Commencement Address by Kristin Huguet Quayle ’99, VP at Apple

These are remarks delivered by Kristin Huguet Quayle ’99, vice president of worldwide communications for Apple, at the 2025 Furman University Commencement ceremony.

Thank you, President Davis, and good evening, Furman!

It’s a tremendous honor to stand before you on this incredible night.

Class of 2025: Congratulations!

It means so much to be here, because the Furman family is a really special part of my family.

My sister and her husband both went here, and they’re here tonight with their two children.

My husband and my three children are also here, visiting Furman for the very first time – I hope seeing all of you inspires them to apply here one day. It better!

To all the parents here, I can only imagine what this moment means to you and how very proud you must be.

I also want to wish a very happy Mother’s Day to every mom here and every mom who couldn’t be here.

Graduates, I remember so vividly sitting where you’re sitting now.

The emotion of seeing my family in the crowd … the pang of sadness about leaving friends, teachers, and this beautiful campus … that buzz of excitement for everything that came next.

Whatever you’re feeling in this moment, I hope you pause to reflect on what a special milestone this really is. It took a lot to get to this day, from late nights cramming for tests … to persevering through a pandemic.

You’ve grown and accomplished so much here at Furman — friendships, academics, independence. And now you get to take everything you’ve learned, go out there, and do something meaningful.

And by the way, It’s OK if you don’t know exactly what you want to do with your future; I didn’t, either. So I followed my interests, and wound up in New York City, working for a PR agency.

Then, when they asked for volunteers to move to San Francisco for the tech boom, I took a wild risk and raised my hand.

That path led me to Apple. And in the years since I sat where you are today I’ve had the extraordinary pleasure and honor of working with so many people whose big ideas have changed the world.

I’ve witnessed the singular and brilliant founder of our company, Steve Jobs, and was there for the launch of iPhone.

And it’s truly the honor of a lifetime to work for Tim Cook who inspires me and our incredible teams to lead with their values, to make history — to be a part of a company that has so many innovations that have shaped our lives.

Along the way, I’ve learned some lessons that I hope will help you, too — and I’d like to share a few of them with you tonight in the hope that they inspire you on your journey.

Be brave and stay curious

Apple Vice President of Worldwide Communications Kristin Huguet Quayle ’99.

My first piece of advice is to never underestimate the power of asking questions. Stay curious, and keep seeking out new knowledge wherever you go.

That might sound straightforward enough.

But something you’ll learn in your careers is that there will be times when it would be much simpler to just accept things as they are.

To stop asking questions.

To keep your point of view to yourself.

It might be a strategy session where you’re not convinced your team’s found the best way forward yet — but other people just want to move on.

It might be a conversation with a colleague where you need them to clarify their thinking, but you’re afraid they’ll think less of you for asking.

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What I hope you’ll remember at those times is that it takes courage to keep asking questions and challenging assumptions — especially when it would be much easier to just go with the flow.

Tim often says that at the beginning of his career, he thought asking questions was a sign of ignorance. But as a CEO, he now knows that it’s a sign of wisdom. (And trust me, he asks a lot

It means you care enough about a problem to really understand it.

To try and come at something in a way that is different than how anyone else looks at it.

It means you’re committed to finding the right answer, not just the easy one. It means you’re curious.

So be curious!

And also — be brave.

Ask questions.

Seek out other people’s perspectives.

Travel, see new places, meet new people.

Don’t live in an echo chamber.

Seek out people who see the world differently than you do — they will challenge you to grow, to broaden your horizon.

Getting into that habit now will serve you well, because you’re going to find yourself in situations where you have to make very complex decisions.

And as you expand your perspective, always remember to seek out the commonalities — because in a world that often feels more divided than ever this is the only way to find the things that unite us.

Don’t be afraid to slow down

As you start your careers — and this next chapter in your life — I hope you’ll also do something that can feel counterintuitive in a world that moves as fast as ours: Don’t be afraid to slow down.

In my job, things come at you fast, and we’re often working on extremely compressed timelines. But what I’ve learned is that whatever time you have — whether it’s days, hours, or minutes, take the time to breathe.

Keep asking questions, keep pulling the thread — because the more information you have, the better decision you’ll make.

I can think of countless decisions where we landed somewhere very different from where we started — and all because we took the time to gather a range of perspectives and information.

So, in a world where the facts can sometimes feel less than clear, I implore you to take the time to search for information.

Seek to understand the full picture.

And have faith that the right thing will eventually emerge.

I promise it will make those hard moments, when the decisions matter, much clearer and much easier to navigate.

Create something that aligns with your values

Of course, I know many of you are already thinking about some of the most complex questions you’ll face in your lives: Who will I be when I leave here? Where do I want to go and what do I want to do when I get there?

Those are the same questions that led me to San Francisco not long after I graduated. And what I found was a city in the throes of a transformation … a boom.

It was surreal, terrifying and incredibly exciting, too. The potential was palpable and everyone wanted to be a part of it.

Today, we again find ourselves in a transformational moment. The barriers to creation are as low as they’ve ever been, and the spark of an idea can become a reality in an instant.

That means there are more possibilities before you than ever before. And if you can’t decide which of these endless pathways to pursue, my advice to you is to try to find the same thing I found when I came to San Francisco: A job that reflects your values.

That might mean working for a company that’s doing something you really care about. If you can’t find that company, it might mean starting your own.

But whatever you do, don’t give up on finding a career that you really, truly want to put your whole heart into.

I feel fortunate that this is what I found at Apple.

Every day, we work to build technology that empowers people all over the world to connect, create, and live better lives. We’re driven by the urgency to protect the environment, and oftentimes our products are not only changing lives — they’re saving them.

And the brilliant people I work with all have two things in common: They love what they do, and they’re passionate about leaving the world better than they found it.

The magic comes when you’re a part of something larger than yourself. And my great hope is that you’ll go out there and find a way to make a difference in the world. Because the world needs you!

If there’s one thing I know about Furman graduates, it’s that they have a good heart, a strong moral compass and a belief in being a force for good in the world.

So find a way to marry those values up with your passions and your interests — and you’ll find that magic, too.

Embrace the Journey

I have just one last piece of advice.

Because if there is one thing I could go back and tell my younger self, it would be to not worry so much about every bump in the road.

Because rest assured there will be setbacks along the way. People will question you. And you will question yourself.

But if you dig deep, work hard, stay curious and commit to working towards something bigger than yourself, then you will always come out ahead.

So enjoy these moments, all of them, fully live in them and truly embrace the journey.

Believe it or not, and your parents can tell you, time will pass … it’s what you do with it that matters.

So, Furman, Class of 2025, now is your time to do something that matters. It’s your time to find people who inspire you. To find something you love.

It’s your time to make an impact on the world in a way that only you can. And I can’t wait to see what you do.

Thank you again. And congratulations!

Commencement 2025 >>