Each one of you will become your own matriarch and patriarch of your family. Each of you can be someone who makes an impact on the destinations to follow. 

As I conclude, to the graduates of the class of 2025, you are our future. When I graduated, President Ronald Reagan famously challenged the Soviet Union’s leader, Mikhail Gorbachev, to “tear down this wall.” This was the Berlin Wall, separating East and West Germany. The stock market crashed. The  World Wide Web didn’t exist.  There was no cell phone. There was no social media. The first study was published to improve survival in heart failure. This was in 1987. The world is different now because of the advances made by my generation. 

Today, as you prepare to continue your journey, there’s a global crisis. The stock market is struggling.  Generative AI is becoming commonplace, and we are a step away from editing genes to cure heart failure; that’s close.

I know that you will take us to places we have never imagined. Each of you will embark on your own journey and fly distances that you could never imagine. Just like I couldn’t have imagined that I would one day be here today, from that country boy in the Mississippi Delta. 

All of you should flex your wings fully, bravely, and boldly. Command the wings of an eagle and soar to heights that you’ve never imagined, and that will allow you to create a legacy that makes this world a better place. 

Thank you.

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If you enjoyed this excerpt, watch the entire 2025 commencement address & ceremony using this link.