Believe in Yourself: Katalin Karikó’s Message to the Next Generation at Johns Hopkins
Believe in Yourself: Katalin Karikó’s Message to the Next Generation at Johns Hopkins
2026. May 28.
6 perc
How do you spot a breakthrough when everyone else sees only failure? At the commencement ceremony of Johns Hopkins University, Nobel Prize-winning SZTE Professor Katalin Karikó offered young graduates a powerful answer to that question. The university – often described as the first research university in the United States – also published a video on the world’s largest video-sharing platform featuring Professor Karikó’s advice for young people starting out in life.
“Truth will set you free.” Staying true to its motto, Veritas vos liberabit, Johns Hopkins University – founded 150 years ago – published in full the commencement speech delivered by Nobel Prize-winning Katalin Karikó on May 21, 2026, as she addressed the graduating class and received an honorary doctorate.
Nobel Prize-winning Katalin Karikó during her commencement address at Johns Hopkins University. “Recognize the breakthrough even when everyone else sees only failure.”
Screenshot:hub.jhu.edu
How do they do it in the United States?
Johns Hopkins University offered more than a commencement ceremony honoring Nobel Prize-winning scientist Katalin Karikó – it also provided a compelling example of how a major research university presents a distinguished guest and communicates a high-profile academic event. As previously reported in our article “Katalin Karikó to Receive 20th Honorary Doctorate at Johns Hopkins Commencement”, the University of Szeged professor received her 20th honorary doctorate at the university’s 2026 commencement ceremony. Around the occasion, Johns Hopkins created a broad range of content – from introducing its celebrated guest to sharing her full commencement address – offering a closer look at how the institution presented both the event and the scientist at its center.
One example of “how they do it in the United States” was a short introductory video built around a playful Jeopardy! - style concept. To accompany its profile of Professor Katalin Karikó, Johns Hopkins University also selected a photograph by István Sahin-Tóth, photojournalist at SZTE’s Directorate for International Affairs and Public Relations.
Today’s graduates, tomorrow’s future
As part of its commencement coverage, Johns Hopkins University also released a dynamic video portrait series introducing the six honorary doctorate recipients, including Katalin Karikó, through archival footage and photographs. The short film – also available here – presents each honoree in a 50-second video, with Professor Karikó featured in the second segment.
In introducing the keynote speaker for its 2026 commencement ceremony, Johns Hopkins University emphasized that Katalin Karikó has received virtually every major distinction in science. Yet beyond her scientific achievements and accolades, the university also brought attention to the personal story behind her success. Viewers are introduced to “the daughter of a butcher,” who grew up in “a small town in communist Hungary.” The video also revisits the family’s journey to a new life abroad, recalling how their savings were hidden inside the teddy bear of Katalin Karikó’s daughter as they left the country. Together, these details create a portrait not only of an extraordinary scientist, but also of a life shaped by resilience, determination, and perseverance.
Katalin Karikó delivers her commencement speech at Johns Hopkins University as an honorary doctorate recipient. Photo: JHU website
The 50-second portrait places particular emphasis on the transformative impact of Katalin Karikó’s pioneering discoveries and their potential to shape future medical therapies.
“Graduates!” begins Nobel Prize-winning Katalin Karikó’s message as she speaks directly to the class from her office, standing before a display case filled with the many honors she has received over the course of her career. Looking into the camera, she leaves students with a simple yet powerful message: “Work hard and make the world better for all of us!”
The opening page of the diploma presented to Katalin Karikó upon receiving an honorary doctorate from Johns Hopkins University.
Professor Karikó’s message is simple and powerful: “Remember – if you want to do something, you find a way.”
The second page of the honorary doctorate diploma awarded to Katalin Karikó during Johns Hopkins University’s 2026 commencement ceremony.
So why not?
Homewood Field, the 8,500-seat stadium of Johns Hopkins University, served as the venue for the commencement ceremony.
As one of Baltimore’s major annual events, the Johns Hopkins University commencement ceremony attracted broad public attention and extensive media coverage. In its article about the occasion, the university highlighted honorary speaker Katalin Karikó as the Nobel Prize-winning scientist whose pioneering mRNA research helped pave the way for life-saving vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic. The ceremony also featured remarks by Johns Hopkins President Ron Daniels and graduating class student speaker Arionna Bell. Degrees were awarded to graduates from all nine Johns Hopkins schools, while honorary doctorates were presented to the ceremony’s distinguished guests.
Wearing the black-and-gold academic gown and cap, Katalin Karikó delivered a warm and personal speech, sharing three stories and three messages for today’s graduates – the generation that will shape the future. Photo courtesy of Katalin Karikó.
Love your work!... At the same time, do not waste energy comparing yourself to others. … Your only meaningful comparison is to the person you were yesterday.
Learn to handle stress by focusing on what you can control. … Remember: If you want to do something, you find a way; if not, you will find excuses.
Success is never achieved alone. … Remember, not everything that demands your attention, deserves it.
Katalin Karikó’s speech, available here, was met with repeated applause and laughter throughout the ceremony in Baltimore. Through the stories and reflections she shared, she offered a deeply personal glimpse into the experiences and convictions that shaped her scientific journey. As reflected in Johns Hopkins’ own account of the event, her example demonstrates that accepted truths can be challenged – and that even the strongest professional skepticism can eventually be overcome.
“As a small-town girl coming to an American Ivy League school, I was asking myself could I think of something that all those very smart scientists working in that famous university wouldn’t. I had to answer YES, why not!”, Professor Karikó recalled. The story captured the mindset that helped carry her from József Attila University – predecessor of the University of Szeged – to the United States, where she began a new chapter in 1985.
Katalin Karikó’s message was echoed moments later by student speaker Arionna Bell. Speaking on behalf of the Class of 2026, she congratulated graduates on having already turned questions beginning with “What if...?” into a far more confident outlook on the future: “Why not?”
Original Hungarian article by Ilona Újszászi
Photos courtesy of Katalin Karikó
Feature photo: Katalin Karikó with graduating students at Johns Hopkins University. Courtesy of Katalin Karikó
