Pre-Commencement 2021 Celebration

Pre-Commencement 2021 Celebration

Graduating from college is a major life accomplishment. To our liberal arts graduates from the faculty and staff —we’re so proud of you and we honor your achievement! You set out to accomplish great things and your dedication, determination, and hard work proves you have what it takes to make those great things happen. Congratulations liberal arts Jags!

Matt Brown, Communication Studies 2021 graduate, was honored with the opportunity to speak at this year's IUPUI Commencement.
Watch his speech now.

Description of the video:

00:09
Greetings to all of you joining us today on this most important occasion.
00:13
Today, we recognize you and your achievement
00:17
and celebrate your graduation
00:19
with a bachelor's, master's, or doctorate
00:23
from the IU School of Liberal Arts.
00:26
I am your Dean, Tamela Eitle.
00:29
And I want to welcome you and your family
00:32
n behalf of the faculty, alumni, staff, and students
00:36
of the IU School of Liberal Arts.
00:39
This year has taught many of you
00:42
that you are much more resilient than you thought.
00:45
You have made drastic changes to your personal, social,
00:49
school, and work lives
00:51
when protecting public health and the health
00:53
of your friends and family demanded it.
00:56
In this last year,
00:58
many of you stood up and protested against racial injustice.
01:02
Asking more of yourselves and of our social institutions.
01:08
I know that during the past four or more years,
01:11
many of you endured hardships
01:14
that made you question whether you could or should
01:17
continue with your education.
01:19
I applaud you
01:21
for confronting these challenges
01:23
and not letting them come between you and your goal
01:25
of earning a Liberal Arts degree.
01:28
I know that you did not come to this day without help
01:32
I want to acknowledge your families
01:35
and networks of friends
01:37
that had been so important to your entire educational journey.
01:42
Their love and support made it possible for you to develop the resilience
01:46
that serve do so well this past year.
01:50
Graduations and commencements are rituals.
01:55
They mark significant transitions in our lives
01:58
and allow for moments of celebration.
02:01
I honor each of you today
02:03
by donning my traditional commencement regalia.
02:07
I hope that you will do the same.
02:09
Put on your cap and gown and take pictures with your family.
02:14
As your names are read today, celebrate,
02:16
cheer for each other,
02:18
and enjoy the ritual
02:20
that marks the occasion of your graduation.
02:23
You have earned it.
02:25
I also hope you will join the Alumni Association
02:28
and stay in touch with us at the IU School of Liberal Arts.
02:33
Your liberal arts education
02:36
has taught you to ask questions,
02:38
challenge your firmly held beliefs,
02:40
and engage and civil discourse with others
02:43
who may disagree with you.
02:45
Your coursework has given you a depth of knowledge
02:49
and skills in one or more areas.
02:51
And it is made learning and civic engagement
02:54
part of who you are as a person.
02:57
Be brave, dream big.
02:59
We are confident that you will succeed.
03:02
Whether you choose a career,
03:04
working for a small startup
03:06
or a multinational company
03:08
in urban planning or education
03:11
as a community organizer or cultural preservationist.
03:15
Or any of the other many opportunities that lie before you.
03:19
The faculty and staff at the IU School of Liberal Arts
03:23
know you are prepared to change the world.
03:27
Congratulations Class of 2021.
03:30
And now our Associate Dean, Thom Upton,
03:34
will read the names of all the graduates.
03:38
[Music]
03:42
[Narrator reads text on screen]

Past Graduation Celebrations