Winter 2026 commencement speaker Timothy Samad reflects on faith, resilience, marriage, and purpose as he represents one of BYU–Hawaii’s largest graduating classes
Timothy Samad said he does not see himself as standing above his graduating class but standing among them. Selected as the winter 2026 commencement speaker at BYU–Hawaii, Samad said he represents one of the university’s largest graduating classes, with nearly 600 students.
He described the role not as an individual distinction, but a shared responsibility shaped by common experiences of late nights, academic pressure, and personal growth. He said the honor is about representing a collective story. “We struggle together,” he said.
A journey rooted in faith and family
Born and raised in Indonesia, Samad grew up in a family deeply rooted in faith. A third-generation member of the Church, both of his parents served missions—a legacy he would later follow as the eldest child.
“After high school, I served in the Indonesia Jakarta Mission during the uncertainty of COVID-19 and the post-pandemic transition,” he shared. The experience, he added, provided leadership opportunities, spiritual growth, and unique challenges.
Following his mission, Samad enrolled at BYU–Hawaii, where he pursued a degree in business management with minors in political science and music. While on campus, he said his life expanded beyond academics. “I’m married to my wife, Alexie, who is from the Philippines, and we have a two-month-old baby daughter, whom we had while we were in school.”
Speaking with, not just to
Samad emphasized his role as commencement speaker is not about delivering a message from a distance but reflecting a shared journey and struggle. “It feels super special because I’m not only addressing this to [my classmates], but I’m addressing this with them,” he said.
That shared journey and resilience developed during college, Samad shared, will shape what he hopes graduates will carry with them after leaving campus. “I want them to remember that they can find joy in hardships,” he said.
Graduation is not the end of that resilience, he emphasized, but a proof of it. “I want them to remember that they’ve done it, and they can do it again with any kind of situation.”
Faith as action
Samad’s message centers on a principle he believes extends beyond the classroom: faith requires movement. “My core topic that I want to address to the students is to keep moving forward with faith,” he said.
While faith is often understood as belief, Samad said his experience has taught him it requires movement toward goals. “For me, faith is an action word … you need to act on it,” he said.
He cautioned against passive belief, emphasizing that growth comes through both trust and effort. “You can't just stay in your room and hope for things to come,” he said. “I don't think that's how faith works.”
Sacred understanding and personal growth
Samad said one of the most transformative moments in his life came after his mission, when he received his endowment at the Laie Hawaii Temple. Unlike many missionaries, he said he completed his mission without first going to the Missionary Training Center or receiving his own endowment. “So, I got my endowment here when I arrived at BYU–Hawaii,” he said.
Although Samad had already experienced spiritual growth during his mission, he said that moment deepened his understanding of purpose and identity. “It’s not until my own endowment that I can understand a greater context of why we are here ... and gain a deeper understanding of how sacred I am and how sacred is our duty as individuals,” he said.
Marriage and the discipline of humility
Another defining chapter in Samad’s life came through marriage. While he acknowledged the uncertainty that comes with such a decision, he described it as a turning point that brought structure and clarity.
“I was nervous, but [marriage] can be exciting,” he said. “When I really take careful prayers… and we decide to get married… that just elevated our lives.”
The impact extended into both his academic and personal life, he said, as he began to take on more responsibility and become more organized. He said that growth was rooted in humility, as marriage required him to think beyond himself and consider another person in every decision.
“When you’re on your own, you want to do things on your own,” he said. Learning to listen and understand his spouse, he said, changed how he approached opportunities and challenges. “Being humble allows me to open my eyes to other opportunities.”
He added that consistent support from his spouse gave him both confidence and direction. “Having someone to just support you on your goals … gives you comfort that there’s always someone who is going to be there for you,” he said.
Identity in diversity
Samad said one of the defining features of BYU–Hawaii is its diversity, with students representing around 60 countries. He said that the environment gives graduates a unique foundation for navigating cultural differences beyond campus.
“We’re all from different cultures … speak different languages, but we were able to be ourselves and be accepted,” he said.
He said that shared experience builds confidence in facing the outside world. “They’ve worked through diversity … they’ve worked through cultural differences,” he said.
“I think students just need to remember that they’ve done this … and that they were a seasider,” he said.
Purpose, failure and moving forward
For Samad, success in college did not begin with grades, but with clarity. He said identifying his major and minors shaped the direction of his academic journey. “The biggest achievement is actually the first step … identifying what you want,” he said.
He said choosing both practical and passion-driven fields helped him stay engaged, allowing his performance to follow naturally. “The grade just followed itself because I was passionate, I was intentional,” he said.
Still, his journey was not without setbacks. During his second semester, Samad said he competed in an international entrepreneurship competition in Puerto Rico, representing BYU–Hawaii and the United States, but his team did not advance. “That was pretty hurtful,” he said. “At that moment, I felt like … a failure.”
Samad said a faculty mentor later helped him reframe the experience, teaching him to see failure as part of growth. “This is a perfect time for you to learn early on about failure,” Samad recalled his mentor saying.
Since then, Samad said he has focused less on outcomes and more on effort, approaching each opportunity with the goal of doing his best. “If there’s a school competition or class projects, I want to make sure I do my best,” he said.
Now preparing to graduate as a husband and father, he said his motivation is tied to his sense of purpose. “I understand how important eternal families are,” he said, adding that this understanding drives both his spiritual and professional goals. “The faith aspect allows you to always remember your purpose,” he said.
For Samad, commencement is not an ending, but a continuation—one shaped by faith, effort and the decision to keep moving forward.
