Remarks by Honorary Doctorate Degree Recipient, Dr. James S. C. Chao at Webb Institute

Good afternoon, President Martecchini, Trustees, Faculty, and the students of Webb Institute.

Congratulations on being admitted as students in this great College. As you study at this institution, I hope I may share some thoughts gathered over a long life.

When I was growing up, I never expected my life to turn out the way it did. As you embark upon your lives, change will always be present, occurring faster and faster and your life will turn out in ways you may never have imagined.

I could never have imagined when I was your age what my life would be like today. After all, I grew up in a small farming village of only eight families. You cannot believe it – we had no shoes, only one pair of pants, and never enough food. My childhood was shaped by wars: the Japanese invasion and then occupation; World War II; and the civil wars that went on for almost 40 years.

But my parents believed in education and they sacrificed and saved to send me to school. I majored in navigation at one of the best universities in China. At age 21, I went on a cargo ship to serve my apprenticeship. While at sea, the government changed. The new government blockaded all the ports and my ship could not return. My ship set sail for Taiwan.

I was an only child. I never saw my father again, and it was 24 years later before I could be reunited with my mother after President Nixon opened up China.

In Taiwan, I was blessed to meet my beloved wife, Ruth. With her encouragement, I became one of the youngest sea masters of my time, at the age of 29. But life at sea meant I had to be away from home for 10 months out of the year. I wanted a better life for my wife and family. So, I decided to take a national examination. I scored #1 and broke all the records! Hundreds of years of records! This gave me an opportunity to go to the United States. My wife was then seven months pregnant. We had two other young daughters. We didn’t know how long we would be separated. But we believed in the Lord and that there would be a better future.

I went to America alone. It was very difficult. I didn’t have any relatives or friends. I was alone for three years before I was able to bring my family to America.

Initially, I had hoped to attend Webb Institute but couldn’t. I finally earned my MBA and began building a business. It was not easy. There were many obstacles, but through hard work and persistence, I carried on with the support of my wife.

Your profession—as ship architects and naval engineers—is so important not only to America but to the entire world. You design and build the vessels that make global trade possible, connect nations, and ensure safety on the seas.

The future you face will be filled with excitement but also challenges. The maritime industry is dealing with many issues including environmental protection, energy conservation, and geopolitical turmoil. There is a growing shortage of seafarers, as fewer young people are willing to spend months away from home. Technology—automation and artificial intelligence—is already changing the field, as it is every aspect of our economy. But even if ships can run without people, machines need human oversight, and human judgment will always remain vital.

Artificial Intelligence (A. I.) will change the nature of human work. But there will be new jobs with new skills that will be created. The transition will be difficult for those people who don’t keep up with the changes. But there will be a need for human judgement, wisdom and humanity.

So, as you grow and develop your own expertise and advance in your careers, I would encourage you to think beyond your immediate horizons. As I always tell my daughters when we were newly arrived in this country as immigrants, take a look at the big outside world and expand your vistas. To excel, you need to have subject area expertise – no question. But to adapt to a changing world, you also need to expand beyond your subject area. Yes, you must master your skills. But you must also think broadly and creatively. Hard work is a necessity. Yet it is your ability to generate new ideas, to adapt, and to innovate that will make you stand out. I have always enjoyed my work. I still do. I like going into the office and meeting with my colleagues. I was always grateful when people gave me the opportunity to work. When I was advancing in my career, the only jobs I got were ones that were too difficult that no one else could solve. But, to me, challenges are opportunities.

Students, your time at Webb is preparing you to meet the future. As you embark on your careers, remember: never be afraid of challenges. In every difficulty lies an opportunity.

Congratulations to all of you for being able to study at such a great Institution! God bless you and may the wind always be at your back as you go boldly into the future. Good luck! Thank you!