AUBURN, AL (EETV) - 7:00 a.m. and Auburn students are happy to wake up and stand in the cold for over an hour. The reason? None other than an event featuring 1982 Auburn graduate and Apple CEO Tim Cook.
Students waiting in line to see @Apple CEO @tim_cook pic.twitter.com/sqyY2NyIzw
— Eagle Eye TV (@EagleEyeTV) April 6, 2017
Cook spoke exclusively to Auburn students Thursday morning in an event titled, "Tim Cook: A Conversation on Inclusion and Diversity." LIVE BLOG
The CEO of the number three company on the Fortune 500 list spoke for one hour to a limited audience of 300 students.
Cook started the event by saying, "Auburn is really not a place. It's a feeling and a spirit."
He spoke of diversity on Auburn's campus, within Apple, and worldwide. He emphasized the importance of treating everyone as a human above everything else.
Cook on diversity @Apple : "You can only create a great product with a diverse team"
— Eagle Eye TV (@EagleEyeTV) April 6, 2017
Cook also talked about the types of people Apple looks for in hiring, saying, "We hire wicked smart people that want to change the world, intellectually curious, team players, people who want to work in collaboration."
When students had the opportunity to ask questions, many were curious about Apple's product line, including why Apple hasn't expanded into home assistants like Google Home or drones. Cook said, "We're putting a lot of emphasis on autonomy. We really think hard before going into a new category. We only go into categories we think we can make significant contributions to humanity in."
Cook also spoke about how Apple focuses on education, policy and civil rights for people of all countries. He noted that Apple "believes education is a basic civil right" saying, "education now is based on the location you happen to be born in."
Tim Cook discussing free speech: pic.twitter.com/9nxxsVhBJw
— Eagle Eye TV (@EagleEyeTV) April 6, 2017
Cook talked about the importance of globalization and working to fit the needs of all people. Despite all the travel he does, he said, "If you're like me, you'll always prefer home. It's the feeling I get when I come here."
Cook ended the event in a way only an Auburn graduate and tech executive could, taking pictures of the Auburn logo on the backdrop and holding his iPhone 7 Plus up for a group selfie.
