Brian Grauman, Psychology/BA/2013
Thank you, Provost Peterson.
And good morning to all of you who are here today – faculty, family, friends, and fellow graduates.
We’re lucky to be here – and I don’t just mean in a commencement ceremony, about to receive our degrees. I mean in the world. Crime, poverty, greed, and geographic barriers have each served to prevent people from earning college degrees. We have a duty to recognize our privilege – that we are each graduating from one of the most well-respected research universities in the world. That we have had the chance to study peacefully on this campus, largely uninterrupted by protests and hate crimes. That we’ve been able to enjoy countless opportunities at others’ expense.
It’s unfortunate how easy it is to get caught up in mundane things – to take for granted so much of the good fortune we enjoy. There are too many people on this campus who complain that they should have done better in high school, that their resume wasn’t as flushed-out as it could have been, or even that they should have gone to college earlier in their life.
None of that matters, though. (PAUSE) For each of us wearing these exceedingly warm gowns, we’ve done something right – we’ve excelled in some fashion of our lives, and we’ve obtained admission to this university. But we didn’t stop there – we struggled hard, we spent nights on social media while pretending to study, and we passed enough classes to earn a degree. And now, we’re set to graduate.
It’s important to stop and realize what this means – for many of us, we’re the first person in our family to see a stage like this, from this perspective. Even if we’re not, this will impact the rest of our lives; in the next few years, everyone will want to know where you performed your undergraduate studies – and this is an exciting opportunity for us.
Just three years ago, when I made my choice of where I would pursue my degree, I had to explain to people what UC Merced was – the majority of people I spoke to had never heard of the school, or were in disbelief that it was a UC, and not a CSU. Fortunately, that time has passed. Now, when I proudly mention my school, the responses I get are surprise and recognition of the name.
What this means; however, is that it falls upon us as a graduating class to give meaning to the UC Merced name. The previous seven graduating classes have worked hard to spread the name – to carry it into the working world, whether by their résumés, or those fancy license-plate frames on sale at the bookstore. Now, though, the time has come for us to give the name meaning! The eyes of the school, the alumni, the faculty and the administration are upon us, and it is our job to do them proud – to take their contribution forth into the world.
The catch is that this path is different for everyone. For some, it will include heading to grad school immediately to receive a second (or third or fourth!) degree. For others, it will mean heading immediately into the working world, to demonstrate that UC Merced graduates have not only the theoretical knowledge, but also the practical experience to succeed. Still others will head to the armed forces, or serve instead in organizations like the Peace Corps. My message to you, graduates, is simple – whatever you may do, do something.
We’ve each spent years of our lives working towards this degree (or two). We spent hours toiling away at writing essays, at studying for multiple-choice midterms, and prepping for that rare open-note exam. We worked hard for this – and we didn’t do it alone. Each of us had help in getting to this point – be it from our parents, friends, roommates, social organizations, or even the government. They have placed in us their trust and their respect – and all they ask in return is that we make something of ourselves.
It is in that vein that I plead to you, the Graduating Class of 2013, to make something of yourself. Do it for your family. Do it for your school. Do it for yourself. Do it because there’s a guy on a stage in front of you telling you to. Each of us has the potential for success – and UC Merced has refined that in us. The only thing holding us back…is ourselves.
Congratulations Class of 2013!
Thank you
