The renowned epidemiologist who helped eradicate smallpox told graduates that when his grandfather was born during the Civil War, his life plan was known the day he was born — he would be a farmer. But the world has changed beyond recognition. Instead of a rigid life plan, Foege urged developing a life philosophy — a set of tools to evaluate every fork in the road. He challenged graduates to question traditions, noting that because Emory was slow to question traditions in its early days, its president once chaired a committee that concluded it was okay for bishops to own slaves.