When Dr. Joel Tan stepped up to the podium at the 2026 Harvard Medical School-Affiliated PhD Programs Hooding Ceremony, he began with something far more personal.



"I graduated high school with C's and D's."



It was a sentence that instantly cut through the polished celebration of graduation. Here was a newly minted Harvard PhD admitting, in front of professors, classmates and families, that there was a time when he was made to believe higher education simply wasn't for him.



"I was told that higher education is probably not the right path for me"



Growing up in Singapore, Tan said he always wanted to study biology. But the opportunity never came. "In high school, I really wanted to study biology, but I was told many, many times that it was not a realistic path for me," he said. Because his middle school grades weren't considered good enough, he was pushed into other science subjects that didn't interest him. "There I was in those classes, and my grades suffered as a result because I was never really given a chance to study something I was actually interested in. So I graduated high school with C's and D's."



"The message I received, directly and indirectly, was that higher education is probably not the right path for me," he said.



Tan revealed that he spent two years trying to get into universities in Singapore and was rejected each time. It wasn't until his third attempt, when he decided to leave home and apply overseas, that someone finally gave him a chance.



"That's when the University of Toronto took a chance on me, and that chance changed my life."



That opportunity eventually led him to Harvard, where he completed his PhD in Biological Sciences.



"Talent is everywhere. Opportunity is not"



While his story was deeply personal, Tan made it clear that it wasn't just about him.



Looking back at his journey, he reflected on how much depended on a single institution choosing to see potential instead of a report card.



"I often think about how much of my life depended on someone, somewhere, deciding that my past performance did not have to define my future potential. Someone opened a door that had been close to me. And because of that, I eventually found my way here to Harvard, to the stage with you all, graduating with a PhD in biological sciences from one of the greatest research institutions in the world,” he said.



His message wasn't simply about education. It was about recognising potential before success becomes visible.



He spoke warmly about professors who believed in him, lab mates who patiently answered questions, classmates who helped one another through difficult experiments, and family members who stood beside them even when they couldn't fully understand why anyone would spend years studying "one single protein."



"Science is a community project," he said.



He also reflected on the uncertainty many international students experienced over the past year, recalling landing in Boston to dozens of messages after changes to international student policies created widespread anxiety.



As he closed his speech, Tan didn't ask his fellow graduates to chase awards or titles.



Instead, he challenged them to remember what it felt like when someone believed in them before they had proven themselves.



"I hope that we remember what it felt like when someone opened that door for us. And I hope that we become the kind of people that open doors for others."



"Talent is everywhere. Curiosity is everywhere. Potential is everywhere. And if there's anything that we've learned on this long road to this stage, it is that sometimes, a single opportunity is all you need to achieve your goals."



His final words returned to the idea that had quietly run through his entire speech.