This year, close to 16,000 degrees will be awarded to graduates from the University of Washington in Seattle, UW Bothell and UW Tacoma. And this week, thousands will turn their tassels and change the world for the better.
Earning a college degree is an outstanding achievement for every student, and, in particular, for those who are the first in their families to achieve this tremendous milestone. Whether you are graduating as first-, second-, third- or even fourth-generation Huskies, this is a time to celebrate all the inspiring work to which you have devoted yourselves over the past several years at the UW.
So many of our seniors embody the undaunted spirit of the University. Let me mention just a few:
Law, Societies & Justice major Dashni Amin has long been an advocate for the underserved. After taking an Honors Program class on education in prison, she turned her compassion into action by creating a program that helps improve prisoners’ access to educational materials.
While juggling a packed academic schedule, mechanical engineering major Ryan Smith applied his growing knowledge to innovative research: He worked 20 hours a week for a UW-propelled startup that combines engineering and medical science to create safer football helmets.
Saloni Parikh, a computer science and public health dual major, put her technical expertise to work in several interdisciplinary global health projects — even traveling to Kenya to help train community health workers to collect digital data for a UW study that aims to curb HIV transmission.
And Ganita Musa, a social welfare major at UW Tacoma, was also a member of the Global Honors Program. Driven to connect with and learn from her fellow students, Ganita immersed herself in student life: She was a member of the Student Services Committee, the Student Social Work Organization and the Muslim Student Association.
The Class of 2015 has an array of remarkable individuals, and I wish I had enough space to tell you about them all. Our University is home to students of brilliant ideas and diverse backgrounds, of entrepreneurial minds and passionate hearts. With optimism and pride, I know we all look forward to the impact our newest graduates will make on communities here and around the world.
Faculty and staff, thank you for everything you have done to prepare the Class of 2015! Your commitment, guidance and passion for research, learning and discovery are at the heart of the UW’s unparalleled excellence as a premier public university.
Graduates, you now join the pantheon of proud UW alumni. Stay connected to your purple and gold roots; work hard and be a force for good in the world. And, most of all, go forth with optimism and fortitude — and Be Boundless!
Congratulations!