Alan Peterson on Unexpected Opportunities: NSU Commencement 2026: Business, Computing, & Psychology
Nova Southeastern University YouTube
May 11, 2026
Speaking at commencement ceremonies for his alma mater, Nova Southeastern University, STRONG STAR Director Alan Peterson, PhD, advised graduates to seize unexpected opportunities that come in their lives. Recounting his own experiences in life, from working with his mentor at NSU to his first military deployment on Sept. 11, 2001, to figuring out how to treat PTSD in a combat zone, to the formation of the STRONG STAR Consortium, he showed how both unexpected challenges and experiences in life can be opportunities to grow and to make our mark on the world. Sharing his own hard-earned life lessons, Dr. Peteron called upon new graduates to seize the “unexpected opportunities,” be entrepreneurial, and remain optimistic, leveraging stress to their advantage to achieve their vision. “Optimism is a force multiplier,” Dr. Peterson shared, urging grads to never stop believing in themselves.