(solemn orchestral music) (audience cheering) (solemn orchestral music) (audience cheering) (solemn orchestral music) (audience applauding) - Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen.

My name is Leo Kempel, dean of the college of engineering.

As we get underway this afternoon, we ask you to join our graduates and faculty in the singing of the Star-Spangled Banner.

Mr.

Drew Laske, applied engineering sciences graduate, will lead the singing, and he requests you to join him and sing with enthusiasm.

Drew is the son of Christopher and Julie Laske, and is from Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Would you all please stand and face the American flag?

Gentlemen, please, remove your hats.

(audience cheering) (solemn orchestral music) ♪ Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light ♪ ♪ What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?

♪ ♪ Whose broad stripes and bright stars ♪ ♪ Thru the perilous fight ♪ ♪ O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?

♪ ♪ And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air ♪ ♪ Gave proof through the night ♪ ♪ That our flag was still there ♪ ♪ Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave ♪ ♪ O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

♪ (audience applauding) - Thank you and please be seated.

I would like to welcome everyone to this very special ceremony, where we pay tribute to those who have successfully completed the requirements for a bachelor's degree in engineering and to alumni, faculty, and friends receiving special recognition for their outstanding career achievements.

This is a joyous but solemn occasion.

Out of respect to those speaking and to those being recognized, I ask you to hold your applause and celebration until the end of each segment of the program.

You are also reminded to please silence your cell phones.

I'll give you time to do that now.

Today's ceremony represents the culmination of discipline, intellectual work, and creative imagination.

Certainly, no small accomplishment.

For many of you and your families here today, the sacrifices have been long and great.

The degree you have earned acknowledges your success, and honors those who have encouraged it.

You have done all of this in the face of some of the most challenging times this university has seen.

This is a tough time to be a Spartan, and you as students have been asked to participate, stand up, and voice your opinions in ways that those before you have not.

I commend all of you for your commitment to MSU and for coming through these troubled times with grace.

Our wish is that you will always be leaders who generously use your intelligence and your knowledge to improve the quality of life for your community, to advance the common good, and to renew hope in the human spirit.

Our faculty, the administrators and the MSU trustees are all very proud of you.

Please accept our warmest congratulations and best wishes.

I would like to now ask a member of the 2018 graduating class to reflect on her engineering undergraduate experience.

I am pleased to introduce Ms.

Kelly Patterson, a mechanical engineering graduate, who was selected by the faculty and the engineering student council to provide the student address.

Kelly is from Lansing, Michigan, and is the daughter of Bob and Mimi Patterson.

Kelly.

(audience applauding) - Thank you, Dean Kempel, distinguished faculty, fellow graduates, families and friends.

I'd also like to take a moment to thank my family and friends, and especially my parents for their support and encouragement every step of the way.

Hello and good afternoon.

I am so excited to be here today with all of these motivated and successful and driven graduates of the class of 2018.

Think with me about your typical day.

You are presented with an unmeasurable number of choices, usually beginning with the choice of whether or not to hit snooze when your alarm goes off in the morning; sometimes there's a right and a wrong decision, and other times it's simply deciding what color shirt you want to wear.

Now imagine that every time you encounter one of these choices, life hands you a brick.

It's yours to place however you want, and the way you choose to conduct yourself at that decision point is how you place your brick.

After days and weeks and years of arranging bricks, you'll notice patterns and the architecture you've built that reveal the way you make choices.

This is a picture of your habits, your motivation and your character.

So all those late nights spent in the engineering building finishing projects, all those times you chose to meet up on a group, with the group on Saturdays, and all the studying you put into thermodynamics and organic chemistry aren't for nothing.

You've been reinforcing the patterns of your character and you have so much to show for it.

To get to this moment, you didn't just throw all of your bricks around on a whim without foresight or responsibility.

Remember how we all started to lay our foundation coming to MSU as freshman, sitting in EGR 100, a little bit nervous because we didn't really know exactly what engineers did?

We met as many people as we could; we found our classes the old-fashioned way without the new map feature on Schedule Builder; and we went to football games in the student section; we found our place in the Spartan community through new clubs, IM Sports; and we made lifelong friends along the way.

Our foundations grew stronger when we started to take our major classes, putting literal blood, sweat and tears into some.

And we started to feel like we knew what was going on.

And then we got to our junior and senior courses and realized we still didn't know what was going on, especially when topics from old courses that we already learned showed up again later on.

And finally, after we thought it might never come, we made it to design day, showing off everything we built upon and adding some pizazz to our own brick masterpieces.

It's something to celebrate and something we couldn't have done without the support of our classmates and friends, families and professors.

Consider what happened so after graduation: we face a fresh start.

For many of us, it comes with a new place to live, a new career and lots of new people.

Although we've spent years building massive brick representations of our character, none of it will be known to those new people we encounter.

This gives us a unique opportunity to stop and assess what our actions say about us and what sort of character we ultimately want to have.

We have two options at this point: remodel or reinforce.

Maybe the decisions you've made lately haven't been the qualities you want others to see first about you.

We can remodel and use this opportunity of a fresh start to build up character qualities we desire, but maybe have never reflected with our actions before.

The end of the semester may have hit us hard with exams, procrastination, deciding between sleep and studies, maybe even catching a touch of senioritis, but it's never too late to regroup and remodel.

And second, we can reinforce.

All of you in here are receiving an engineering degree, so I'm assuming you had to make a lot of decisions with intentionality to get to this place.

You acted in a way that reflects your values and priorities and allowed you to achieve your goals.

When given all of these bricks over the last several years, you built your character, creating good study habits, a strong work ethic and so much more.

The good habits and responsibility that you've developed are going to be instrumental in a transition to a new chapter.

With the possibility for so much change, it helps knowing you already laid some good ground work to reinforce and guide you in the right direction wherever you find yourself.

The only thing we can't do is stop placing bricks, because life doesn't stop for us and allow us to ride on our laurels of past behavior; we will constantly be faced with twists and turns in life, the good, the bad, the frustrating and the surprising.

While we don't get to control this, we do control our responses with every decision that we make.

I challenge all of my fellow Spartan engineers to think hard about where you want to be in the face of this new stage of life, and then go out, remodel, reinforce, and make it happen.

Thank you.

(audience applauding) - Thank you, Kelly, for your thoughtful comments on behalf of all engineering graduates.

Turning to our award and recognition part of the program, we begin with the Claud R. Erickson distinguished alumni award.

This award is given annually to the graduate of the college of engineering who has attained the highest level of professional accomplishment, provided distinguished and meritorious service to the college and the engineering profession, and engaged in voluntary service at the local, state, national, and/or international levels.

The award is named for Claud Erickson, who received four engineering degrees from MSU, beginning with a bachelor of science in 1922.

He also studied law and was qualified to practice before the United States Supreme Court.

Continuing in the same spirit with which Claud lived his life, we gather here today to honor another distinguished alumnus and add him to the list of those the college holds forth as examples for our graduates.

I am pleased to introduce Betty Shanahan, representing the engineering alumni board, who will introduce this year's recipient.

Betty.

(audience applauding) - As chair of the college of engineering alumni board, it is my honor to congratulate you, the graduates, and welcome you to the alumni family.

We are proud of your accomplishments and look forward to your continued contact with the college and with MSU.

It is my honor and pleasure to introduce to you the recipient of the 2018 Claud R. Erickson distinguished alumni award, Jianchang Mao.

(applauding) Dr.

J. C. Mao is the corporate vice president, artificial intelligence and research at Microsoft.

He leads a global team of engineers, scientists, product managers, marketplace operators and analysts.

They're responsible for building technologies and products, and running multi-billion-dollar advertising marketplace that powers Bing, Yahoo, AOL, and other syndication partners.

Prior to Microsoft, he had extensive experience in research and R&D at IBM and Yahoo.

Dr.

Mao is a 1994 graduate of Michigan State University with a PhD in computer science.

Since graduating, Dr.

Mao has been actively involved in MSU community activities, including hosting alumni receptions, giving lectures on campus, serving on the CSE strategic partners council, hiring interns and full-time employees from MSU, and contributing to MSU scholarship funds.

Dr.

Mao credits the training he received in the CSE department for his career success.

He notes that Dr.

Anil Jain, his adviser while he was at MSU, has become his lifetime mentor and friend.

Dr.

Mao and his wife, Yao Chen, also a CSE graduate, live in Bellevue, Washington, and have two children.

In his free time, Dr.

Mao enjoys reading, jogging and skiing.

Congratulations, JC.

(applauding) - Thank you so much, chairwoman Shanahan.

I'm so honored and humbled to received this award and to be here on this special day.

MSU is a very special place for my family and me.

My wife Yao and I graduated from the Computer Science and Engineering Department here.

East Lansing is the first city in America in which we lived.

It is where our first child, David, was born.

He's about your age now.

Yao and David are in the audience cheering for you.

In the 24 years since I've found that what I learned at MSU has been invaluable in both my personal and professional life, even in my current position as Corporate Vice President at Microsoft.

Congratulations to all of you, the MSU College of Engineering, the Class of 2018, (mumbling), the faculty members and (mumbling).

Also, special congratulations to those who today become the first in your family to graduate from college.

What a remarkable milestone for you and your families.

I know how you feel, because 30 years ago I became the first in my family to receive a college degree.

I will never forget how I felt at that moment: unbelievably proud, exhilarated and grateful.

Today is a day of celebration, a day to celebrate all your achievements and the hard work that got you here.

Today is a day of gratitude.

Remember to think of all the people who helped you get here, who taught you, nurtured you, supported you and paid your tuition.

(audience laughing) Today marks the end of one chapter of your life as you begin a new one.

As a commencement speaker, I'm supposed to offer you some advice and wisdom from my personal experiences as you embark on your new journey.

Throughout my life, what has helped me most is my drive to be a lifelong learner, and this is my advice to you as well.

Now, I know what you are thinking: "Wait.

"I finally finished four years of the most tireless learning "and you want me to keep going?

"Give me a break!"

The reason is very simple: we are living in a rapidly changing world, propelled by technological innovations.

I've seen many remarkable changes since I was a student here.

Back then, the web was still in its very early stage and there was not much information on the web.

We would spend way too much time in the MSU library searching through seemingly endless aisles of bookshelves for information.

Nowadays, you can get everything from the web in the blink of an eye using search engines like Bing and Google.

And that's just one of the many remarkable changes that have occurred in the past 24 years.

As the technological evolution accelerates according to the Law of Accelerating Returns, the next 24 years will see more profound changes than all the changes combined in the past 240 years.

The rise of artificial intelligence will potentially transform our future more than any other technology, more than automobiles, more than electricity.

You are graduating at this exciting time, especially for engineering students.

You will be the ones driving many of these transformations.

So you're maybe wondering: "How can I thrive in a world "that's changing so rapidly?"

Like I mentioned before, the key is being a lifelong learner.

In a time of transformative changes, it is the learner with a growth mindset who will thrive.

Here are four tips on how to become a lifelong learner.

One: stay curious.

A curious mind is the innate motivation for learning and exploration.

"You're never going to learn something as profoundly "as when it is purely out of your curiosity," said Christopher Nolan, the director of my science favorite movie Inception.

In your future workplace, don't limit your attention just to your own work.

Be curious about the work of your colleagues and how their work connect to yours.

Watch for industry trends, embrace the inevitable trends.

Doing so will help you learn and view a bigger picture.

Two: practice self-compassion and empathy.

To be self-compassionate is to be human.

In the face of setbacks and failures, of which there will be many to come, don't wallow in self-pity and don't beat yourself up too hard.

Treat failures as gifts, because they may teach you more than your successes will.

Empathy is the ability to perceive other people's thoughts and feelings.

Practicing empathy opens your mind and heart, which is necessary for close collaboration and a relationship of beauty.

Because it's hard to (mumbling) empathy in machines, in the era of AI, in order to harness technology to serve the human needs, we humans must use our empathy to develop a deeper understanding and respect to one another's values, cultures, emotions and drives.

That's what Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, believes.

That's what I believe, too.

Three: adopt a growth mindset.

Your inherent qualities are not carved in stone.

They can be cultivated through your effort.

In her best-selling book Mindset, Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck wrote: "It is this belief that leads "to a life of challenge: belief in effort, "resilience in the face of setbacks, and greater success."

Under the leadership of CEO Satya Nadella, Microsoft has cultivated a growth mindset culture which has turned the entire company into a learning institute.

Adopting a growth mindset is a simple change that anyone can make, that may lead to greater future success.

Four: find your passion and stick with it.

Passion grows from discovering one's own innate talent and reinforcing it through continuous learning and improvement.

If you haven't found your passion yet, and want to be passionate about something, be passionate about learning and challenging yourself.

Learning opens your mind and helps you (mumbling) the insights about yourself.

One day you will find your true passion.

When you do, make sure to follow it, even through adversity.

Those are my four tips.

I'm a strong believer of continuous learning.

I myself am a lifelong learner.

I'm still learning every day, new things every day, 35 years after college graduation and 24 years after my PhD.

I would like to end with a quote from Mahatma Gandhi: "Live each day as if it is your last.

"Learn as if you will live forever."

Go Spartans!

Go Green!

- [Audience] Go White!

(audience applauding) - Thank you and good luck.

(audience applauding) - Thank you, JC.

We are proud of your accomplishments as an outstanding Spartan engineer.

The college of engineering has a long list of distinguished alumni, graduating from each of our academic departments.

Will the alumni award winners and the green apple award winner please come to the stage, form a line along the front of the stage to my right and step forward as I read your name?

This year's recipients were honored at a formal dinner last evening, and we would like to also recognize them at this ceremony as an example and inspiration to all our new graduates.

Please hold your applause until all the winners have been introduced.

James Susan, civil and environmental engineering.

Tracy Camp, computer science and engineering.

Lisa Sparrow, mechanical engineering.

Congratulations to each of you.

(applauding) Your achievements are an inspiration to all of us, and a hallmark of everything MSU strives to achieve in its graduates.

Please, remain on the stage for one more award recognition.

The green apple teaching award is given once a year to a K-12 teacher who is inspiring and encouraging future Spartan engineers and who has contributed significantly to science and engineering education.

I am pleased to announce that our 11th green apple teaching award recipient is Steven Kosmas, a chemistry teacher at Grosse Point North High School in Grosse Point, Michigan.

Congratulations, Steven, and thank you for your hard work and dedication to the future of Spartan engineering.

(applauding) Steven was nominated by Ted Supal, a chemical engineering graduate.

You may now return to your seats.

Thank you.

(audience applauding) Michigan State University is home to incredibly talented faculty, and those in the college of engineering are no exception.

It is my pleasure to recognize faculty and staff who have won the 2018 Withrow teaching, scholarship, and student service awards.

Will the faculty and staff awardees please come forward to the stage and line up to my right?

Through the generosity of Jack and Dorothea Withrow, we established awards for engineering faculty and staff to recognize outstanding teaching, scholarship, professional service and service to students.

As I introduce the award winners, will you please step forward?

I ask the audience to hold applause until all awardees have been introduced.

(mumbling) (woman laughs) Brad marks, biosystems and agricultural engineering.

Maddalena Fanelli, chemical engineering and materials science.

(audience cheering) Susan Masten, civil and environmental engineering.

(audience cheering) Laurie Dillon, computer science and engineering.

(audience cheering) Tongtong Li, electrical and computer engineering.

(audience cheering) Tamara Reid Bush, mechanical engineering.

(audience cheering) Withrow distinguished junior scholar award recipient Xiaoming Liu, computer science and engineering.

(audience applauding) Withrow distinguished senior scholar award recipient Xiabo Tan, electrical and computer engineering.

(audience applauding) Withrow global leadership award recipient Ajit Srivastava, biosystems and agricultural engineering.

(audience applauding) The Withrow student service award recipient is Amanda Idema, assistant dean for undergraduate student affairs.

(audience cheering) On behalf of MSU engineering students and the college, thank you for your excellence in teaching, research, professional service and, most of all, outstanding service to students.

Thank you.

(applauding) Please be seated.

It is now my privilege to recognize the special accomplishments of graduates who have distinguished themselves for their outstanding academic achievement.

Jason Sammut, please stand.

(audience cheering) Jason is a graduate from mechanical engineering and honors college, and has been awarded a national science foundation graduate research fellowship.

Congratulations, Jason.

(applauding) Nine engineering graduates have earned a 4.0 average and were recipients of the MSU board of trustees award.

As I read each of your names, please stand and remain standing.

I ask the audience to please withhold applause until all names have been read.

Fatema Alsaleh, computer science and engineering.

(audience cheering) Gurveer Deol, electrical engineering, honors college.

(audience cheering) Nicholas Desimpelare, civil engineering.

(audience cheering) Sarah Fillwock, computer science and engineering, honors college.

(audience applauding) James Finch, computer science and psychology, honors college.

(audience applauding) Sean Murray, electrical engineering, honors college.

(audience applauding) Jason Sammut, mechanical engineering, honors college.

(audience applauding) Daniel Seeds, Jr., computer engineering, honors college.

James Worthman, chemical engineering, honors college.

(audience cheering) On behalf of the board of trustees, congratulations.

(applauding) I would also like to recognize at this time the top graduate in each major not already recognized.

When your name is called, please stand and remain standing.

Caitlin Killeen, applied engineering sciences.

(audience cheering) Kara Dean, biosystems engineering.

(audience cheering) Siqi Xue, environmental engineering.

(audience cheering) Nicholas Ostrander, materials science and engineering.

Well done.

(applauding) We also have one graduate who has served as a member of the senior class council.

Congratulations to Andrew Miller, chemical engineering.

Please, stand.

(applauding) Our next group of honorees are students nominated by a member of the engineering community for their service to the college.

When your name is called, please stand and remain standing.

Lauren Allswede, computer science and engineering.

(audience applauding) Michael Bigelow, mechanical engineering.

(audience applauding) Kara Dean, biosystems engineering.

(audience applauding) Sarah Fillwock, computer science & engineering.

Emma Hecksmiller, biosystems engineering.

(audience applauding) Alice Marie Kilvington, chemical engineering.

(audience applauding) Colton Knopf, mechanical engineering.

Nayana Kodur, computer science and engineering.

(audience applauding) Brandon Miller, mechanical engineering.

(audience cheering) Kelly Patterson, mechanical engineering.

(audience cheering) Zac Sadler, mechanical engineering.

(audience cheering) And Alyssa Wysocki, chemical engineering.

(applauding) Please be seated.

Engineering students who are also graduating from the MSU honors college have completed a rigorous set of enriched courses during their engineering curriculum and are identified by the white collar stole with the HC designation.

Would all members of the honors college stand for recognition?

(applauding) Co-ops are extremely important for many of us in the college of engineering.

Students who have completed at least three co-op rotations wearing the orange and white ropes to designate them as co-op recipients.

Would those students please stand to be recognized?

(applauding) Finally, MSU is a national leader in the development of international programs.

Through both student and faculty participation in these programs, we continue to play an important role in enhancing global understanding and building an international community of scholars.

Would all students who have participated in a study abroad program or international research or work opportunity please stand for recognition?

(applauding) At this time, we will take a brief departure from the presentation for a special piece of music honoring our graduates.

Conductor Branden Steinmetz and the MSU symphony band will perform Fantasy On MSU Songs.

(soft orchestral music) (audience applauding) Thank you, Mr.

Steinmetz, and the MSU symphony band.

We shall now confer the baccalaureate degrees upon candidates from the major programs in the college.

The candidates from the major of applied engineering sciences will be presented by Dr.

Laura Genik, director of the program.

(audience cheering) - Would the candidates for the bachelors degree in applied engineering sciences please rise up?

(audience cheering) Dean Kempel, I am proud to present our graduates here on behalf of the faculty for the awarding of the baccalaureate degree.

- Thank you.

Candidates from the major of biosystems engineering will be presented by Dr.

Darrell Donahue, chairperson of the department.

- Would the candidates for the bachelors degree in biosystems engineering please stand and remain standing?

(audience cheering) Very good group.

Dean Kempel, on behalf of the biosystems engineering I am pleased to present these candidates to you for the awarding of the baccalaureate degree.

- Thank you.

Candidates from the department of chemical engineering and materials science will be presented by Dr.

Don Morelli, chairperson of the department.

- Would the candidates for the bachelors degrees in chemical engineering and materials science and engineering please stand and remain standing?

(audience cheering) Dean Kempel, on behalf of the faculty of the department of chemical engineering and materials science I am proud and honored to present to you these candidates for the awarding of the baccalaureate degree.

- Thank you.

(audience cheering) Candidates from the department of civil and environmental engineering will be presented by Dr.

Venkatesh Kodur, chairperson of the department.

- Would the candidates for the bachelors degrees in civil engineering and environmental engineering please stand and remain standing?

(audience cheering) Dean Kempel, on behalf of the faculty of civil and environmental engineering department, I am pleased to present these outstanding candidates for the awarding of the baccalaureate degree.

- Thank you.

Candidates from the department of computer science and engineering will be presented by Dr.

Abdol Esfahanian, interim chairperson of the department.

- Would the candidates for the bachelors degree in computer science please rise?

(audience cheering) Dean Kempel, these candidates are ready to change the world for better.

(laughing) On behalf of the computer science faculty I present these talented candidates for the awarding of their degree.

- Thank you.

(audience cheering) Candidates for the department of electrical and computer engineering will be presented by Dr.

John Papapolymerou, chairperson of the department.

- Would candidates for the bachelors degrees in computer engineering and electrical engineering please stand and remain standing?

(audience cheering) Dean Kempel, on behalf of the electrical and computer engineering faculty, I am very pleased to present these outstanding candidates to you for the awarding of the baccalaureate degree.

- Thank you.

(audience cheering) The candidates from the department of mechanical engineering will be presented by Dr.

James Klausner, chairperson of the department.

- Would candidates for the bachelors degree in mechanical engineering please stand and remain standing?

(audience cheering) Dean Kempel, on behalf of the mechanical engineering faculty I am pleased to present these candidates to you for the awarding of the baccalaureate degree.

- Thank you.

(applauding) On behalf of the president, who has delegated him the authority of the State of Michigan vested in the board of trustees, I confer upon each of you the degrees for which you have been recommended, with all the rights and distinctions which they entitle you.

According to custom, you may now move your tassels from the right side of your caps to the left.

(audience cheering) Congratulations, MSU alumni!

Please be seated.

(audience cheering) This act represents the conclusion of a great achievement and marks the beginning of a lifetime of dedicated service to your fellow men and women.

It is an achievement worthy of celebration and we are here this afternoon to celebrate the fact that more than 730 men and women have, this semester, completed the academic program of their choice in the college of engineering.

(applauding) Before moving forward, I would like to take a moment to recognize a young man who is not here to celebrate with us today.

Ryan Stephen was a senior in the chemical engineering program.

When he passed away earlier this academic year, he was just one semester away from earning his degree.

I'd like to invite his mother, Kim Stephen, to come forward to accept this degree on his behalf.

(audience applauding) At this time, the new graduates will be escorted to the stage by the academic advisors for their program.

Would the advisors please stand and be recognized as I call their names?

Dr.

Amanda Idema, assistant dean for undergraduate student affairs.

Joyce Samuel, applied engineering sciences.

(audience cheering) Lindsay Naylor, chemical engineering and materials science.

(audience cheering) Sharita Williamson, civil and environmental engineering.

(audience cheering) Titun Maiti, computer science.

(audience cheering) Sean Fochtman, electrical and computer engineering.

(audience cheering) Gaile Griffore, mechanical engineering.

(audience cheering) The students will be introduced by Mr.

Scott Pohl and Mr.

Jaime Paisley from WKAR broadcasting services, as they walk across the stage to receive a token diploma.

Students who attain grade point averages between 3.91 and 4.0 are awarded university high honor.

University honor is awarded to students who have earned grade point averages between 3.73 and 3.90.

These honors are designated by the gold cord added to the academic robes and will be noted as the students' names are read.

Please keep your individual applause brief so the names of each of our graduates can be heard by all.

Assisting me will be assistant Dean, Dr.

Daina Briedis and associate Dean, Dr.

Neeraj Buch.

Will the graduates from the biosystems engineering major please come forward?

- [Scott] We are now reading the names of graduates from computer engineering.

Jesse S. Wolven.

Thomas Andrew Szilard.

Edward Vasquez.

Kyle Mark Lammers.

Ryan Christopher Ashbeau.

Anton Theodore Schlegel, with honor.

Mitchal Fejedelem.

Guangyao Li.

Justin Michael Hughes.

Kellen M. Collison.

Jordie Liao.

Charles Howell Wesaw Mersereau.

Austin J. Winarski.

Brent Allen Cavner.

Ibnul Farabi Khan.

Sahil Rakash Patel.

Kayla Ivette Achy.

Ryan Jay Yergin.

Kevin Michael Scott.

Dena Freshta Mujtaba.

Kyle Alexander Gray, with honor.

Dinmukhammed Aimurzayev.

Travis Michael Leffel, with honor.

Zixou Wang.

Penglu Yang.

Mohamed Youssef Stouka.

Yifan Zhang.

Xiuei Sung.

Xingchen Xiao.

Now the electrical engineering majors.

Ibrahim Abdulrahman Sairafi.

Matthew Paul Ignatowski.

Boyuan Sun, with high honor.

Kyle Anthony Hanson.

Michael William Perry.

Adam Matthew Gould.

Mario Christopher Pipitone.

Joshua Alan Clouse.

Shihao Meng.

Shu Liu.

Yuankun Hong.

Chengsi Liu.

James Cao Thien Nguyen.

Neel H. Patel.

Kevin William Dolinar.

Brendon Price Johns.

Tarun Giridhar.

Donshu Cao.

Sanh Huy Phan.

Steven Jon Yik.

Parikshit Singh Chahal.

Kenedi Price.

Joshua Thomas Friday.

Zachary Martin Driscoll, with honor.

Kyle Thomas Sandrosky.

Jesus Alexis Garcia.

Jacob Patrick DeSantis.

Abby Lynn McQuade.

Garik Joseph Goldwater.

Solomon James Remmo, with honor.

Sonia Christine Burger.

Chengsi Liu.

John Ellis Whinham.

Gurveer Singh Deol, with high honor.

Sean Charles Murray, with high honor.

Nicholas Vladimir Gajar.

John Dominique Bono.

Robert Vincent Pizzamenti.

Thomas W. Humphrey.

Philip Arthur Dooley, with honor.

Jack Martin Christie, with high honor.

Weili Xu.

Xiao Chang.

Wanxuan Chen.

Shubo Chen.

Jiahui Lu.

Bingquan Gu.

Honggang Zhuang, with honor.

Zehua Li.

Qiuyang Yue, with honor.

Ruikai Chen, with honor.

Christopher Thomas Hawkey, with high honor.

Nathan Abrey Backnold.

Mark Lawrence Leja, with honor.

John Patrick Slavin.

Stefanos Palestis, with honor.

Kozar Zahid Albayad, with honor.

Orwell Madovi.

Benjamin Dale Roytburd.

Mirza Hadzialijagic.

Ryan Douglas Brosevich.

Yu Dong.

- [Jamie] From mechanical engineering: Evan James Lile.

Henry Thomas Wikol.

Matthew Ryan Cassiday.

Austin David Klum, with honor.

Zachary Michael Lapinski.

Andrew William Stamm, with honor.

Leo P. Calaj.

Courtney Bianca Simmer.

Adri Shahari, with honor.

Nor Shafid Mornor.

Mirza Allamin Zaifulbari.

Abdulah Amhed Boshekhia.

Andrés Manuel García Salazar.

Jonathan Andrew West.

Jackson Ryan Garber.

Andrew Albert Piggey.

Duie Nguyen.

Josen Ngo.

Tristan Robert Kyle Eghenberger.

Nathan Patrick O'Sullivan.

Michael Anthony Williams.

Nicholas James Flannery.

Ian R. Linslie, with honor.

Brad Mark Scooch.

Austin Gregory Miller.

Brandy Neimazela, with honor.

Evan Matthew Poppert, with honor.

Ian Daniel May.

Philip Bruce Erickson.

Edward John Clark.

Jacob Henry Wilson.

Miranda Ray Wa.

Maria Catherine Magedson.

Paton Dale Bowman, with honor.

Robert Wesley Chaney, with high honor.

William Scott Hartnagel.

Daniel Jeffrey Middleton.

Heather Raymord.

Christopher Charles Brenton.

Ryan Robert Lovlent.

Nathaniel William Kingsley Denaro.

Spencer Allen Thompson, with honor.

Jack Arthur Kurbitz.

Sawyer J. Demak.

John Adam Shoemaker.

Owen Zachary Middleton.

Stephanie Marie Close.

Samantha Ann Brown.

Rebecca Ann Reneker, with honor.

Spencer Brian Miller, with high honor.

Chi Len Xiu.

Matthew Scott Ovenshire.

Charles James Guardini, with honor.

Chase Michael Quencer.

Jonathan Winslow Howard, with honor.

Maria Bianca Ozinsky.

Megan Christine Bayser, with honor.

Kelly Susan Patterson, with high honor.

Jason Paul Summer, with high honor.

Brian Charles Parkinson, with high honor.

Lindsay Anne Horn.

Michael James Malicki.

Catherine Marie Steinetz.

Gina Maureen Duff.

Adam Jonsey Emba.

Za Xi Peng.

Yu Hai He.

Zhang Yang Dong.

Lin Pheng Wong.

Xuang Lieu.

Xai Xi Chang.

Xe Xu.

Motava Nazaralla Alexa King, with honor.

Ryan Joseph Crisom.

Kang Xu Mori, with honor.

Jonathan Robert Restola.

Anushvi Viatz.

Anthony Charles Eteridge.

Dong Yang Kim.

Chunkic Keladian.

Tracy Linnoy.

Vincent Resapal.

Samuel Joseph Greenwald.

Brandon A. Miller.

Tyler McCarthy Nicolai, with honor.

Colton James Nope.

Perkins Joseph Karr.

Mohamed Sammy M. Mamosa.

Mayer Abdulah Almuayed.

Krishnen Shushbay Nahari Luhar.

Michael Joseph Bigellow, with honor.

Mark Andrew Van Poplin, with honor.

David M. Mesier, with high honor.

James Hanen Gareth III.

Nicholas Caesar Santi.

Hunter Jacob Jenuai.

James Bernard Maureen.

Tyler Matthew Smith.

Erin Matthew Finehour.

Daniel Adam Buckhart.

Grant James Gibson.

Maddison Nicole Case.

Tess Evelyn Reed.

Justin Sloctor.

Peter Roger Chew.

Andrew Frank Palucki, with honor.

Kayla Ann Star.

Alex Steven Clark.

Gene Marie Cluckabold, with honor.

Marie Jean Johnny, with honor.

Zachary John Sadler, with honor.

Cole Juliette Koolany Brinsman.

Jack Lewis Lecter, with honor.

Ryan Gary Pizak.

Resan Julie, with honor.

Daniel John McCarthy.

Drew Thomas Daily.

Suan Mohamed Saddun Alhaoari.

Vincent Lewis Rende, with high honor.

Jacob J. Rector.

James Edward Mori.

Yamen Almamud, with honor.

Andrew Michael Tram.

Justin Sah.

Jonat Lu.

- [Scott] From computer science and engineering: Donald William Porter, class of 1970.

Don never attended his son commencement ceremony and joins us today after a 48-year in computer science.

He recently returned from Thailand and wanted to attend today to show his gratitude to MSU and the college of engineering for his education.

Donald William Porter.

(audience cheering) Nicholas Joshua Senacol Michael Savage.

Charles Lorenzo Carrol.

Sam Benjamin Koffee.

Andrew Astercoff.

Chen Xiao.

Calan Dane Dillinger.

Zachary Iovan Weitner.

Dillon Wilson Stack.

Tiang E. Lee.

Nathaniel Brian Finley.

Stephen Vincent Naiser.

Tinen Matthew Ford, with honor.

Anthony David Dayanese.

Michael Joseph Bremeler, Jr.

Alex Robert Weone, with honor.

Jacob Anthony Weber.

Kevin Justin Gavin.

Evan David Breeson.

Reese David Cole.

Nicholas Sterling Frederick.

Calen Ross Coppersmith.

Megan Cecilia Lippert.

Jacob Robert Bonesteel.

Zachary Andrew Richardson.

Erin Monroe Carlson.

Ryan J. Schiller.

Jeremy Austin Speck, with honor.

Andrew John Gilbertson.

Vikram Prakash Sakur.

Wang Hi Kim.

Patrick Robert Dane, with honor.

Zachary H. Geiser.

Pierce Blackburn Neal.

Dallas Nowack.

Rachel Ann Virginia Polace, with honor.

Dane Matthew Rosedor, with honor.

Bradley James Dorothy, with honor.

Daniel Cobena Oforidankwa.

Colbert James Chamberlain, with high honor.

Mekechuku Nwuka Huchendu.

Nayana Kodur, with honor.

Her diploma will be presented by her father, Dr.

Venkatesh Kodur, chairperson of civil and environmental engineering.

(audience cheering) Madeleine May Lenvinson.

Jennifer Morgan Pruce.

Minu Sandreyash.

Bryce Mark Corey.

Matthew Warren Pasco.

Owen Thomas Mitman, with honor.

Fatema Zaid Alzala, with high honor.

Yakeem Nazeed Almarhun.

Emmanuel Goshu.

Michael Greg Carter, Jr.

Ryan Lang, with high honor.

Charles William Hile III.

James Allen Greenfield.

Zachary Lonely.

Abid Wang.

Antonino Candella.

Yu Mo Ang.

Zi Xian Wang, with honor.

Kai Chen Chow.

Grant Mitchel Thomas.

Kyle Jameson Bush.

Zachary Alexander Brahms.

Charles Edward Denew.

Tuclin Andrew McClinto, with high honor.

Morgan Alice Meiskens.

Joshua Benjamin Miles.

Dane Andrew Homberg.

Ashton Wilhelm Broponos.

Bukdan Ainut Posdurka.

Dillon Ryan Stokes.

Cylus Killyan Broomwell.

Kevin Andrew Nicolai, with high honor.

David Amos York, with high honor.

Huei Chang, with high honor.

Shun Ran.

Han Chen Xiao, with honor.

Ibrahim Abdul Galil Ahmed.

Chen Li Liang, with honor.

Juan Sho.

Jerry McMillan.

Daniel Salah Akbeh.

Mustafa A. Jabara, with honor.

Robert Francis Novack, Jr., with honor.

Ye Wu.

Xin Yang Xiao.

Kirtana Colisetti, with high honor.

Cristal Wound Lewis.

Doyam M. Kim.

Zi Quin Ching.

Zin Cher Chow, with honor.

Jon Jim Chen, with high honor.

Bo Hao Gao, with high honor.

Tao Tao.

Lewis Anthony Zeedam.

Daniel James Radler.

Chin Zu Wang.

Kyle Mark White.

Matthew Robert Smith.

Don Yang Lee.

Jonathan Donald Hayworth, with honor.

Ryan Edmund Pensky, with high honor.

Robert Greenwald Miller, with honor.

Riley Jameson Anice, with honor.

Jacob Gideon Fenton, with honor.

Timothy Jerry Kelly, with high honor.

Jacob Lotton Carroll.

Lauryn Elizabeth Alsweed, with high honor.

Jared Austin Ballants, with high honor.

Jacob Tyler Young, with honor.

Erin Roisen O'Hara, with high honor.

Adam Joseph Blada.

Colin Mitchel Scornesky.

Ryan Michael Johnson, with high honor.

Andrew Wayne Scheifer, with honor.

Nakasai Bishal Adesemele.

Kyle James Kinsey.

Abigail Hope Rubinsky.

Stephen Elpha.

Julian Amani Ellis.

Tang Xiu.

Griffin James Matevia, with high honor.

Samuel T. Klein.

Andrew Craig Mitchel.

Alexander Boyane Bonef.

Danislav Vensislavov Andrews, with honor.

- [Jamie] From applied engineering sciences: Erin Ashley Trigerhausen.

Michael Kenneth Carlson.

Paul G. Wagner.

Christopher Jason Capoldi.

Thomas James Shelton.

Tegan Rosalie Cunningham.

Reed Anthony Cartwright.

Michael Jeffrey Branch.

Caitlin Ann Kewin, with high honor.

Edmund C. Justin.

Abigail Lauren Whalberg.

Nicolette Bailey Birthcat.

Alexander Hugh Peterson.

Drew Christopher Laske.

Gabrielle Ann Logan.

Kristen Michelle Lausaune.

Alexander T. Lockman.

Emily Elizabeth Hocks.

Wilhelm Samuelson Byron III.

Seneca Marie More.

Austin Christopher Murray.

Joseph Henry Sopacowitz.

Andrew David Londer.

Joseph Charles White.

Carlin Russel White, with honor.

Patrick James Kiper.

Arian Adzari Jabar.

Erin Philip Dawn.

Maxwell Richard Bradley.

Zachary John Lance.

Nicholas Andrew Kirkpatrick.

Stephen Benjamin Lipshaw.

Connor Allen Stebrok.

Malik Martínez Hall.

Joseph Michael Baglass.

Jane Honey Harrison.

Joshua Matthew Charteer.

Samuel Bartlet Morris.

Michael Samuel Hamilton, Jr.

Sasha Renee Johnson.

Matthew Paul Thanco.

Jacob Frederick Pervald.

Justin Jai Hong Kim.

Andrew Richard Stephanie.

Michael Andrew Baron.

Morgan Joy Sheline.

Christopher Michael Rinaldi.

Kyle Ryan Newman.

Eric Daniel Van Slembruck.

Samuel Peterson Katewood.

Travis Lee Wynance.

Jacob Reed Sites.

Stephen Daniel Christie.

Joseph Carol Andre.

Drew Christopher Antonelli.

Maureen Conway.

Erin Michelle McDonald.

Melina Rona Montovano.

Morgan Marie Bishu.

Jeffrey James Osment.

Marcus James Federly.

Erik Christian Ross.

Ian Michael Rowan.

Alec Holden Levine.

Ely Mason.

Zi Xieng Yang.

Xu Nguyen Liu, with honor.

Detong Xe, with honor.

Huai Lien Du.

Hao Chen.

Yu Kuan Pang.

Andrea Marie Prevay, with honor.

Nikki Catherine Onoppa.

Harrison Glenn Malik.

Justice Ray Shield.

Kimberley Courtney Sellers.

Matthew Robert Hamilton.

Dyang Shao.

Jack Haley, with honor.

Jason Lee Armbruster.

Nicholas Joseph Valentine.

Kyle Christopher Fraser.

Ian Thomas Vissen.

Brandon Richard Skardon, with honor.

Xa Xing Xa.

Dalacmey Davemport.

From biosystems engineering: Anthony Charles Tamasky.

Andrew Lloyd Cobbage, with honor.

Ryan Paul Scott.

Alexandra Elizabeth Dero.

Elizabeth Renee Asmos.

Joshua A.J.

Sha.

Matthew John Patzio.

Careth Jane Dean, with high honor.

Emily Elizabeth Willys.

Nicholas Alexander Sarvadio.

Eric Albert Kline.

Caitlin Louise Keynetgen.

Emma Olivia Hacosmiller.

William Hunter Van Maley.

Jordan Lee Sicca.

Nicole Rigdon.

Alexandra Popovich.

Courtney Jordan Van Der Hoof.

Monica Danuta Mihalic.

Alexis Doreen Cantrooses.

Rock Richard Ross.

Eric William Loush.

Melissa Aubrey Schneider, with honor.

Serenity Eve Skillman.

Anna Noel Nelson.

Jessica E. Carlton.

Linda Marie Lay.

- [Scott] From civil engineering: Fifan Yu.

Hang Wang.

Michael Erwin Wise.

George Hristos Anganas.

Cole Michael Christie.

Matthew George Biddy, with high honor.

James Milligan, with honor.

Stanley James Miller.

Lauren Alexandra Woods.

James Thomas Cobington III.

James Austin Temple.

Gareth John Olson.

Abdukaram Abdulasis Alhud Tahil.

Christopher Allen Harrington, with honor.

Jacob Raymond Van Seiling.

Mitchel Allen Chapel.

Evin Glenn Patton.

Jordan Joseph Doddy, with high honor.

Nicholas Jordan Ackerman.

Elena Marie Medvedev.

Daniel Stewart Smith.

Daniel Wesley Bomser.

Jordan Nicole Neelan.

Danielle Elise Jenks.

Carleen N. Bianco.

Kelsey Lucille Goss.

Brianna Elisa De León.

Nicholas John Desimplare, with high honor.

Brandon Roy Walters.

Rodolfo Granado Espinel Cabrera.

Nicholas Paul Andrews.

Zachary Coleman Meskin.

Philip West Wandos.

Amir Rashad Mafarja.

Jacob Matthew Pfeiffer.

Ya Feng Yang.

Yung Hie.

Yung Xi Huan.

Lucas Mainhise, with honor.

Mileson Natasha Nlousi.

Joseph Michael Defrenza.

Joseph Michael.

Robert Lawrence Seblock.

Matthew Philip Kenetal Barnett.

Jacob Daniel Wisocky.

Nolan Elizabeth O'Brien.

Nicholas Mark Buyer.

Allan Michael Painley.

Daniel Thomas Hurtley.

Andrew Robert Stucky.

Gerin Bart Polari.

Now the graduates from environmental engineering: Eric David Melnesky, with high honor.

Dylan Schubert, with honor.

Kara Nicole Felart.

Marina Shelley Astasusky.

Cary Jean Bedley, with honor.

Kelsey Marie Paul.

Carlie Elizabeth Nilander.

Lin Yang, with high honor.

Pei Xu.

Ziki Shua, with high honor.

Shiley Dorsa Catabai.

Allison Elizabeth Lukens.

Aneka Rose Hart.

Editia Pooley, with honor.

Pop Lee.

Travis Grant Asher.

Anthony David Carrier.

Michael Andrew Kennan.

David Joseph Jackson.

Nana Abina Obusaha Ante.

Now from materials science and engineering: Daniel John Crosby.

Tyler Nathaniel Johnson.

Alexis Laura Rogan.

Megan Elizabeth Willock.

McKenly Marie Brewer.

Charles Robert Feliviak.

Luke William Russel.

Douglas William Simpson.

Michael Douglas Bordis.

Gail Mordikyle Leventhal.

Brok Madison Owianko.

Joshua Richard Young, with honor.

Nicholas John Ostrander, with honor.

Bryce Justin Ewing.

Daniel Alexander McKenna.

Casper Bernecky.

Nicholas John Dianise.

The graduates from chemical engineering: Maria Daisy Allen.

Noel Miles.

Alexander Samuel Edwards.

Achille Mussen Alnatli.

Noor Hussain Almatuk.

Stacey Michelle Shaw.

Huan Gu Miao.

Chen Xiang.

Hong He Xiao.

Chung Ray Huei.

Huei Chang Jong.

Huei Ting Shao.

Sherry Lu.

Ren Ming Lu.

Huei Sho Chang.

Ming Chuang Bai, with honor.

Brooke Marie Mehart, with honor.

Justin Allen Hoffman.

Jonathan Peter Steibetz.

Mitchel Jordan Grant.

Anthony T. Perrow.

Kyle J. Simes.

Yusef Tarek Al Dasari.

Jacob Austin Menrose.

Dustin Paul Edwards.

Austin Charles Meshburn.

Mika Jo Dabbs.

Kong Lee.

Drew Henry Jaynard.

David Allen Esterbie.

Megan Crampie.

Brichelle Nicole Harris.

Amanda Elizabeth Cobert.

Josafa Pillos Kaganova.

Derick P. Metcalf.

Benjamin Asher Stephens, with honor.

Daniel Paul Gillespie.

Rachel Rose Martin.

Ngan Chot Kim Nguyen.

Neal Purple Robinson.

Elizabeth Joy Foss, with honor.

Gailin Frederick Newroff, with high honor.

Mika James Swanson.

Matthew Joseph Nagorsky.

Mitchel Ernest Heinrich.

Mabu Manan Adele.

Zachary Tyler Manfroni.

Michael Austin Brown.

Mark Allen Vandenburg.

James Nathan Vanderost.

Alex Richard France.

Duncan Alexander Kroll.

Casey Mark Peppin.

Joshua James Zadsodsky, with honor.

James Oldeen Workman, with high honor.

Matthew David Bjork, with high honor.

Elizabeth Emily Satoro, with high honor.

Leonardo Consulado Blasevita.

Cole Michael Decat.

Kyle Matthew Kilponen.

Nathan Michael Cathrow.

Evin Dennis Draplin, with honor.

Nathan Brian Stall.

Charles John Sanders.

Christopher Derick Bow, with honor.

Abdul Hakeem Sasley.

Franklin James Garlin.

Austin James Serioko.

Anthony Michael Connors.

Abdusalan Mohamed Al Ali, with high honor.

Amhed Sacchi Osada, with honor.

Abdulah Ibrahim Alsovi.

Amhed Adil Elrifai.

Ander Naualf Oharbi.

Sid Mohamed Benhassa.

Abdulasis Fajad Aljudi.

Mohamed Yusef Almagari.

Mutna Tarik Alataibi.

Zahud Otman Omarzuki.

Rasheed Abdulasis Alah Ali.

Zad Ai Alanisi.

Joseph Andrew Adams.

Mohamed Nasser Nassad, with honor.

Julia Lynn Sassatoli.

Olivia Veronica Dunn.

Afton Michelle Dewise.

Kevin Mitchel Smith.

Elisa Antoinette Wisocky.

Christine Nicole McCowie.

Bridget Ann Baiter, with high honor.

Lucas George Layer, with honor.

Kelsey Elizabeth Bresidis.

Tyler John Patrick.

Megan Elaine Methany.

Taylor Marie Jane Collin.

Christopher Thomas Tramold.

Parker Elliot Dunn, with honor.

Parker Anderson McNick.

Connor Charles Walters.

Keita Michael Van Royen.

Kevin Michael Clever.

Seth William Bartell.

Grant Stephen Amond.

Nicholas Robert Ferina.

Paul Raymond White.

Chris Ann Toffick.

Anna Lee Lavern Thomas, with honor.

Ryan James Atherton, with honor.

Jacob E. Archer, with high honor.

Angela Christine Demarco, with honor.

Alice Marie Kelvington.

Davinda Parkada Huanchiwortena, with honor.

Andrew Joseph Miller.

Natalie Croft Botsky.

Jonathan David Tyler.

Matthew Jeffrey Priest.

Ted Jones Simple, with high honor.

John William Sefrensky.

Grant Ryan Payjack.

Kendall Frederick Christie.

Catherine Karen Strength, with honor.

Morgan Jane Chick, with honor.

Sabrina Marie Meo.

Sirakuan Katamani.

Sherin Akingyi Onyengo.

Samuel Ronald Fejerski.

Taylor Lynn Fox.

Andrew Willock Wandez.

Miranda Jane Monroe.

Cardo David Yok.

Coleen Douglas Herinshaw.

Sidney Elaine Borbuross.

Jenna Lynn Shawnfeld.

James Donald Lucynski, with honor.

Andrew Scott White.

Jared Henry Janicki.

Stephen Patrick Johnson, with honor.

Trenton Ronald Day.

Felipe Paiva.

Jacob Thomas Young.

Tristan Hunter Rojack.

Benjamin Jack Arney.

Jack William Walton.

And Kyle Avory Sanders.

(audience cheering) - Congratulations to all our graduates!

There is a large group of individuals who have contributed their love, their understanding and their financial support to the achievements that we recognize today.

Accordingly, we ask all the members of the immediate families of the graduates to rise and give us all an opportunity to express our thanks and appreciation.

Please stand.

(applauding) There are three other people on the platform that have not been formally recognized.

Would they please stand as I introduce them?

Dr.

Daina Briedis is assistant dean for assessment and student advancement.

(audience applauding) I expected that from (mumbling).

Dr.

Neeraj Buch is associate dean for undergraduate studies.

Should be from all the students.

Dr.

Tom voice is the associate dean for administrative affairs.

Especially from the faculty.

Thank you.

I would like to introduce a very important group of people who have the ultimate responsibility for the education that you have received.

Would the representatives of the faculty of the college of engineering rise and accept our gratitude?

(applauding) I now would like to invite Dr.

Gary Cloud, professor in the department of mechanical engineering to the podium.

He will tell you about the history of the MSU alma mater, MSU Shadows, which you will find in your program.

Gary.

- Well, ladies and gentlemen, you are now alumni of Michigan State University, or you are family or friends of a new alumnus or alumna.

On behalf of our engineering faculty, I congratulate all of you and I wish you exceptional fortune in your personal and professional journeys.

We the faculty have tested you for four years, for five years?

Will anybody confess to more than five years?

Sing out.

Yeah.

(audience cheering) (laughing) Well, I congratulate you on your persistence and I congratulate... I congratulate your parents on their patience.

(audience laughs) We the faculty are growing very proud of you, and believe it or not, we will miss you.

We understand more than anybody that you are our future.

I would like to relate to you some lessons learned during my 59 years as a college teacher and professor.

However, the afternoon has been long, your seats are not comfortable, and your families are waiting for wild parties... (audience laughs) So I must be content with some too serious thoughts that you might find amusing.

And I hope you can tell the difference.

Let us begin by thinking about the two meanings of alma mater: first, the institution itself; and second, the anthem of the institution.

The literal meaning of the Latin term alma mater is nurturing mother.

These words imply that you are in some way children of the faculty.

The idea that you are our children probably ranks somewhere between distasteful and disgusting to many of you.

And that is why we did not tell you this until graduation day.

(audience laughs) On the serious side, I suggest that you always be thankful for the opportunity to get a good education in your field of interest.

Remember that parents, teachers, professors, counselors, and others that have help you as best they have been able, and be bold enough and, yes, humble enough, to say to them thank you for giving me a future.

Yes, thank you for giving me a future.

And whatever your politics, let us offer heartfelt thanks and support to those men and women who put it all on the line to protect the country that allows us to... Allows you to get a good education and pursue your bliss free of gut-wrenching fear.

(audience applauding) Further my long career of observations leads me to know that into every life at least one positive life-changing opportunity will be offered.

The lesson is this, and you've heard it more than once today, keep yourselves ready through continued learning; be alert to opportunity; and most telling, be courageous in embracing it.

You will not be sorry.

Now a few words about our alma mater anthem, MSU Shadows.

I want to relate two goofy facts about the anthem that are not on the internet.

The first fact might be of special interest to the ladies among us.

The tune four Shadows is identical to one appearing in the last act of the opera Lucia Di Lammermoor, written by Gaetano Donizetti in 1835, 20 years before MSU was founded.

To me this seems somewhat fitting for the MSU anthem because the opera is about a lady who slides into pathological insanity because their love relationship got all messed up by poor communication, bad assumptions, and unreal expectations.

Ladies, does that sound a little familiar?

(audience laughing) I gather that some of you can relate to the story.

The second strange musical fact was pointed out by my red-headed Irish wife.

The last few bars of our alma mater match the end of the song When Irish Eyes Are Smiling.

Now, our school color is go green, and part of our anthem is identical to an old Irish drinking song.

Can this be just coincidence?

(audience laughs) In fact our alma mater is indeed a final song and worthy of being sung with feeling and respect.

Here's your last assignment from an old professor: put behind you disagreeable memories, like that design project that did not quite work when prints time came, and let us sing together with passion our alma mater MSU Shadows.

The words are in your program on page nine.

Rise if you are able.

Don't start yet, Maestro.

(laughing) Now, it would be perfectly sweet if you get an arm around someone, or two, both arms, come on... Get an arm, and we should sway a bit.

Yeah, you get the idea.

Yeah.

Who knows... Yeah, parents too, especially husbands and wives do this.

Who knows?

This might be the start of a beautiful relationship.

(audience laughs) Now, Dean Kempel is not paying me for a solo recital, so I want you to hear emotion in your throat as you sing.

This is the closing moment in your lives as MSU students, so if a secret little nostalgic tear rivers down your cheek, una furtiva lagrima, as it does mine, well, that is perfectly all right.

Maestro Steinmetz we are ready when you are.

(solemn orchestral music) ♪ MSU, we love thy shadows ♪ ♪ When silent twilight falls ♪ ♪ Flushing deep and softly paling ♪ ♪ O'er ivy covered halls ♪ ♪ Beneath the pines we'll gather ♪ ♪ To pledge our faith so true ♪ ♪ Sing our love for Alma Mater ♪ ♪ And thy praises, MSU ♪ (audience applauding) - [Audience] Go Green!

Go White!

- Please be seated.

Thank you, Dr.

Cloud.

I would like to thank Scott Pohl and Jamie Paisley of WKAR radio for reading graduates names.

I'd also like to thank Andrea Kleiver for providing real time captioning in today's ceremony.

Please remain seated while the platform party and the faculty leave the arena.

Once the platform party has left, please remain in your seats for one additional special number from the MSU symphony band, in honor of our graduates.

After the recessional, families and friends may meet the graduates on the ground level.

To our graduates, we are extremely proud of all of you completing your work here today.

We know that you will accomplish great deeds in the future and we want to hear from you often.

Best to all of you and go green!

- [Audience] Go White!

(solemn orchestral music) (cheerful orchestral music) (audience cheering) - [Announcer] Parents and families, meet your graduates outside Southwest Harrison Gate near the parking lots.