In his third piece of advice to the graduates, Brees called on them to approach every opportunity with gratitude and a commitment to leaving things better than they found them. He connected this idea to the shared experience of rebuilding New Orleans after Katrina, noting that everyone in the audience had been part of something special in helping the city come back stronger than ever. But Brees challenged the graduates not to stop there. He urged them to carry that same spirit of stewardship into every business they joined, every community they lived in, and every relationship they built. For Brees, leaving your mark wasn't about fame or recognition—it was about the quiet, consistent work of improving everything you touch, a philosophy he had lived out both on and off the football field in New Orleans.