The central theme of Shlain's address was this single word: moxie. Named by Newsweek as one of the 'Women Shaping the 21st Century,' Shlain told the graduates that every meaningful achievement in her life had come not from careful planning but from moxie — that irreplaceable combination of boldness, fearlessness, and a willingness to be a little outrageous. She recounted times in her career when doors seemed permanently closed, and it was moxie that opened them. She urged the class of 2010 to cultivate this quality above all others, arguing that in a world changing as rapidly as ours, the people who thrive will be those willing to take risks that others consider unreasonable.