‘Know Yourself'

Wall Street financier and philanthropist Joseph R. Perella '64, '06H delivered Lehigh's 148th Commencement address, recalling his unlikely journey from "Newark to Now." The son of Italian immigrants, Perella detailed his circuitous path to success, including a "wake-up call" from Lehigh that led him to return to the university to study business. He went on to receive his MBA from Harvard and became a founding partner and chairman of the global advisory and asset management firm Perella Weinberg Partners.

Perella shared the life lessons he learned along the way to becoming one of Lehigh's most respected and accomplished alumni:

• Know yourself.
• Recognize that you can't do it alone.
• Know how to manage setbacks and disappointments, and don't make them permanent.
• Strive for excellence.
• Tell the truth, and don't be afraid to admit when you don't know something.

To watch of a video of Perella's address, go to lehigh.edu/commencement.