Growth demands discomfort: Carey’s 2025 graduates are emboldened to be world-changers

“The lesson is clear: growth lives on the edge of your comfort zone. If something scares you, lean into it – that’s where the magic happens.”

That was the message Jeffrey S. Olson (Real Estate ’01), president and CEO of Urban Edge Properties, delivered to the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School Class of 2025.

After hundreds of hours of study, months of sacrifice, and even years of dedication, more than 1,000 Johns Hopkins Carey Business School graduate students celebrated the end of their long journey. Graduates and guests packed Baltimore’s Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall on Tuesday for the school's annual graduation ceremonies.

Olson shared his insights and wisdom as a successful executive and real estate developer. As Olson explained, he faced repeated rejection early on in his career. Undeterred and fueled by his goals, Olson chose to pursue a master’s degree at Carey Business School, which provided him with the education and connections to set him on his career path.

Sharing examples from his own life and career, Olson encouraged graduates to value the relationships and the contributions to others. “The most meaningful moments in your career won’t come from titles or bonuses. They’ll come from the purpose and enjoyment you find in your work.”

Dean Alex Triantis challenged graduates to keep humanity first as they navigate uncertainty in the world as new business leaders. “Commit to business with humanity in mind and to building a better society. Your analytical understanding will be critical to the next generation of business,” Triantis said. “But always remember that the problems you’ll be solving involve real people’s lives and livelihoods. Led by your boundless curiosity, you will leave here with the skills for relentless advancement. But you will want to lead and succeed because of what it means to you and to the communities you’ll impact.”

Facing the future

Full-time MBA graduate Elham “Hasti” Jamshidi recounted her own career challenges. A physician, digital care innovator, and Carey Business School’s first full-time MBA student from Iran, Jamshidi says she was intimidated about coming to the U.S. to pursue her business degree.

“But here’s what we’ve all come to understand at Carey: growth… demands...discomfort,” Jamshidi said. “Each of us stepped outside our comfort zones, because staying still was not an option for any of us. So, when doubt crept in, we reminded ourselves: ‘We’re here to grow.’ That's the cost, and the reward, of transformation that creates lasting value - the very mission of our school. Through the quiet hours of work no one saw, we moved forward. Even when the path was steep and our comfort zones called us back, we chose growth.”

In May, Jamshidi was named one of the Best and Brightest MBA graduates for 2025 by Poets & Quants.

In a separate ceremony, MS in Health Care Management graduate Renad Bahabri spoke on behalf of her fellow master’s degree graduates. Bahabri, who emigrated from Saudi Arabia as a teenager, trained to be a respiratory therapist. Despite doubts about her career path and ability to succeed, she says her determination guided her to Carey Business School.

“At first, I wasn’t sure if I was ready. Stepping into a world of data, strategy, and decision-making felt unfamiliar. But growth often begins in uncertainty,” Bahabri told her fellow graduates. “Though our journeys differ, many of us have faced similar questions, but we all took a step forward. And we did what we’ve continued to do: we showed up, we grew, and we supported each other. We may have started with uncertainty, but now, we're standing in possibility.”

In closing, Bahabri left her fellow graduates with a challenge. “As we embark on this next chapter, let’s not just ask, ‘What’s next?’ Let’s ask, ‘How can we turn uncertainty into meaningful change?’ How can we lead through adversity for maximum impact?”

Graduation program