Invoking Winston Churchill, he reminded students that success is built “brick by brick.”
“If you persist, use grit and determination, and never, never, never give up, you will find success,” he said.
McClure concluded by reminding the class of 2025 that they are the next generation of leaders.
“You can outwork and outperform your contemporaries and achieve real success,” he said. “I still believe the sky’s the limit.”
The 7 p.m. ceremony featured Hamilton, who led the FSU men’s basketball team for 23 seasons and became the winningest coach in program history. He guided the Seminoles to an ACC Championship in 2012, an ACC regular-season title in 2020 and three Sweet 16 appearances, while ensuring that 97 percent of his seniors earned their degrees.
“His legacy goes deeper than wins,” McCullough said. “Ninety-seven percent of the seniors who played for him earned their degrees. He taught discipline. He taught patience. He taught his players how to handle success and how to handle setbacks.”
Hamilton, who was the first in his family to attend college, shared that his own education paved the way for the next generation of his family.
“Me getting my education changed the whole culture of our family,” Hamilton said, noting that his parents, who left school in the seventh and ninth grades, continually emphasized education.
Hamilton, a mentor to countless young people, distilled his decades of coaching wisdom into key life lessons. He advised graduates to find trusted mentors to help navigate challenges.
“You are where you are in life because of your mentors,” he said. “Talking to people who had ‘been there and done that’ kept me from making a lot of mistakes.”
He challenged graduates: “If you feel like you need help, you can listen to someone who is wise, someone with experience.”