In her introduction of this year’s keynote speaker, Dean McGehee noted that Tinsley Ellis’s love for music started at the age of seven while watching the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show. That love for music carried over into his time at Oxford College, where, in 1975, he honed his craft night after night, providing the soundtrack to Oxford’s community. It was at Dooley’s Tavern that his peers rocked to his rhythm, creating the backdrop for late-night conversations and lifelong memories that define many Oxford alumni experiences.

Reflecting on those formative years from over 20 years ago, he notes that “it was at Oxford that I decided what path I wanted to follow career-wise,” crediting the campus as the literal starting point of his professional life.

Choosing music over law or any other “traditional” career path, Ellis eventually went on to pursue his dreams and passion for the blues, ultimately becoming, in the words of guitarist Joe Bonamassa, “a national treasure.”

Rising from the Atlanta blues scene as the frontman of the Heartfixers, Ellis has forged a legendary career defined by “feral” guitar work and a relentless work ethic. Since his explosive 1988 solo debut, Georgia Blue, he has released over 20 albums and toured globally, earning comparisons to icons like Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton. Having shared the stage with legends like Buddy Guy and the Allman Brothers, his career serves as more than just a legendary discography, it is a masterclass in professional longevity.

Dean McGehee captures this impact, noting, “As far as alumni go, he’s set a pretty high bar, especially as someone who has created what we all strive to find—a meaningful, purposeful life driven by discipline, hard work, passion, and finding joy in what we do.”

Taking the podium, Ellis immediately bridged the gap between his legendary career and his deep roots at Oxford. Reflecting on his own time as a student exactly fifty years ago, complete with memories of a messy dorm room and the Allman Brothers blaring from his stereo, he humbly shifted the spotlight away from his own accolades.

“I'm not here to talk about myself today,” Ellis told the crowd, insisting that his goal was simply to celebrate the graduates and share a few lessons learned along the way. With that, he offered the Class of 2026 a design for living built on three core pillars: open-mindedness, service, and unity.

Ellis first urged graduates to open their minds and try different paths, embrace growth and remain willing to put in the hard work required to bring their dreams to fruition. He says, “Time is truly on your side. Open your minds and try on different hats but remember the advice I was once given. Success in most endeavors involves 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration, which means that it will involve hard work and work’s not always fun. If work was fun, they’d call it go into fun in the morning.”

The second core pillar was highlighting service to others as an unshakable foundation for life. He reminded the audience that focusing on the needs of others rather than personal wants is what carries people through rough times. “It’s the helpers in this world who get the help,” he noted.

Finally, Ellis spoke to the power of unity, challenging graduates to practice the “power of we” by focusing on shared connections rather than differences. In his many travels, he notes, “I often run into not only my former Oxford classmates, but also those who came before and after me here at Oxford. We don't talk sports. We don’t talk politics or religion. We talk Oxford.”  He asked the audience to imagine treating every stranger and coworker with the same instant bond shared by Oxford alumni and community.

Concluding his address with the timeless words of the Saint Francis Prayer, Ellis reminded the graduates that their ultimate destination is to enjoy the journey and help others do the same. As they step into the world, he challenged them to carry their unique Oxford legacy with them, serving as ambassadors of goodwill.

Jimmy Carter Professor of History and Emory College of Arts and Sciences Interim Dean Joe Crespino joined Interim President Sears in welcoming students to their next chapter. 

“Today is a milestone. You have completed an important chapter of your Emory journey here at Oxford College of Emory University and you now stand ready to take your next steps forward. Oxford has challenged you, grounded you and prepared you. The relationships that you have built, the questions you have asked, and the work you have done here have shaped your intellectual and moral development in profound ways.”

He reminded the class of 2026 that “Regardless of the school you attend, you will find a community grounded in the liberal arts, a place where ideas matter, where questions matter. I can promise you that 38 miles up the road, there is a large and boisterous group of fellow students, faculty, and staff who are ready and eager to welcome you into a community of inquiry and learning to help you grow in mind, body, and spirit, to help you become the citizens and the leaders that this world needs, people who read and ponder deeply, who think critically, people who do not merely take the world as it is but have the creativity and imagination and intelligence to peer around the next corner, to see what might yet be possible and how they might help bring it about. Those are the kinds of people, the kinds of leaders that Emory University has been producing for the last 190 years and now is the time for you to prepare yourself so that you can take your place among them. We need you. Emory University needs you, but even more the world needs you.”