("Pomp and Circumstance") ("Pomp and Circumstance") ("Pomp and Circumstance") ("Pomp and Circumstance") ("Pomp and Circumstance") ("Pomp and Circumstance") ("Pomp and Circumstance") ("Pomp and Circumstance") ("Pomp and Circumstance") ("Pomp and Circumstance") ("Pomp and Circumstance") ("Pomp and Circumstance") ("Pomp and Circumstance") (attendee cheering) - Please be seated.

Today, we celebrate the academic accomplishments of our newest Spartan graduates.

We ask that all in attendance are respectful of today's ceremony and adhere to university ordinances and expectations.

Graduates, families, and friends, it is my distinct honor and privilege to welcome all of you here to the 2024 commencement of the MSU College of Law in this, our 133rd year of continuous operation.

Founded in 1891 as Detroit College of Law, MSU College of Law was the first law school in Detroit.

Detroit College of Law affiliated with Michigan State University in 1995.

The Law College achieved full integration with MSU in 2020, and this is our 27th year that we have held ceremonies on the MSU campus.

Today we welcome our 2024 Juris Doctor, Master of Laws, and Master of Jurisprudence graduates to our MSU Law alumni ranks.

We thank all of you who help them to reach this day.

We collectively also acknowledge that Michigan State University occupies the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary lands of the Anishinaabeg Three Fires Confederacy of Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi peoples.

In particular, the University resides on land ceded in the 1819 Treaty of Saginaw.

We recognize, support, and advocate for the sovereignty of Michigan's 12 federally-recognized Indian tribes and for historic Indigenous communities in Michigan, for Indigenous individuals and communities who live here now, and for those who were forcibly removed from their homelands.

By offering this acknowledgement, we affirm Indigenous sovereignty and will work to hold Michigan State University more accountable to the needs of American Indians and Indigenous People.

And now our national anthem will be led by a very talented member of the graduating class, Alyssa Hough.

Will everyone please stand?

♪ O say can you see ♪ ♪ By the dawn's early light ♪ ♪ What so proudly we hail'd ♪ ♪ At the twilight's last gleaming ♪ ♪ Whose broad stripes and bright stars ♪ ♪ Through the perilous fight ♪ ♪ O'er the ramparts we watch'd ♪ ♪ 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 ♪ ♪ O say does that star-spangled ♪ ♪ Banner yet wave ♪ ♪ O'er the land of the free ♪ ♪ And the home of the brave ♪ (attendees applauding) - Thank you.

You may be seated.

I'd like to begin our ceremony by recognizing the College of Law community.

I will start with the faculty who have dedicated their professional lives to the education of our students and who helped to make this day special.

They have been our graduates' constant intellectual and professional guides and their mentors.

Our faculty is remarkably accomplished.

Their teaching is rigorous and their scholarship is distinguished.

They're also committed to professional and public service and serve as role models for our students.

I know I speak for all of us when I say that we have been honored to have you as students these past three years.

In time, your faculty will become your colleagues, your friends, and we are confident, like family.

Family who eagerly await news of your journeys, professional accomplishment, and family milestones.

Will the members of the faculty on stage today please stand and be recognized?

(attendees applauding) We are also honored to have Trustee Knake Jefferson with us today.

Trustee Knake Jefferson is special to the MSU College of Law community as a former faculty member.

Please stand.

(attendees applauding) We are also honored to have Interim Provost Thomas Jeitschko here who oversaw the integration of the College of Law, previously, a private law school into the university as a full constituent college of MSU in 2020.

Thank you for being with us here today.

(attendees applauding) Also on stage are our keynote speaker for today, the Honorable Hala Jarbou, chief judge of the United States district court for the Western District of Michigan.

(attendees applauding) I also want to acknowledge the Honorable Craig Strong who is the recipient of our Distinguished Alumni Award today.

(attendees applauding) Also with us is Courtney Gabbara Agrusa, graduate of the class of 2012, who is a senior attorney at Foster Swift and also the president of the MSU Alumni Law Association.

Please stand.

(attendees applauding) Also joining me today here are the administrators of the College of Law.

Please stand.

(attendees applauding) And we also have, of course, the proud representatives of the class of 2024.

Please stand.

(attendees applauding and cheering) Finally, I would also like to acknowledge our captioner today, Cheri Benson and our interpreters, Katie Core and Emily Gordillo.

Thank you.

(attendees applauding) I am pleased now to say just a few words to this amazing graduating class.

As your professor over the past three years and more recently, your dean, I have come to know many of you, probably most of you, in fact, and I can say unequivocally that you are a remarkable class.

You have conquered law school with grit, determination, and humor.

You began law school in fall 2021 in the second year of the COVID pandemic when many of our classes were still being taught online.

You made it through all the starts and stops of the pandemic.

You were taking classes online, in person, back to online, and then take your pick.

And then you pivoted and demonstrated your resilience again in the wake of the tragic events of February 13th, 2023.

You managed the unmanageable even when it first, it might have seemed impossible.

In your careers and in your lives, you will often be doing just that, managing what often feels and looks like the unimaginable, the unmanageable, and doing so in real time with challenges at every turn.

That's what lawyering is all about.

Clients will turn to you for help during some of their most difficult, challenging, and exciting times in their lives.

In these cases, they're counting on you to manage what to them may seem to be unmanageable.

They're counting on you to find a path forward and give them confidence in the future.

You may also have to counsel other clients to find their better angels.

You may have to counsel clients to pull them back from the edge of a poor decision.

And you might think, "Wait, I am not a therapist."

No, you are not, but in some ways, you are more important.

You'll apply the law to find solutions to their challenges.

Your counsel will change their lives.

And you'll understand that you are changing the world one client, one case at a time.

I have no doubt about this because I have seen over the past three years such incredible achievements by this class.

Just a few weeks ago, MSU Law's Moot Court program was ranked number one among 100 law schools around the country.

(attendees applauding) You competed in no fewer than nine competitions this academic year.

Several of you won best oralist and best brief awards at various competitions.

And this is a testament to the strength of your legal advocacy skills.

You worked on many pro bono cases in our clinics, advocating for disadvantaged clients and making a positive difference in their lives.

You won asylum for people fleeing persecution from Cuba, Uganda, and Jamaica.

You prevented a single mother and her child, her daughter, who had significant mental disabilities from being evicted from their homes.

You presented workshops on social enterprise and intellectual property options for food justice enterprises, Detroit youth musicians, and women entrepreneurs on campus.

You completed over 100 externships in law offices throughout Michigan and beyond.

You expanded the First Amendment Know Your Rights Day to Detroit in a second high school.

You have led distinguished law journals, three distinguished law journals, selecting, editing, and publishing 10 issues filled with your professors' favorite reading, dozens of law review articles.

Now you are ready to apply all you've learned and experience to your own careers.

When you started law school three years ago, you may not have known what you wanted to do with your degree, and you still may not know exactly the path before you.

But history tells us that within a few months, the vast majority of you will be working in the law in more than half of the United States and as well as in other countries.

You'll work in civil rights, public defense, prosecution, immigration law, environmental law, legal services.

You'll work in small and large law firms.

You'll work in federal, state and local government, and some of you will clerk for judges, state and federal judges, learning the law from the inside out.

You'll represent entrepreneurs, brand name clients, small non-profits and clients from disadvantaged and vulnerable communities.

After this ceremony, you'll be joining the prestigious MSU Law community network, our alumni community.

You may very well be arguing before the United States Supreme Court in the not so distant future as one of your fellow alumni did this past fall.

You've likely read about Victoria Ferres of the class of 2014 who argued her case for her client in Lindke v. Freed regarding the application of the First Amendment to government officials use of social media.

Before her big day, Victoria came home to MSU Law and a team of us mooted her in preparation for her big day before the United States Supreme Court.

This is what I hope for all of you, that you'll continue to turn to us for guidance, mentorship, support, and friendship that you'll use the resources of the Law College for as long as you need them and that volunteer and help the classes behind you as our alums have helped you.

We want you to stay connected.

We want you to stay connected with us and we hope that you will.

It is now my pleasure to introduce Trustee Renee Knake Jefferson.

Trustee Jefferson currently serves as a professor of law at the University of Houston Law Center and is the Joanne and Larry Doherty Chair in Legal Ethics.

As I mentioned before, prior to joining the University of Houston in 2016, Jefferson spent a decade at Michigan State University, receiving tenure at the College of Law and also teaching at the Eli Broad College of Business and in the Honors College.

She also is an elected member of the American Law Institute.

Please join me in welcoming my friend and former colleague, Trustee Jefferson.

(attendees applauding) - Thank you, Dean.

It is my pleasure to be here with all of you today.

And on behalf of Michigan State University's Board of Trustees, I'm honored to share this momentous occasion with each of you, celebrating the 2024 graduates of the College of Law.

Now under the Michigan Constitution, the board of trustees is the governing body of the university by whose authority your degrees are awarded.

This day marks a significant milestone.

A day of reflection, a day of celebration, and a day of looking forward.

I'm here not only as a trustee, but as someone who has walked a similar path as every single one of you.

All of you over came the stages of law school to reach this stage here now, and you are equipped with the knowledge and wisdom to continue both your educational journey and begin the next phase of your legal journey.

The education you've received at the College of Law challenged you, it enriched you, and it ensures that you are not only practitioners of the law but also stewards of justice.

Reflecting on my own journey, I'm reminded of my early beginnings right here at Michigan State.

After I earned my law degree from the University of Chicago, I spent a few years in private practice and also in local government roles, but it was here at Michigan State University within the College of Law where I realized my true calling as a law professor.

And for any of you who have been a teacher, you know you don't really master a subject until you teach it.

So I say my real education began here like yours at Michigan State.

And that transition marked the start of a decades-long career as a tenured faculty member, and I've been deeply influenced by the solid foundation laid during my time here.

This is at the core of what makes Michigan State University great.

It's our students, it's our faculty, it's our staff, it's our Spartan community.

And as you transition now from students to alumni, you will carry forward Michigan State University's enduring values.

Leadership, perseverance, a commitment to service.

I encourage you to take these lessons into your practices and into your communities.

Advocate for those without a voice.

Stand firm in your values and your ethics.

Always strive to be a catalyst for change.

You are the future leaders in law and the impact you will make on the world is limitless.

As a professor of professional responsibility and legal ethics, I would be remiss if I did not close with some parting thoughts about my favorite provision in the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct.

And here's what it says in the preamble, and it's what I wanna leave you with today.

A lawyer should further the public's understanding of and confidence in the rule of law and the justice system because legal institutions in a constitutional democracy depend on popular participation and support to maintain their authority.

I welcome you to the practice of law and the work we must do together as a profession to preserve and further the rule of law.

Congratulations, class of 2024.

Go green.

- [Graduates] Go white.

(graduates applauding) - Thank you, it is now my pleasure to introduce Interim Provost Thomas Jeitschko.

Provost Jeitschko played an integral role in facilitating the integration of MSU College of Law as a full college of the university.

He is a true friend indeed of the college.

(attendees applauding) - Thank you, Dean.

It's a pleasure and an honor to join you today as we celebrate this capstone moment with our newest Michigan State University College of Law graduates.

Congratulations to each of you.

Our congratulations are accompanied by an intense feeling of pride.

Your impressive scholarly achievements culminate today in the conferral of a degree, along with the conferral of our great faith, our hope, and our pride in what you will now do with your knowledge and capabilities.

Over the course of your studies, you have demonstrated admirable perseverance, commendable poise, and undeniable academic prowess, earning your degree during a time that presented our university community with a number of unique challenges.

We hope that your education and experiences here at MSU have given you a strength of character that you will carry long into the future and that prepared you well for the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.

Much like your college and its storied history, each of you have come a long way.

You have been forward thinking as you have expanded your horizons.

And because of your drive and determination, you have a bright and promising future.

Each of you will forever be part of the College of Law and Michigan State University, both of which are committed to fostering academic excellence and making a transformative impact for the greater good.

As you all know by this point, the caliber and capabilities of the faculty, staff, and fellow students you have learned from and with during your studies here at MSU are what make our collective future and your individual futures bright and full of promise.

You, our newest graduates, now continue the college's legacy of excellence, extending your new knowledge in ways that will advance the greater good and work to address the world's most pressing problems.

The world needs you and the skills you have acquired during your course of study.

And all of us at MSU look forward to learning about your many future accomplishments.

Each of you is now an ambassador of MSU and the College of Law, representing our missions, our values, and our aspirations as you enter the next chapter of your lives.

As you take your next step, the value of your MSU degree will be an asset that serves you well, now and throughout your career in whatever direction you may go.

And while your graduation signals a departure from one chapter of your connection with MSU, it also marks the beginning of a new and exciting chapter.

You now join a much larger family of worldwide Spartan graduates.

And I encourage you to stay engaged with the life of the university and to come back often to visit.

As we send you forth into the world, we are counting on you to tackle the seemingly intractable challenges we face both locally and globally.

We have every confidence in your abilities as we honor your scholarly success on this auspicious day, your graduation from the Michigan State University College of Law.

Congratulations and best wishes to you all of you.

(attendees applauding) - Thank you, Provost Jeitschko.

I couldn't agree more.

And now it is my honor to introduce our keynote speaker.

The Honorable Hala Jarbou has served as a US district judge for the Western District of Michigan since September 2020 and chief judge of the Western District since July 2022.

She's a 1997 graduate of Wayne State University Law School.

And Judge Jarbou began her legal career as an assistant prosecuting attorney in the Oakland County prosecutor's office where she prosecuted general felony offenses, homicides, child sexual assault, and high profile felony cases.

In 2010, Judge Jarbou was appointed as an assistant US attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan where she prosecuted federal felonies including firearms cases, child pornography, and high-level drug trafficking cases.

She served on Michigan's sixth judicial circuit in Oakland County from 2015 through 2020, and she is a member of the Chaldean American Ladies of Charity and various bar associations.

She was an instructor at the Oakland Police Academy, Oakland University, and at the National Advocacy Center.

She is a past International Women's Day honoree and a recipient of the Chaldean American Bar Association's Pillar of Justice Award.

Judge Jarbou was born in Tel Kaif, Iraq and immigrated to the United States as a child with her family.

She is the first Chaldean Iraqi American to be appointed as a federal district judge.

Please join me in welcoming the Honorable Hala Jarbou.

(attendees applauding) - Thank you for that kind introduction.

I have to remind my assistant, I think, next time to make that quite shorter.

Well, good morning, ladies and gentlemen, and honored guests.

Congratulations to all of you, the graduates.

Your law school journey is complete and hopefully, soon, so will your arduous bar exam journey.

Congratulations on this great accomplishment.

This accomplishment, as you know, is not all your own.

Congratulations to all the parents out there.

This is your accomplishment too.

You suffered along with the students during this journey, and you should be just as proud of your part in this process.

Congratulations also to all the professors, the friends, the mentors, all of those important people that help these students achieve this milestone.

I'm honored that I was asked to speak to you today.

Graduates, once you take and pass the bar exam, I will officially welcome you to this profession.

Today, I want to provide some guidance for the years of practice you have ahead of you to talk about what type of attorney you should strive to be and to tell you a little bit about my experience in the hopes that it helps you in your career.

Having sat through my fair sheriff ceremonies, I know that what most of you want are short speeches.

And so I will endeavor to keep my remarks very brief.

As a side note, a quick piece of advice as you begin your practice, the first lesson for a successful career as a lawyer is to be brief as I will endeavor to be with a speech.

Lawyers and judges alike have commented numerous times as to the irony of legal documents being called briefs as most are not.

So remember, brevity in the pleadings you file with a court or in your argument to a court is golden.

I wanna take this opportunity to pass along other valuable advice that I hope will prove beneficial throughout your career.

If you ask any attorney that has been practicing for a period of time, he or she will give you, I hope, similar advice.

First, if you don't have a strong work ethic, and I don't think that exists for any of you, get one, learn one, build one.

I became an attorney because I wanted to help others, to serve and to give back, and I knew being a lawyer, being an advocate for those who couldn't advocate for themselves was one of the ways to do it.

My whole career has been dedicated to one of service.

For me, the driving force for that has been my story.

I'm an immigrant to this wonderful country.

My family and I immigrated when I was a young girl, not yet five years old.

I started elementary school as a very shy, scared little girl who did not know the English language and who didn't have many friends.

I worked hard and achieved great academic success.

I was the first in my family to graduate from college, let alone obtain any graduate degree, and I was the first lawyer in my family.

I have carried a strong work ethic with me in everything that I have done and it has served me well.

The practice of law is hard and you need to work hard at it, but the rewards are many if you are willing to put in the work.

Just as important as a strong work ethic, don't let fear stop you from achieving success in this profession.

Take it step by step and keep moving forward, even in the face of disappointment and adversity.

And you will experience both disappointment and adversity.

Remember, you're not always going to win every case.

You're not always going to get it right the first time.

There is a reason why it's called the practice of law.

Find a practice area that you love.

It's also okay though to change or pivot if you are doing what you thought you loved but determine that you don't love it anymore or that once you started doing it, you realize you really didn't love it.

Don't let the fear of the unknown stop you.

Someone once said, and we don't know who it is, it's an anonymous quote, that quote, "You're not a lawyer when you graduate from law school.

You're not even a lawyer after you pass the bar exam and are admitted to the bar.

When you can face a client, or an opponent, or a judge without an overwhelming urge to throw up, then you're a lawyer."

So keep trying.

Don't let the fear of throwing up stop you from being a great lawyer.

Don't let the fear of change also stop you from growing and evolving into the lawyer you aspire to be.

I spent more than 18 years as a litigator before I became a trial judge, that whole time in the courtroom trying cases to a jury.

But when I was in law school, I was scared to death of walking into a courtroom.

One of my first legal jobs was clerking for a state judge.

That was the summer between my first and second year of law school.

I thought I was just going to sit in an office and do some research in writing, which I did, but that judge also made me go into the courtroom during hearings and trials.

Sensing my fear of the courtroom, she made me sit in the lower bench area in front of her facing the audience during every hearing.

On the inside, the fear was quite strong, but soon I got more and more comfortable with being in the courtroom.

That experience gave me the courage to sign up for the free Legal aid clinic during my second year of law school and experience that provided opportunities to practice in court under our state court rule and under the supervision of an attorney.

Later, I worked at a Metro Detroit law firm during the summer between my second and third year of law school, as many of you have.

The work was purely transactional, and at the end of the summer, I talked to my supervising partner about my desire to be in court more to litigate cases.

He encouraged me to go work at a prosecutor's office.

"That was the only way to get court experience," he said, as he had done early in his career.

I was hesitant to leave a good paying job as an associate at a good firm and go to a non-paid internship.

But I took a deep breath, held my fear in my throat, and took a leap.

As scary as that decision was, it was one of the best decisions I have made.

It led me to a career I loved and a litigation experience that I'm very proud of.

Again, don't let the fear of throwing up stop you from being the lawyer you're meant to be, and don't let the fear of the unknown stop you from doing what you love.

Just as important, never stop learning.

Watch other lawyers, that will teach you what to do.

And as I tell my law clerks more often, that will teach you what not to do.

Watching other lawyers doesn't mean imitating other lawyers.

Find your own style and what is most effective for you.

And keep learning by listening.

There is a saying that there's a reason we are all given two ears and one mouth.

We should listen more than we speak.

And that will serve you well in this profession.

You also keep learning by being humble.

Don't let ego get in the way of your evolution as a great attorney.

It's okay to say you don't know something.

None of us know everything.

It's okay to say you are in over your head and that will happen.

It's always better to reach out when you can still solve a problem.

It's okay to ask for help, for direction, for guidance, and more importantly, don't stop asking.

Some think that there's a statute of limitations on asking for help.

Well, there isn't.

Do that in your first year and into your last year of practice.

Keep learning.

Ask someone you respect or admire that has experience to be your mentor.

Have more than one mentor.

Talk to your mentors.

Get advice from your mentors.

Keep those connections throughout your career.

Keep learning and improving your skills.

Lastly, and most importantly, remember, you also start building your reputation from day one as an attorney.

From that first client, that first interaction with opposing counsel, that first appearance in court.

In this profession, there is nothing more important than your word and your reputation.

So will you be known as a hardworking or lazy attorney?

Your work ethic or lack of it will be known.

Your preparation or lack of it will also be known.

Will you be known as a conscientious lawyer or a careless, indifferent, or irresponsible one?

Will you be known as a civil practitioner, as a professional, or will you be known as a bully, as rude, or someone who is hard to work with?

Many in our profession, including myself, are frustrated with the lack of civility in the practice of law.

Don't be one of those attorneys that adds to this commentary.

Zealous advocacy does not equate with uncivil conduct.

I'm going to say it again.

You can be a zealous advocate, you can be an effective attorney for your client.

You can be all those things that will make you a great attorney without being an uncivil attorney.

Just as important, are you going to be known as an ethical or an untrustworthy attorney?

Are you going to be known as an honest lawyer or a dishonest one?

Abraham Lincoln once remarked, quote, that "There is a vague popular belief that lawyers are necessarily dishonest."

Let no young man or woman choosing the law for a calling, for a moment, yield to that popular belief.

Resolve to be honest at all events.

And if in your judgment, you cannot be an honest lawyer, resolve to be honest without being a lawyer.

I agree with President Lincoln and I hope that you do too.

If you cannot be an honest lawyer, don't be a lawyer.

Your reputation as a good, professional, honest, ethical lawyer will take you a lifetime to build.

But it will only take one instance of doing sloppy work, one instance of being a bully or a jerk, one instance of being dishonest, one in instance of shady ethics for you to destroy that lifetime of work and for you to forever be labeled as a bad or unethical lawyer.

So work hard on establishing your good reputation and defend it fiercely.

That reputation, good or bad, will follow you throughout your career.

And remember always that once you receive your license, you take the oath and you are sworn in.

You are from that day forward, an officer of the court.

Whenever you sign a pleading or put your appearance on the record in court, you do so as an officer of the court.

The bar is set very high as to what that means.

It is a noble profession, and you will be an officer, a protector of that profession.

Don't ever forget that.

And don't ever let your conduct, at any point in your career, lower the nobility of the profession.

Also, one almost last bit of advice, have fun, that's it.

If you don't enjoy this profession, any profession, get out of it.

Find what brings you joy and strive for success in that profession.

Lastly, dream big.

For those of you that are nervous about your future, that are unsure if you are taking the right path, don't let fear or anxiety dictate your dreams.

For those of you that think your dreams are too big, I hope that you can draw inspiration from that shy, scared, little immigrant girl who grew up to become a federal judge.

No dream is impossible.

No impact is too minor.

I hope to welcome you soon into our profession.

Congratulations again on your graduation.

Thank you.

(attendees applauding) - Thank you, Judge, for so much of your speech today and those powerful words of wisdom.

Now, each year, the Alumni Association chooses from its own ranks a member of the alumni whose accomplishments within the profession bring honor to our institution and whose commitment and devotion to the school have been exemplary for students and colleagues alike.

This morning, Courtney Gabbara Agrusa, president of the Alumni Association, is with us to present the 2024 recipient of the Honorable Honorable George N. Bashara, Jr. Class of 1960 Distinguished Alumni Award.

(attendees applauding) - Thank you, Interim Dean Sant'Ambrogio.

On behalf of the Alumni Association, it is my great honor and privilege to be here with you all today to congratulate you on this momentous occasion.

This ceremony marks a momentous milestone in your professional careers, one that you have worked very hard for and for which you should be very proud.

With that in mind, this is your friendly reminder that as graduates, you are not alone once you walk across the stage or out of those doors.

Rather, you are joining a network of over 13,000 individuals who are dedicated to your success.

Our graduates, myself included, are here to support you.

This leads me to why I am here today, to help honor one such alumnus, the Honorable Craig S. Strong.

Each year, the Alumni Association selects one of our alumni to receive the George N. Bashara, Jr.

Distinguished Alumni Award.

This award was established to recognize outstanding alumni who exemplify what it means to be a Spartan.

Recipients, past and present, all have demonstrated outstanding personal service to the law college, participated in and contributed to alumni affairs, and accomplished personal successes that have assisted in the enhanced reputation of MSU law.

Judge Strong has a remarkable career spanning over four decades, marked by outstanding achievements and contributions to both the legal profession and the community.

He graduated from the Detroit College of Law in 1973 and became a judge at a young age.

He served in the United States Military Reserve for 23 years and retired as a full commander from the United States Navy Reserve, where he served in the Navy-Marine Corps Trial Judiciary.

He retired as a judge of the Wayne County Circuit Court after 43 years of exemplary service.

His commitment to community leadership is evident through his involvement in various organizations, including the Wolverine Bar Association, the National Bar Association, and the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History.

He has received numerous accolades such as the State Bar of Michigan's Distinguished Champion of Justice Award and was inducted into the National Bar Association Hall of Fame.

Judge Strong is a respected figure dedicated to justice and service.

In recognition of his inspiring career, volunteerism, and devotion to the continued success of the MSU College of Law, I am proud to present the George N. Bashara, Jr.

Distinguished Alumni Award to Judge Craig Strong, class of 1973.

(attendees applauding) - Well, thank you for the introduction and the award.

And I certainly want to express my gratitude and appreciation to the dean and the officers of the Alumni Association for the honor of this award.

I'm happy to share this moment with our graduates, and I congratulate you for what you've accomplished with the help of beloved family and friends.

But I want you to know that when you honor me, you are honoring the grandson of a woman born in slavery.

That's right, my father's mother was enslaved right here in the United States, and my dad was the last of her 12 children.

That's proof that the darkest chapter of America's past wasn't too long ago, was it?

My family's story is also proof that history matters and that the eternal fight for justice under the law must continue today, tomorrow, and for years to come.

When I was sworn in as a judge, my mother told me that she wished that my grandmother, who had lived with no legal rights, could have been able to see her grandson charged with the responsibility of protecting the rights of all.

My mother was very proud that day, and I was also proud and humbled.

And it is with this feeling of pride that I accepted George N. Bashara, Jr.

Distinguished Alumni Award, named after someone that I knew and admired.

The Detroit College of Law, which I and my classmates fondly called as DCL, gave me a great education.

I know that in this incarnation as Michigan State University College of Law, this great institution has done the same to you.

My DCL education prepared me to pass the bar the first time, and it surrounded me with helpful classmates who became dear friends and colleagues.

Just as valuable to me has been my active membership in bar associations that have helped shaped my legal career.

My volunteer work and eventual leadership positions in the Wolverine Bar Association, the National Bar Association, and the Association of Black Judges of Michigan have been essential to the difference I've been able to make.

I've served, for example, as the vice chair of Wayne County Neighborhood Legal Services, which provides free legal aid to those in need.

And I was certified by the United Nations to monitor polling stations in the prisons and farmlands of South Africa during Nelson Mandela's historic election in 1994.

My association work have connected me to great people such as President Clinton, President Obama, Supreme Court Justices Thurgood Marshall and Sandra Day O'Connor.

I have developed relationships with noted attorneys such as Johnny Cochran, Willie Gary, and Ben Crump, and I was recruited into the military career with the United States Navy Reserve by a member of the bar.

I strongly encourage each of you to become active members of bar associations because it will give you a head start in your career.

Using bar association resources and connections will help you meet many challenges and open doors for career opportunities, client referrals, pro bono work, and legal education program.

When you take your lawyer's oath and begin your new profession, remember that learning law is a never-ending process.

And remember that practicing law is a privilege.

Do not abuse it.

Hold higher standards and make MSU proud.

Thank you very much.

(attendees applauding) - Class of 2024, you have selected impressive class officers.

Your juris doctor class president, Kathryn Rejaei, will introduce the faculty award and present the class gift.

Your class officer, Trevor Knapp, will present the staff award, and your class officer, Julia Alexander, will present the class speaker.

- I am pleased to introduce this year's faculty award winner, Professor Philip Pucillo.

Professor Pucillo was a graduate of Lafayette College and Tulane University Law School.

He began his legal career by completing judicial clerkships at both the trial and appellate level, most recently with Judge William B. Traxler Jr. of the US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

He then practices a litigation associate with Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom in Washington, DC.

His primary area of scholarly interest is civil litigation in the federal courts, and his articles have been published in "Duke Law Journal" and the "Tulane Law Review," among other journals.

His scholarship has been cited in the "Wright & Miller Treatise on Federal Practice and Procedure" and in both merits and amicus brief filed with the US Supreme Court.

Professor Philip Pucillo began teaching at MSU Law in 2010, and thus many of us have been fortunate enough to be in Professor Pucillo's 1L civil procedure class, evidence class, or constitutional litigation class.

Professor Pucillo is extremely committed and dedicated to his students and something I've witnessed firsthand.

As the section three representative when I was a 1L, I was tasked with scheduling Professor Pucillo's multiple review sessions.

In his evidence course, I witnessed as he would ensure every student was grasping the concepts before moving on.

And many nights when I'd be leaving the SBA office late, just a couple doors down from Professor Pucillo's office, he'd still be hosting office hours and shows up to all of the student organization events that ask for faculty involvement.

His commitment to the students and MSU Law as a whole is evident and he is clearly very deserving of this award.

Please join me in congratulating Professor Pucillo.

(attendees applauding) - Kat just mentioned civil procedure, and I would repeatedly say how great is Kat when she did all this stuff to help.

So I wanna say it one more time.

How great is Kat?

(attendees applauding) Thank you, guys, for this award.

Judge Jarboe gave some wonderful advice before and one of the things she said was to be humble.

I find it very hard to be humble on an occasion like this.

(attendees laughing) Especially when I consider my predecessor in receiving this award, last year's recipient, was Professor Barbara O'Brien.

So yep.

(attendees applauding) So I know the award is a big deal.

And I feel like I have to commend last year's group, the class of '23 for making an excellent choice of her.

And I want to commend you all for making one that was even better.

(attendees laughing) And that's the way it should be.

At MSU Law, every incoming class should strive to be better than the one before it.

And your improved judgment is reflected in your choice of faculty award.

I appreciate that.

No, I don't want the parents and loved ones to think I'm a total creep.

So we're just having fun.

But seriously, it's been an absolute pleasure to get to know so many of you.

For some of you, it's been... And a lot of moot court fun and a lot of other things.

But I have to say that I've enjoyed my time mostly with you outside of the classroom, and I hope that will continue for a long time.

So thank you very much, guys.

God bless you all and congratulations.

(attendees applauding) - Class of 2024, my name is Trevor Knapp, and I'm one of the class officers for today's commencement.

It is my distinct honor and privilege to present the staff award to one of the individuals who truly makes the MSU College of Law a remarkable place, living up to its expectation of serving the community.

I was able to see this person in action during my time at the MSU Immigration Clinic.

This person would always be willing to help in any crazy task that needed to be completed even when we were down to the wire.

There were numerous times that I would ask him to stay late in order to lock up if I was meeting with a client after normal business hours, and each time, he would gladly do so, knowing that his work supported the mission.

This is someone whose work may be behind the scenes, but without it, our goals would never be met.

And because of this, I present the 2024 staff award to Jesse Alvarez.

(attendees applauding) Jesus Jesse Alvarez has worked at the MSU Law since 2011.

He has always been a part of the MSU Law Clinic starting in 2011 and becoming the law clinic manager in 2012.

He oversees all administrative and financial aspects of the clinic, including physically overseeing the relocation of the clinic twice.

Jesse most enjoys his interactions with and in support of the students, whether they are in the clinic, interested in being in the clinic, or are alums of the clinic.

Jesse was part of the Immigration Clinic's recognition by Michigan State University with the 2015 Excellence and Diversity Award.

He's a former member of the MSU Administrative Professional Association, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Committee, and a previous finalist for the Distinguished Staff Award.

In addition, this year, Jesse was awarded the Jack Breslin Staff Award.

He is married with three children, two of whom currently attend Michigan State University.

They are a Spartan family and their blood runs green.

Please join me again in congratulating Jesse Alvarez.

(attendees applauding) - [Attendee] Go, Jesse!

- Thank you, I am honored to accept this award, and I truly enjoyed working with you.

Many of you did amazing work in the clinic, including saving taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars and winning multiple cases in immigration court in Detroit.

You made a big impact on people's lives and provided much needed service to those in need.

So congratulations on this wonderful achievement as we celebrate you today.

This is a culmination of lots of hard work and you should be very proud.

I look forward to hearing about the amazing things you will accomplish.

Thank you again, and go green.

(attendees applauding) - Hello, everyone.

Thank you all for being here today to celebrate the class of 2024.

My name is Julia Alexander, and I'm one of the class officers for the graduating class.

Today I would like to welcome our class speaker and my friend, Andrew Haftkowycz.

Throughout his time in law school, Andrew demonstrated unwavering dedication to all his endeavors.

He served as the executive editor of the "International Law Review" and was published in volume 32 of that same publication.

He also interned with the Ingham County Prosecutor's Office and represented MSU at the ABA Judicial Clerkship Program.

Additionally, Andrew actively participated in various student organizations such as the Talsky Center Student Network, the MSU International Cannabis Bar Association, the MSU Student Bar Association, the Middle Eastern Law Student Association, the Space Law Society, and the Board of Advocates where he showcase his skills as a member of the MSU Mock Trial team.

Andrew also had the privilege of joining an envoy of the Ukrainian-American Crisis Response Committee of Michigan to meet with the Michigan State Senate to pass Senate Resolution 111 condemning the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.

He also led the Spartans Stand with Ukraine rally and solidarity of Ukrainian dignity and independence.

Andrew was one of the first people I met in law school, and I can tell you that what truly stands out about him is not just his impressive list of accomplishments, but his unwavering commitment to all that he does, his values and ethics that are integral to the legal profession coupled with his kindness and inclusivity towards everyone he meets.

I'm fortunate to have known Andrew as my peer in the College of Law and to be entering this profession alongside him.

So without further ado, please join me in extending a warm welcome to our class speaker, Andrew Haftkowycz.

(attendees applauding) - Thank you, Julia.

How we doing, everybody?

(attendees cheering) That's what I'm talking about.

So I'd like to address our class by starting with something we maybe haven't read a whole lot of since 2021, mythology.

In particular, the phoenix.

Now ChatGPT tells us that the phoenix is a brilliant, large red and gold bird of Egyptian, Persian, Chinese, and most notably, Greek origin.

It symbolizes renewal and immortality as it cyclically dies in flames only to be reborn from its ashes every 500 years.

This enduring symbol represents the eternal cycle of death and rebirth, embodying both hope and transformation.

And for the avoidance of doubt, ChatGPT did not write the remainder of this speech.

Now I have a hard truth about the phoenix to share with everyone in this arena, it's not a real bird.

It's a myth, yet for nearly 4,000 years, humans have really been into this bird.

The reason humans have marveled over this myth, this irrational firebird, is because the phoenix represents our human journey of transformation from our past.

To take what we've learned, to shed our hardships and our triumphs, and to let the scars of our former selves ignite into one brilliant flame to transcend.

See, the ancients who invented this myth knew that hardship was not an inevitability.

It was a certainty.

Our class was no stranger to hardships.

Crawling out of the pandemic, not seeing one another's faces until February of 2022.

And then we saw the start of world conflicts, political censorship, personal scandal.

A tornado hit Lansing, Michigan.

We saw every one of our jobs threatened by artificial intelligence.

We sat in the first conlaw classes to discuss Dobbs v. Jackson when Roe v. Wade was overturned.

And we were also the class that saw Spartan Strong posters and a windy sea of candles litter our campus last February.

And like the mythical phoenix whose tears can heal any wound, we cried with one another.

We picked one another up, and we proved to everyone that the class of 2024 will dare to achieve.

We all know why we came to MSU College of Law.

And we took that opportunity, and we ran with it, and went to mock trial, to arbitration, and negotiation competitions.

And we saw MSU Moot Court ranked number one in the nation, thanks in no small part to board of advocates president, Jake Putala, and his VP, Shawn Brew.

(attendees applauding) We worked with Governor Whitmer herself with Supreme Court justices and honorable judges throughout this nation.

We triumphed an immigration course.

We upheld the rule of law with the prosecutor's and the AG's office and upheld and protected the constitution with the public defenders.

We helped MSU students file their taxes, taught Michigan teens about their constitutional rights, and strengthen the rights of our affinity groups, heritages, and religions.

In this very Breslin Center where we played IM basketball and saw concerts together, we also helped over a hundred nonviolent marijuana offenders expunge their criminal records.

We engaged in civil rights reform for our LGBTQA+ brothers and sisters.

We took on the important issue of Michigan gun laws and uncovered the wrongs still implicit in our legal system today through the Citing Slavery Project.

And we did so with the help of a couple of good professors along the way too.

Now past MSU Law graduating classes sat in this Breslin Center, in the presence of future judges, future justices of the Michigan Supreme Court, future governors of this great state.

And with that, I'll say I'm confident that I, today, am in the presence of future judges, future Supreme Court justices, future governors and senators, and hell, even presidents of this great nation.

I've spent time with a whole lot of you.

I know many of you.

I've seen your professional ethics.

You've all got it.

You have the potential to be these things because most importantly, I think all of you, all of us are leaders.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "Do not go where the path may lead.

Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."

As we bring this chapter to a close, this law school chapter, we open a limitless world in front of us.

And it's gonna be hard.

And our dream job might someday turn into our worst nightmare.

But I charge every single one of us with one thing as we graduate.

Let us never be limited by the imaginations of our predecessors.

We are the future.

We are the future of American law.

And we will be shaping the world that everyone else, starting today, will be living in.

And I charge us to dare and never limit our vision of what we want that world to be.

And we're gonna argue.

Oh, better believe, we're gonna argue over what that vision looks like, but we can and we will create a better world.

We must.

Now I'm gonna leave us all on a piece of advice I received a long time ago from my friend and mentor, Christie Miles.

Hold on tightly, let go lightly.

We've all bonded together throughout this town, this state, this country, this world.

Three years, we've cheered on our Spartans in their victories and in their defeats.

And every single one of us has had hard days through law school, maybe the hardest we'll ever experience in our entire lives.

And for all the good and all the bad, it's done.

It's history.

We held on tightly, and today, we let go of law school.

And like the phoenix, we will rise from these ashes and live on into eternity through the words, motions, and moments that we create as the 2024 graduating class of Michigan State University College of Law.

Thank you.

(attendees applauding) - Wow, thank you for that, Andy.

Hi, again, class of 2024, faculty, staff, friends, and family.

One of the many duties is class president and class officers, we are tasked with selecting, fundraising and preparing the graduating class gift.

After COVID, many of the dining services throughout MSU closed, one of those being the Sparty's that used to exist in the Law College lounge.

As a 1L, one of my first initiatives through SBA was to improve the food options within our building.

After 2 1/2 years, we were finally able to accomplish the first step towards this by installing fresh food vending options in the lounge space with the help of the Office of Student Affairs, Dean Sant'Ambrogio, and Frank Frank Aiello.

When Trevor, Julie, and I were brainstorming ideas for this year's class gift, we wanted to compliment the new auditions to the lounge to better serve the students and mutually benefit the university's investment in our lounge.

Therefore, our project aimed to provide improvements to the first floor lounge with new televisions and technology equipment.

And we also raised funds for artwork and lighting to add to the ambiance, functionality, and overall enjoyment of the first floor lounge.

Your Class Officer Trevor had the wonderful idea to sell MSU Law license plate frames and to fundraise.

And your Class Officer Julia kept us extremely organized with spreadsheets and Google Forms.

You all helped by sharing our fundraisers and donating from your very limited funds.

And Rosa and Sally helped us every step of the way.

I'm happy to announce that together we raised over $2,000.

(attendees applauding) We believe our class gift will build upon the improvements we've already been able to achieve and will allow the lounge to further flourish into a space for students to gather and bring back the sense of community that COVID took with it.

We would not have achieved this goal on our own.

So thank you very much to the class of 2024, and the faculty, and staff, and families for donating and supporting this cause.

Dean Sant'Ambrogio, on behalf of the graduating class of 2024, I present to you our class gift.

(attendees applauding) - Thank you.

Thank you, Kat.

This is a wonderful gift to current and future law students, and we are inspired by this gift to support our cherished students.

At this time, it is my pleasure to present the candidates of the graduating class of 2024.

We will begin with the Master of Laws and Master of Jurisprudence candidates, and then proceed to the Juris Doctor candidates.

Professors Catherine Grosso and Glen Staszewski will announce the names of the graduates.

Members of the faculty will bestow the graduation hoods on our graduates.

And please feel free, be encouraged to applaud briefly and respectfully for each candidate as the names are called.

- [Catherine] I'll move these and these.

Wait, I'll knock them off.

You wanna go first or second?

I'll go first, there're a bunch of errands.

Oh, It won't be in order.

- [Glen] Okay, well, you can go first.

- [Catherine] So if you see us reading or falling behind, don't hesitate to tell us.

- [Glen] I think we can just dump them, maybe drop them in here, okay.

- [Catherine] We ready?

Valerie Desmond.

(attendees applauding) Denise Marie Abts.

(attendees applauding) Jane Isabelle Monfre.

(attendees applauding) Elizabeth Alma Bertram.

(attendees applauding) - [Glen] Xiao Rui Chong.

(attendees applauding) Shanyn Rhodes.

(attendees applauding) Rebecca Elaine Decker.

(attendees applauding) Emily Louise Gorman.

(attendees applauding) - [Catherine] Shawna Wagner.

(attendees applauding) Scott McUmber.

(attendees applauding) Cynthia Will.

(attendees applauding) Suti Ayden Ruiz-Garcia.

(attendees applauding) Fabrizio DeAngelos.

(attendees applauding) I thought so, I don't know.

But I don't have any names to read.

We don't have any people.

- [Glen] At this time, it is our pleasure to present to you the candidates for the degree of Juris Doctor, the graduating class of 2024.

(attendees applauding) Kathryn Rejaei.

(attendees applauding) Trevor Knapp.

(attendees applauding) Julia Elizabeth Alexander.

(attendees applauding) Andrew Haftkowycz.

(attendees applauding) Kaylee Marrow.

(attendees applauding) Serena Susana Ishwar.

(attendees applauding) Lindsay Serwaa Bonney.

(attendees applauding) - [Catherine] Ebony Ragotzy.

(attendees applauding) - [Attendee] Ebony.

- [Catherine] Hiba Mukhal.

(attendees applauding) Ayan Ajeen.

(attendees applauding) Griffin Cole.

(attendees applauding) Tony Jon Attard.

(attendees applauding) John Dorton.

(attendees applauding) - [Glen] Calista Allen.

(attendees applauding) Zola Grace Bernardi.

(attendees applauding) Brette Rappleye.

(attendees applauding) Robert Massie.

(attendees applauding) Gabriel Thomas Wrobel.

(attendees applauding) Valerie Ifyeinwa Uduji.

(attendees applauding) Andres Guerrero Kenney.

(attendees applauding) Sarah Peterson.

(attendees applauding) Sydney Rose Wodika.

(attendees applauding) Alyssa Elaine Ann Huth.

(attendees applauding) - [Catherine] Caitlin Kerry Urisko.

(attendees applauding) James Gilmore.

(attendees applauding) Cody Peyton Balow.

(attendees applauding) Riley J. McDonough.

(attendees applauding) Mackenzie Nichole Cosand.

(attendees applauding) Ryan Voisich.

(attendees applauding) Skyler Norris.

(attendees applauding) Laura E. Scerbak.

(attendees applauding) Emily Felton.

(attendees applauding) Jacob Safarian.

(attendees applauding) Kelby Clockman.

(attendees applauding) - [Glen] Katie Kennedy.

(attendees applauding) John-Weston Hart Franke.

(attendees applauding) Marina Fuga.

(attendees applauding) Yara Khalil.

(attendees applauding) Quinn Gray.

(attendees applauding) Wafa Gias Berry.

(attendees applauding) Laurne Doogood.

(attendees applauding) Wesley Levise.

(attendees applauding) Kiera Christine Scott.

(attendees applauding) Michael Huebner.

(attendees applauding) - [Catherine] Kaitlyn Madison Harries.

(attendees applauding) Julia Siobhan Moran.

(attendees applauding) Alex Joseph Armstrong.

(attendees applauding) Sharon Marie Sanders.

(attendees applauding) Katherine Grayson Rosendale.

(attendees applauding) Brooke Alexandria Hochstein.

(attendees applauding) Gabriella Elizabeth Mayers.

(attendees applauding) Claire Elizabeth Montgomery.

(attendees applauding) Andrew Zienty.

(attendees applauding) - [Glen] Alexander Charles Groger.

(attendees applauding) Cyrus Namazi.

(attendees applauding) Brandon Anthony Hayes.

(attendees applauding) Jack Theodore Beeber.

(attendees applauding) Robert William Huebel IV.

(attendees applauding) Adam John Salomon.

(attendees applauding) Benjamin David Wright.

(attendees applauding) Tyler Cohen.

(attendees applauding) - [Catherine] Charles Richard Sarchet.

(attendees applauding) Nolan John De Jong.

(attendees applauding) Tom Purves.

(attendees applauding) Lathe Cosand.

(attendees applauding) Jacob Michael Thompson.

(attendees applauding) Megan Deborah Morrison.

(attendees applauding) Elizabeth Cleopatra Pentikis.

(attendees applauding) Anthony Hunt.

(attendees applauding) William Timothy McAndrews III.

(attendees applauding) Eli R. Graves.

(attendees applauding) - [Glen] Anne M. Nietling.

(attendees applauding) Nicholas Alan Raak.

(attendees applauding) David Paris.

(attendees applauding) Zehao Wang.

(attendees applauding) McKenna Laurelle Bethke.

(attendees applauding) Micah Renee Phillips.

(attendees applauding) Quinlan Rose Sharkey.

(attendees applauding) Elyse Jerome.

(attendees applauding) Patrick Quinn.

(attendees applauding) Jacob Dakota Mastronardi.

(attendees applauding) - [Catherine] Taylor Richard Hayes.

(attendees applauding) Ashley N. Hess.

(attendees applauding) Deirdre Ann Kerins.

(attendees applauding) Julia Luttig.

(attendees applauding) Laura Michelle Wesolowski.

(attendees applauding) Meridith Paden Murley.

(attendees applauding) Nathan Schulte.

(attendees applauding) Ryan William Thomas.

(attendees applauding) Amely Gabrielle Sijo.

(attendees applauding) Carl Jaye Paratore.

(attendees applauding) Connor James Hartlein.

(attendees applauding) Audrey Kay Myers.

(attendees applauding) - [Glen] Alexys Lee Kohl.

(attendees applauding) Carson David Barber.

(attendees applauding) Kyle Grzebienik.

(attendees applauding) Erin Dickenson.

(attendees applauding) Joseph Alsedawi.

(attendees applauding) Ali Saad.

(attendees applauding) Kaila Elizabeth McCormack.

(attendees applauding) Savannah Rust.

(attendees applauding) Rachel Mary Elliott.

(attendees applauding) Sara Frances Nederhoed.

(attendees applauding) - [Catherine] Connor Michael Dayton.

(attendees applauding) Collin Kerkstra.

(attendees applauding) Joseph Jerome Canter.

(attendees applauding) Arthur Jackson Willenborg.

(attendees applauding) Lili Freedlander.

(attendees applauding) Elizabeth Joan Haggerty.

(attendees applauding) Joshua David Cianek.

(attendees applauding) Cooper Gehle.

(attendees applauding) Dahlia Grace Khouri.

(attendees applauding) Chloe Elizabeth Rosa.

(attendees applauding) Bailey Berg.

(attendees applauding) Olivia Elby.

(attendees applauding) Marc Ellis.

(attendees applauding) - [Glen] Michaela Allen.

(attendees applauding) Vincenzo Convertino.

(attendees applauding) Matthew James Zweibohmer.

(attendees applauding) Thomas Folske.

(attendees applauding) Brandon Augustin Garibaldi.

(attendees applauding) Tyler Christian Dudley.

(attendees applauding) Brendan Scott Sanderson.

(attendees applauding) - [Catherine] Thomas Andreopoulos.

(attendees applauding) Caitlin Morgan Butcher.

(attendees applauding) Chloe Taylor Stone.

(attendees applauding) Julia Rose Smith.

(attendees applauding) Carson Valerie Garguilo.

(attendees applauding) Estella Park Riahi.

(attendees applauding) Daniel Craig Corbett.

(attendees applauding) Joshua Lee Kluzak.

(attendees applauding) Rebecca Mary Stevens.

(attendees applauding) Emma Saunders.

(attendees applauding) Jake Michael Babbish.

(attendees applauding) - [Glen] Noelle Andrego.

(attendees applauding) Jenna Rene Chaaban.

(attendees applauding) Alexis Rae Wooldridge.

(attendees applauding) Marin Jean Hoffman.

(attendees applauding) Hannah Johnson.

(attendees applauding) Melanie Davidyan.

(attendees applauding) Allyson Connor Hammond.

(attendees applauding) Jonathan Matthew Sollish.

(attendees applauding) Tyler Whittemore.

(attendees applauding) Robin Dawn Bilagody.

(attendees applauding) - [Catherine] Ronald Gishey.

(attendees applauding) Joseph James Gierman.

(attendees applauding) Zachary Daniels.

(attendees applauding) Jacqueline Marie Buck.

(attendees applauding) Alexis Masunas.

(attendees applauding) Madalin Elizabeth Sholtz.

(attendees applauding) Ian Manchester.

(attendees applauding) Stephen Joseph Dinka.

(attendees applauding) Evan Baker.

(attendees applauding) Michael Knoth.

(attendees applauding) Matthew Gentry.

(attendees applauding) - [Glen] Lucas Micheal Dobb.

(attendees applauding) Joshua Eggert.

(attendees applauding) Jake David Putala.

(attendees applauding) Shawn F. Brew.

(attendees applauding) Abby Treadwell.

(attendees applauding) Katrin Bernadette Kelley.

(attendees applauding) Melissa Gabriella Accardo.

(attendees applauding) Elysia Renee Avila-Reyes.

(attendees applauding) - [Catherine] Sadie Elizabeth Harris.

(attendees applauding) Collin Scott Banghart.

(attendees applauding) Nathaniel Pfeifer.

(attendees applauding) Garrett Reid Zylinski.

(attendees applauding) Nicholas Sturos.

(attendees applauding) Harold Richmond.

(attendees applauding) Alexis Andrews.

(attendees applauding) - [Glen] Christina Peterson.

(attendees applauding) Kendall Gouldthorpe.

(attendees applauding) Andrew Crane.

(attendees applauding) Cassandra Jo O'Hagan.

(attendees applauding) Jacob Brookens Walters.

(attendees applauding) Patricia Vilma Graham.

(attendees applauding) Mackenzie Almassian.

(attendees applauding) Jessica Elaine Ankley.

(attendees applauding) Makala Maree Udoni.

(attendees applauding) Jacob Christoper Lovett.

(attendees applauding) Christian Cholhan.

(attendees applauding) - [Catherine] Grace Catherine Tenbusch.

(attendees applauding) Alice Salais.

(attendees applauding) Conner Vincent Stapley.

(attendees applauding) Alfredo Peralta.

(attendees applauding) Caleb Siebeneck.

(attendees applauding) Brendan Charles Dean Ruf.

(attendees applauding) Mathew Issa.

(attendees applauding) Conner Mayer.

(attendees applauding) Cameron Tyler Moore.

(attendees applauding) Kathryn Smith.

(attendees applauding) Savina Mucci.

(attendees applauding) - [Glen] Courtney Rene Hibbeln.

(attendees applauding) Brittany Romig.

(attendees applauding) Eric Thomas Maxon.

(attendees applauding) Cooper James Dobies.

(attendees applauding) Abagail Christine Cacovic.

(attendees applauding) Thomas P. Carr.

(attendees applauding) Dhairat Parlikar.

(attendees applauding) Kacey Steven Markarian.

(attendees applauding) - [Catherine] Raven Arianna Manzella.

(attendees applauding) Caitlin Uyen-Thuong Do.

(attendees applauding) Leah T. Flaherty.

(attendees applauding) Aya Albasti.

(attendees applauding) Cora Marie Kangas.

(attendees applauding) Nick Butkevich.

(attendees applauding) Joshua Patrick Abrigo Cambri.

(attendees applauding) Priyanka Sujata Shankdrata Shingare.

(attendees applauding) Kayla Elizabeth Watson.

(attendees applauding) Nicholas Alexander Mathews.

(attendees applauding) Rashad Aalaei.

(attendees applauding) (attendees applauding) - At this time, it is my pleasure to present to you the candidates for the degree of, excuse me.

(attendees laughing) At this time, it is my pleasure to present to you the candidates for the degree of Juris Doctor, the graduating class of 2024.

(graduates applauding and cheering) I now ask all of the Masters of Laws and the Masters of Jurisprudence candidates to rise for the conferment of the degrees.

(graduates applauding) By virtue of the authority vested in me by the Board of Trustees of Michigan State University and by the statutes of the State of Michigan, I confer upon each of you the degree of Master of Law and Master of Jurisprudence and declare that you are prepared to ensure that equal justice under the law is available in the State of Michigan, the country, and the world.

Congratulations.

(attendees applauding) You may be seated.

I now ask all of the Juris Doctor candidates to rise for the conferment of the degree.

(attendees applauding and cheering) By virtue of the authority vested in me by the Board of Trustees of the Michigan State University and by the statutes of the State of Michigan, I confer upon each of you the degree of Juris Doctor and declare that you are prepared to ensure that equal justice under law is available in the State of Michigan, the country, and the world.

Congratulations.

(graduates applauding and cheering) You may be seated.

Friends and family, thank you for joining us today as we celebrate the achievements of our graduates.

Graduates, you may have already begun to celebrate, but it is official now, but it is not just your opportunity to celebrate.

You and all of those who supported and empowered you all deserve to celebrate.

A universal proverb says, "If you want to go fast, go alone.

But if you want to go far, go together."

You have lived it.

And you have my sincere gratitude for the privilege of being your professor and your dean.

The future of our profession is in excellent hands.

Your entire law school, the faculty, and staff cannot wait to hear about your accomplishments in the years to come.

On behalf of the entire law school community, accept our congratulations and good wishes.

With all here in this arena, join me, please, in one last round of applause for the class of 2024.

(attendees applauding and cheering) The platform party will now recess, followed by the graduates.

We ask the audience to please remain seated until the platform party and all graduates have left the arena.

Please meet your graduates at the Hall of History where there is a space to mingle and to take lots of pictures.

("Pomp and Circumstance") ("Pomp and Circumstance") ("Pomp and Circumstance") ("Pomp and Circumstance") ("Pomp and Circumstance") ("Pomp and Circumstance") ("Pomp and Circumstance")