Jon M. Gibbs, senior president of ExxonMobil Global Operations, talked about shared experiences and told graduates about five themes he drew from his time at S&T and his career during Missouri University of Science and Technology’s commencement ceremonies held Saturday, May 16, at the Gale Bullman Building on the S&T campus. More than 1,000 degrees were awarded during S&T’s three commencement ceremonies.

“Shortly after arriving on campus, we discovered this place is tough. It requires hard work. Serious work. Work that demands long hours, discipline, and stamina,” Gibbs said. “Yet just as quickly, we all came to understand that rigor is not enough. You also need perspective. You need community. You need moments that remind you why the effort matters. Moments like today.”

Gibbs’ first theme was “quiet excellence.”

“It’s been this university’s hallmark for the better part of its century-and-a-half existence — a hands-on, practical, problem-solving culture and seriousness about excellence,” Gibbs said. “High standards don’t enforce themselves. You have to choose them, every day.”

His second observation was about Rolla’s place in the lives of S&T graduates.

“Rolla calls itself ‘the Middle of Everywhere,’” Gibbs said. “Sounds ambitious for such a small town, but remarkably accurate. Rolla is a small town, but the influence of this town and this university is anything but.”

In his third theme, “You are more than ready for what awaits,” Gibbs spoke of the ways Missouri S&T prepared him for a challenging career.

“Over my first weeks and months in the working world, I expected the same pace, the same pressure, the same level of scrutiny I had grown accustomed to here, and I definitely found it at ExxonMobil,” he said. “But I also found myself thinking: This is manageable. I can do this.

“I had been trained to handle complexity, ambiguity, and standards that did not bend easily. S&T graduates do more than hold their own against peers from schools with bigger names. They exceed expectations, year after year.”

Gibbs’ fourth theme, “Find your Angela,” was inspired by a former administrative assistant and stressed the importance of working with someone who will be upfront and help you see what you might otherwise miss.

“Of course you haven’t learned everything yet,” Gibbs said. “Today is a beginning, not a finish line. You are commencing the next chapter in your lives … with plenty of lessons still to learn.”

Gibbs said his final theme, “What underpins it all,” is trust and integrity, which he told the graduates are foundational to engineering, leadership and life.

“Many of you will build remarkable things in your careers — buildings, systems, products, teams, companies. But the most important thing you can ever build is trust, and trust is inseparable from integrity,” he said.

“Today, you stand at the start of your own Route 66 — leaving the Middle of Everywhere with disciplined minds, steady judgment, and the quiet confidence that comes from having done hard things well. Wherever you go, whatever you build, and whoever you become, take with you what this place has given you. 

“Use it with integrity, humility, and purpose, standing under your work” Gibbs concluded. “You are ready. Now the world is ready for what you will contribute.”

About the speaker

Gibbs earned a bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering from Missouri S&T.  Since joining ExxonMobil in 1993, he has held a wide range of operational and executive roles across the United States, Africa, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific, guiding complex organizations and large-scale initiatives across diverse markets.

His career has included extended leadership assignments in Nigeria, Angola and Indonesia, as well as responsibility for regional development efforts spanning Asia-Pacific and the Middle East. He has led global service and project organizations supporting enterprise-wide capabilities and the delivery of major projects from concept through start-up. In January 2026, he assumed responsibility for overseeing the company’s operations around the world.

He is committed to community engagement, serving as an executive sponsor for philanthropic initiatives supporting Houston-area nonprofits.