Financier Anthony Scaramucci talks owning mistakes, having faith

Anthony Scaramucci candidly discussed the importance of forgiveness as he addressed Liberty University students in Wednesday’s Convocation. The American financier, Harvard Law School graduate, and Wall Street veteran — once an investment banker at the prestigious  Goldman Sachs — encouraged students to persevere through obstacles life may bring their way.

From the outset, Scaramucci addressed “the elephant in the room,” as he called it, describing how he was famously fired in July from the position of White House Communications Director after only 11 days due to some regrettable remarks.

“It was a very painful and very humiliating thing to have happened to me,” he told the students. “I am sharing that with you because your life is going to unfold — and I guarantee you your future is going to be great because you’re getting great principles and great training, and (you) have that fundamental belief in God and forgiveness and adaption and love — but while you’re planning your life, God is going to put things in front of you that are sometimes difficult, sometimes challenging — maybe it will be health or professionally related. It’s up to you to man up or woman up to those things and be accountable for them, when you’re making a mistake.”

Scaramucci shared his experience growing up in a hardworking immigrant family on Long Island. As he worked to climb the ladder of success and reach elitism, Scaramucci said he made the mistake of losing touch with the struggles of the middle class.

“I was so focused on trying to become financially independent and trying to aspire toward the American dream, that I lost some empathy toward what was going on in my own hometown,” Scaramucci said.

He said it took working on President Donald Trump’s campaign to get reacquainted with his roots, where he was able to talk to people and see what they were dealing with.

Liberty President Jerry Falwell introduced Scaramucci and joined him on the stage for a short Q & A discussion afterward. Falwell noted that Scaramucci was one of the students at Harvard who asked his father, Dr. Jerry Falwell (Liberty’s founder), to speak there in the 1980s. Falwell spoke briefly about his own experiences traveling with the Trump campaign before Scaramucci answered questions.

Junior Blake Davis asked for advice for students who are interested in politics and want to get involved while in college.

“You’re forming your political ideology right now,” Scaramucci said. “Start early and get involved. You’d be blown away by how easy it is to access the situation and get involved with a congressman, a senator, or a presidential campaign.”

Falwell asked Scaramucci, a Roman Catholic, about his faith background and advice he had for students.

“In moments of despair in your life, you will find great comfort in your religion and your faith,” he said. “There will be times in your life you’re going to have to forgive others, but in really tough times, you’re going to have to forgive yourself.”

He referred again to his firing from the White House position.

“At the end of the day, it was a big blunder, but ultimately for me to go forward and to progress in my career, I have to forgive myself — and you will find that in your faith and in your religious teachings.”

In a press conference after Convocation, Scaramucci said he was excited to have been asked to speak at Liberty.

“It was a phenomenal experience,” Scaramucci said. “I hope that I’m invited back.”