Twenty years after graduating with his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, RJ returned to his alma mater, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) to address RPI’s graduating class of 2025. In his speech, RJ noted, “some of the most valuable lessons I learned came out of the hardest of times.”
After reflecting on the last twenty years and what he’s learned building Rivian, RJ shared three key lessons with the graduates:
1. Stay idealistic
2. Tune out the noise
3. Remain curious
Watch the full speech here
© 2026 Rivian
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