Texas Southern University’s Thurgood Marshall School of Law Texas Bar Association held a lecture for students, hosted by Senior US District Court Judge Kenneth Hoyt. Hoyt spoke about success, reminding students that no goal is unobtainable, despite adversities.

“When we look beyond the obvious and all of the easy alternatives and we seize the opportunity that providence gives to us and presents to us, no matter how they present themselves, will we then declare and should we not then declare success? Life serves us up just enough challenges and difficulties to make us uncomfortable enough so that we move on. I think we have to make sure that we define success by what we experience for others, as opposed to what we experience for ourselves,” Hoyt said.

During his lecture, Hoyt told a story about being arrested, a time that he says could have stopped him from obtaining his law degree.

“That could have been a failure, but it wasn’t,” Hoyt said. “Five of the young men that were arrested with me went to trial, but weren’t convicted, they are now successful.”

Following his lecture, TMSL presented Hoyt with an award, recognizing his contributions to the law school.

Kenneth Hoyt is the second African American federal judge in Texas. He was appointed by President Ronald Reagan to serve on the US District court for the Southern District of Texas in 1987, and received his commission in 1988. Hoyt has given back to his alma mater throughout his 35-year long career as an adjunct professor, and serving on the TMSL American Bar Association Blue ribbon panel.