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Khan Academy’s Sal Khan hosts virtual 'ask me' show for Johns Hopkins seniors
Ahead of his commencement address, Khan spoke with students about his life and career and keeping perspective.
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Pranavi Sharma - Sun, 18, May 2025
- 02:25 EDT
- 0
Sal Khan. / Johns Hopkins University
Thrilled graduating seniors from Johns Hopkins University had a frank, "Ask Me Anything" virtual session with Sal Khan, founder and CEO of Khan Academy. The conversation offered students a rare chance to speak directly with the educator whose online platform has shaped how millions learn across the world.
Khan, who is set to deliver the university’s Commencement address on May 22, took questions about his journey from hedge fund analyst to global education pioneer. He also reflected on his own life, the challenges of leadership, and the fulfillment he finds in everyday work.
Johns Hopkins University said students also shared deeply personal accounts of how Khan Academy impacted their education. One senior described the site as “instrumental” to his learning, while others credited it with helping them get into college. Several were surprised to hear the familiar voice from their screens respond to them in real time.
“They said never meet your heroes, but I’m having a great time,” said Daniel Ong, who is graduating with a bachelor's degree in chemistry, according to Johns Hopkins University.
In a conversation that mixed reflection with humor, Khan called Khan Academy his “passion project.” He told the university, “I just kept chipping away until at some point it was hitting me on the head that maybe there's something here.”
He recalled advice from his first boss at a hedge fund. “Dan said, ‘Look, our job as investors is to make a few good decisions every year and to avoid a bunch of bad decisions… The best way to make good decisions is to have other things in your life.’” That mindset, Khan said, ultimately gave him the space to start tutoring his cousins and developing Khan Academy on the side.
Khan addressed how he finds fulfillment in day-to-day work. He recounted a memory from high school when a friend framed a difficult task by saying, “I get to do that.” That shift in mindset stuck with him. “Even when I have really hard days... I try to remind myself how lucky I am to have this problem,” he told Johns Hopkins University.
He shared a standout story of a girl student from Afghanistan who was banned from school by the Taliban but learned through Khan Academy and was later accepted to MIT. “Even though she never had any formal schooling past elementary school, no high school diploma, MIT accepted her,” Khan said. “As far as I can tell, she’s thriving there now.”
Despite his global recognition, Khan said his life remains relatively normal. “Well, I take that back,” he added with a smile. “There are points in my life that are very surreal.” He recalled one such moment at a dinner event where he and his wife were seated next to comedian Jerry Seinfeld and his wife. “She’s like, ‘Wait, you’re the guy who teaches accounting on YouTube!’... and then she’s treating me like I’m the celebrity at the table.”
Johns Hopkins University President Ron Daniels praised Khan’s impact on education, saying, “The innovative approach to education that Sal Khan brought to life more than 20 years ago has reimagined the learning experience for students worldwide.”
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