Vol. 8 [UT Stories] Keynote Address at the Commencement Ceremony for the Class of 2026 by Colt McCoy (Spt Mgmt '09)

The University of Texas at Austin celebrated its 143rd spring commencement at Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium, with tens of thousands of attendees on hand to mark the graduation of more than 17,000 students across the university's colleges and schools. (UT News)

Keynote speaker, Colt McCoy (Spt Mgmt '09):

• The address was delivered by Colt McCoy (Spt Mgmt '09), football legend as former UT quarterback and NFL veteran, and real estate professional who was earlier this year appointed to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. (UT News)
• McCoy was a two-time Heisman Trophy finalist during his time at UT. (UT News)

Key messages from McCoy's address:

• Build your foundation on something durable, even if progress is slower than expected. (UT News; YouTube)
• Focus on consistency in small actions and accumulate daily progress. (UT News; YouTube)
• Make principled decisions, particularly when doing so is difficult. (UT News; YouTube)
• McCoy emphasized that what ultimately propels people forward is not natural ability but the choices they make — including those that go unnoticed or uncelebrated. (UT News; YouTube)
• He closed by reminding graduates that their UT education — the knowledge, discipline, and resilience developed here — travels with them into every future endeavor. (UT News; YouTube)

(Sources: UT News ; The University of Texas at Austin YouTube channel)