What would you tell your younger self if given the chance? We posed this question to a handful of Caldwell graduates to see not only what they wish that had known at graduation but also what they understand more clearly now. With spring 2026 commencement just around the corner, this is what they had to say.

Andy Crocker ’96

Andy Crocker is a 1996 graduate who earned a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering as well as a B.A. in Multidisciplinary Studies from NC State. Thirty years later, he has some well-earned knowledge that he’d like to share with his younger self:

• Slow down. Don’t be in such a hurry to get promoted, become a manager or find the next challenge. Ambition is fine, but try to make the most of each day while you live it.
• Practice gratitude. This goes with #1: Being thankful requires being in the moment. The key is to appreciate everything, both good and bad. What seems bad now may later turn out not so bad – or may even be good. Although money may be necessary in life for personal comfort, gratitude is absolutely necessary for personal, inner peace.
• Learn to fail. This goes with #2: Be as thankful for failure as for success. You’ll learn from both, but you’ll learn more from failure. Failure should be framed as an opportunity for growth. In fact, failure is a prerequisite for success; therefore, take risks often, as failures will likely lead to faster and fuller successes.
• Values beat titles. Titles only describe what you do. Values define who you are. Titles change and eventually fade. Your values remain and guide you through all circumstances – for better or worse.
• Soft skills beat hard skills (i.e., EQ > IQ). What you can do matters less than how you connect with others while doing it. In the moments that matter most, character and connection – not competence – determine your outcomes.

Reeba Monachan Attrey ’06

During Reeba Monachan Attrey’s senior year, she was at a crossroads, considering whether or not she wanted to continue down her path of becoming a lawyer. Now, twenty years after her graduation from NC State, she looks back with a message for her younger self:

“Stop worrying about the blueprint, Reeba. The life you’re building is much better than the one you planned.”

• Don’t be afraid of the “unplanned” risk. Your willingness to pivot is exactly what leads you to the White House. You’ll serve as a political appointee in the Obama administration, walking the grounds of Camp David and the halls of the West Wing. It will be terrifying to know that when the term ends, you’ll have no job and no “next step,” but that leap is what defines you. Comfort is the enemy of impact.
• Career fulfillment is a moving target. You think you’ll spend your life advising the same thirty students, but you will find a thousand different ways to lead. Your career will twist through education, diversity, inclusion and creating spaces where people truly belong. Don’t be discouraged when the first opportunity doesn’t fit; you aren’t failing, you’re recalibrating. You will learn that while work is vital, it isn’t your only source of joy.
• Your timeline is yours alone. While others are getting married at 25, you’ll be building a legacy. It feels lonely to be the “only one” not trying to settle down, but hold steady. You eventually find a perfect match, and today, you are deep in the beautiful, chaotic “thick of it all” as a mom. You’ll learn a vital truth: being a mom is wonderful — and hard. Both things can be true.
• Stay tethered to the Pack. NC State will remain a cornerstone of your world. Whether it’s a Caldwell retreat, an interview day or reading applications, you will find ways to give back. And in a full-circle moment of Wolfpack magic, you’ll even have your NCSU mentor Dr. Odom officiate your wedding.
• Finally, don’t settle for mediocre. Most people stay in situations that no longer serve them because they are afraid of the void. Don’t be afraid to make a change. What’s meant for you will never miss you and that which misses you was never meant for you. You excelled because you loved the work — keep choosing what you love.

Greg Cranford ’76

A 1976 graduate of the Wilson College of Textiles, Greg Cranford has been responsible for the design and development of high profile architectural projects, both international and domestic. In his reflection of the message he would impart on his younger self, he outlines four life lessons:

• When I graduated with a four-year degree in architecture from the School of Design in 1976, I was basically unemployable. I had spent every summer taking advantage of the unique internships I could access as a Caldwell Fellow (called the N.C. Fellows at the time) such as Outward Bound, a summer in Oxford and Jamaica, building Paoli Soleri’s utopian city in the Arizona mesa, but no actual job. Lesson 1 is to take advantage of the unusual opportunities that may come your way but remember to develop some professional skills along with those life experiences.
• After two graduate degrees I was eventually on my way in the world and was ready to take the reins! While I may have been ready (or not) my next comment would be that Leadership is a two-way street. As you start your career remember that developing your leadership skills includes honing your skills as an effective follower.
• My career path was focused on large international mixed-use development. Almost at my mid-career point I felt I still hadn’t quite established my office “home,” but then unexpectedly I found myself with a mentor who helped channel my energies and direction helping me to become a partner in our New York practice. You will find your mentor even though it may take longer than you expect. Don’t give up putting yourself in positions where that can happen.
• As I reflect on my experiences over the course of my career, I recognize I took many atypical paths to finally arrive at my current destination. While it may have taken me longer than some to achieve what I did, it was a path filled with many amazing events! Don’t worry if you’re not on a super highway at all moments; a winding parkway to life may be a more fulfilling route.