Emmy-winning Screenwriter Christopher Markus Encourages Students to Embrace Uncertainty and Seize Opportunities

The 1991 Rutgers alumnus addressed graduates during the 260th anniversary commencement of Rutgers University-New Brunswick and Rutgers Health

Christopher Markus, an Emmy-winning screenwriter who co-wrote six films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, encouraged the Class of 2026 to seize opportunities, learn from failures, and at times, plan less.

"When I graduated from college, I had no idea I'd be a screenwriter," Markus said during the 260th anniversary commencement for Rutgers University-New Brunswick and Rutgers Health. "When I became a screenwriter, I had no idea I'd wind up writing about a guy dressed as an American flag for 10 years, and when that finished, I had no idea what I'd do afterward. And that's the way I like it."

"Success often just confirms what you already know. But with failure, you learn," said Markus, who graduated from Rutgers in 1991. "You refine your ideas and methods. You grow. And growth, be it the deepening of your character or the expansion of your mind, is the whole point. … Life has no final draft. We are always able to revise, to aim forward for something better."

Students who gathered at SHI Stadium in Piscataway on Sunday celebrated the joy of reaching a moment that once seemed so far away or hard to obtain. They spoke of the challenges they faced in the classroom and the bonds they formed with friends-some who met when starting college and others, hometown friends who grew closer as undergrads.

As the first in her family to graduate from college, Bryanna Rosa, an economics major from the School of Arts and Sciences, said commencement felt particularly special.

"My parents worked so hard for me to be here, and to graduate from Rutgers is such an accomplishment," said Rosa, of Perth Amboy.

Her mother worked until midnight on Saturday as a server at a restaurant and woke up at 7 a.m. to attend the ceremony. She said her parents were texting her from the stands telling her how proud they felt.

"Being here feels so fulfilling,'' she said.