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ST. LOUIS — Decorated gymnast Simone Biles is often referred to as the “GOAT,� an acronym for “greatest of all time.� But Biles encouraged Washington University students to strive for something different on Monday — to instead be the GYOAT, or the “greatest you of all time.�

“You don’t have to be the greatest engineer, the greatest lawyer, the greatest entrepreneur or the greatest social worker,� Biles said. “But definitely be the greatest you that you can be.�

Biles, the most decorated gymnast in history, spoke at WashU as the university’s keynote commencement speaker on Monday. About 3,600 graduates huddled under umbrellas and ponchos during the rainy ceremony.

Biles, 28, urged students to be the best versions of themselves but to also take time to acknowledge their efforts and savor their accomplishments.

“We’re not just celebrating the diploma you’re receiving, we are also celebrating you for the work that you put in, for all the sacrifices you made to get here, for all the challenges you have overcome,� Biles said.

The superstar gymnast is a three-time Olympian with 11 Olympic medals, including seven golds. recently named her one of the 100 most influential people of 2025.

Much of Biles’ speech centered around balancing a drive for success with wellness and self-acceptance.

Biles famously stepped away from the Olympics in Tokyo in 2020 to prioritize her mental health and has been a staunch advocate of mental wellness since. She staged a comeback in 2023 and won the World Gymnastics Championship’s all-around title and four medals at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

Toward the beginning of her speech, Biles said she was nervous, that she would “probably feel more comfortable if they allowed me to vault onto the stage.�

Biles at one point asked the audience to take a deep breath with her.

“Graduates, you’ve already achieved so much, and it’s important to take time to appreciate what you’ve accomplished, to breathe it all in, to embrace that sense of success,� Biles said.

Being the “GOAT� was never her goal, she said.

Biles recalled how she started doing gymnastics at 6 years old and how, at age 7, she saw a cheerleader do a standing back tuck, a move that involves landing a backward somersault in the air. Biles said she copied the move when her coach challenged her, and then she did the same on a high beam.

World championships weren’t even part of her imagination at that point, she said.

“It’s just always about being the best Simone that I can be, and I’m proud to say I stayed true to that,� Biles said.

WashU gave Biles an honorary doctor of humane letters degree. She was one of six to receive honorary degrees, including actress Jennifer Lewis.

Lewis, a Kinloch native, did not speak to the crowd but briefly danced on stage after she received her diploma.

The ceremony went uninterrupted by protests or demonstrators. Last year’s graduation came less than a month after 100 protesters against the war in Gaza were arrested on WashU’s campus.

About six students walked out and several chanted in protest during Chancellor Andrew Martin’s remarks at graduation last year. No such action was seen Monday.