(Music Playing) Please be seated.

Good morning everyone.

Yeah, that wasn't very enthusiastic.

Let's try that again.

Good morning everyone.

My name is Kendra Spence Cheruvelil.

I use she her pronouns and I am dean of Lyman Briggs College.

Before I begin, my remarks, I would like to acknowledge the land on which we live, work, and learn.

We collectively acknowledg that Michigan State University occupies the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary land 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 nations for historic indigenous peoples and for indigenous individuals and communities who live here now, and for those who are forcibly removed from their homelands.

By offering this land acknowledgment, we affirm indigenous sovereignty and will work to hold MSU more accountable to the needs of American Indians and Indigenous people.

Today, we be bringing togethe our graduates, along with their families and friends, to honor you and your accomplishments.

As we begin to celebrate those accomplishments, let us pause for a moment of silence to honor all those who have enriched our lives and are not with us today.

We are here today to bestow the baccalaureate degree on 358 spring and summer graduates in the Lyman Briggs College class of 2026.

Let us join together here on the banks of the Red Cedar in spring.

And a season of renewal and fresh beginnings.

To share stories, to support and uplift each other and to celebrate the curiosity, the perseverance, and the success of our graduates.

As we honor this important moment in the lives of our graduates and their family members, I'd especially like to thank the Briggs and MSU alumni who are with us in the audience and those who have volunteered with us today, and to the family members and friends who have traveled to be here toda or who are watching from afar.

Welcome and thank you.

Briggsies.

You've come so far.

A few short years ago, you enrolled in Lyman Briggs College, full of interest and curiosity about science.

Some of you had grand plans for your life.

Some of you were unsure what your future would hold.

The past few years have tested yo in ways you've never expected.

Long nights, har choices, evolving friendships, and moments when the path ahead felt anything but clear.

You've navigated academic pressures, personal growth, and the uncertaint of a constantly changing world.

Through it all, you adapted.

You persisted, and you found your footing.

The difficult times weren't detours.

They were a terrain of transformation.

As a Briggs student, you took trains, but you took foundational science, math, and writing courses with our small, dedicated college.

Your professors an your advisors know your names.

Your.

You formed study groups with students who lived just down the hall.

Even more importantly, you met people who were different from you.

People who helped you understand others perspectives and experiences.

This community helped you.

A world feel a little bit smaller, even as your world was ever expanding.

As you progressed through your programs, you grew as scientists, through your classes and labs and hours and hours of studying.

Your research projects, your jobs, your volunteering, your student clubs, and especially through your friendships.

You helped to recruit new Briggs students you supported first year Briggsies years as mentors.

You helped your fellow students as learning assistants.

You gave awar winning research presentations.

Many of you engaged in servic within your communities and took leadership opportunities across this world class university.

You leave Lyman Briggs College today empowered with a deeper understanding of scientific fields and how they intersect in a broader perspective of the sciences within their diverse human, social, and global context.

This world needs you Briggsies.

Use your courage your creativity, your curiosity, and your compassio to continue making a difference.

We cannot wait to learn what you do next.

Once a Briggsy, always a Briggsy.

Congratulations.

At this time, I'd like to welcome and thank Provost McIntyre who is here celebrating with us today, and invite her to the podium.

Good morning Briggsies.

Thank you.

Dean Cheruvelil, on behalf of President Guskiewic and the MSU Board of Trustees.

I'm honored to welcom all of the graduates, families and friends joining us for today's undergraduate commencement ceremony.

And I have to say you're looking good out there.

This capstone moment represent 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 earned acknowledges your success and honors those who have supported you at each turn.

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

Our faculty and administrators are all very proud of you.

Please accept our warmes congratulations and best wishes.

At this time I ask that everyone please rise if you're able.

For the singing of Americ the Beautiful performed by MSU Jazz Orchestra at two unde the direction of Anthony Stanko with soloist Aleerna Coreyava.

(Singing and performance of America the Beautiful) It is now my immense pleasure to introduce the Lyman Briggs, senior class speaker Varun Varre.

Varun is a graduate of Northville High School in Northville, Michigan, he is a member of the Honors College and is earning his degree in human biology with a minor in health promotion.

Varun will begin his medical career at the MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine this summer.

Thank you very soon fo representing the class of 2026.

Michigan State.

How are we doing?

Hey, good afternoon families, friends, faculty, and most importantly, the graduating class of 2026 for Lyman Briggs College.

For those of you who do not know me, my name is Varun Varre and is incredibly honored to stand as a Briggs even before you.

As we celebrate the graduates of Lyman Briggs College.

First, I'd like to take a momen to sincerely thank my friends.

Yes, the ones, including the one pat down at University of Michigan.

My family, especially those traveling from new Jersey and India.

Your support, guidance and belief in me has been the motivation throughout my journey.

Class of 2026.

Today is not just a ceremony.

It's a milestone.

Not just of achievement, but of discovering yourself and your true purpose.

When I first stepped into Holmes Hall, I didn't know what to expect or if I fit in.

I remember being too intimidated to even talk to professors, worried that I didn't have the right questions to ask.

However, with the support of utilities and smaller study groups, I realized that seeking help and asking questions wasn't just a sign of weakness, but a tool for growth.

That small group confidenc eventually gave me the courage to ask questions to professors I once avoided.

If I had yielded to the fear of asking for help.

Who knows how I would have done in those classes?

That's when it hit me.

A moment of fear is worth a lifetime of fulfillment.

To the support of Lyman Briggs friends and faculty.

I found my niche community truly understood what it was to be resilient and how setbacks became stepping stones.

This experience didn't just prepare me for a test, but it prepared me for life.

Because being a part of Briggs has never just been about becoming a certain kind of thinker, but as well as the connections we built in our community.

Since 1967, this college has stood for something bold.

The belief that science does not exist in isolation.

It lives within society.

It shapes communities.

It carries human consequences.

And at Lyman Briggs College, we were given the best of both worlds.

A close kni liberal arts community nestled within the vast opportunities of a world class research university.

We saw physics problem down the hall from our friends.

We debated ethics after chemistry lab.

We tackled calculus in the afternoon.

And the societal impact of science by evening.

In doing so, we didn't just learn facts and formulas, but we learned how to think as a proxy.

We were encouraged to stay curious, ask questions and especially stay resilient.

Whether it be an electricit or magnetism test we bombed, or titration or vacuum filtratio experiment we failed to perform.

We learned how to adapt to these changes and trust that one difficult moment would not define our entire journey.

Each of you arrived here on a different path.

Some of you knew from day one what you wanted to do.

Others were uncertain.

But all of us found our identity through our curiosity and our confidence and our love for science.

The world w are stepping to isn't so simple.

The problem we face don't have easy answers, and they don't fit neatly into headlines.

There's more information than any generation before us has ever had.

And at the same time, more noise.

It's easy to react quickly, t choose certainty over curiosity.

But the real work, the meaningful work requires patience, thoughtfulness, and the courage to wrestle with complexity.

It requires the humility to admit what we do not know and the discipline to seek evidence before seeking conclusions.

It asks us to listen deeply, especially to perspectives different from our own, and challenges us not to just solve equations or design experiments, but to consider the human impact of every discovery and decision.

Because progress doesn't come from shouting the loudest.

It comes from thinking the hardest.

Empathizing with others and caring the most.

So congratulations Michigan State and Lyman Briggs, class of 2026 with the support of our faculty.

From waking up for 8 a.m.

exams to having fun at sporting venues and Grand River runs.

We all made it through our firs phase of our journey together.

And regardless of your aspirations, the work you're about to do matters.

And we cannot wait to se how you will shape the future.

So before I finish off, I want to include this quote from my grandfather.

I think it was from William Shakespeare.

I'm not too sure, actually, but, it's.

We meet to part in part to meet.

Parting is a sweet sorrow.

All of us need to be reminded about our alma mater.

As it was the place we all met.

So keep your head high.

As we each embark on our journey to greatness.

Think deeply, care deeply.

And remember.

You go.

The world doesn't just need graduates.

It needs braces.

Now signing off.

Go green.

Thank you for that, Varun.

Thank yo for sharing your story with us.

I know that your famil is proud of you, just as we are.

At this time, please enjoy a performance of Two Marvelou Words by the MSU Jazz Orchestra.

Two under the direction of Anthony Stanko.

(Singing and musical performance) That was amazing.

Thank you so much.

It is now my honor to introduce LBC alumna Diann Krywko.

Diann is chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina and a distinguished tenured professor, a nationally recognized leader in physician wellnes and academic emergency medicine.

She is known for advancing high acuity patient care while fostering mentorship, resilience, and leadership within academic medicine.

Doctor Krywko earned her Bachelor of Science from MSU as a student in Lyman Briggs College, and a graduate of the Honors College.

She received her medical degree from Wayne State Universit School of Medicine and completed her emergency medicine residenc at the University of Michigan.

We don't hold any of that against her.

Throughout her career, Doctor Krywko has mentored hundreds of learners and colleagues while publishing numerous articles and book chapters.

Her national leadership and scholarship have helped shape conversations around physician well-being, professional development, and the future of emergency medicine.

A proud Spartan and lifelong Briggs doctor, Crisco remains committe to helping the next generation of scientists and physicians discover their potential and lead with purpose.

Please help me to welcome Doctor Diann Krywko.

Thank you.

Trustee Bahar-Cook, Provost McIntyre, Dean Cheruvelil and Varun.

I am so glad to be here.

Once a Briggsy, always a Briggsy.

And once a Spartan.

Always a Spartan.

Go green.

Go white.

It is truly my honor to stand here today to celebrate the Lyman Briggs class of 2026.

Let's hear it for them.

When I sat where you're sitting in 1992, I remembe looking around at my classmates and wondering the same things many of you are wondering right now.

Did I choose the right path?

Am I ready?

And what happens next?

Probably nervous and a little excited.

Possibly a little hung over from Rick's bar.

In my wildest dreams, I never imagined I would one day return to speak at commencement.

But life has a way of surprising us.

And it presents us with challenges and opportunities that we never expected.

Some of the most important decision in my life came from adversity.

Moments that I not choose but chose how to respond to those decisions determine my path.

If even temporarily, the path you are on is determined by the next step you take, will you take that step?

You will.

Life will be full of peaks an potholes, mountains and valleys.

Some days it'll feel like you're driving down Grand River, hitting every stoplight.

Some days it'll feel like a Lake Michigan sunset.

Calm, expansive and beautiful.

And sometimes it will feel like a Michigan February in a snowstorm.

And you forgot your boots.

But the traffic clears, the snow melts.

And the sunset are always followed by sunrises.

Will you face doubt?

You will.

I did.

There were moments where I questioned that I belonged in a lab, in medical school, and leadership.

I grew up on a farm about two hours northeast of here in Carroll, Michigan.

My dad finished second grade.

My mom graduated from Cassidy High School.

I was a first generation college student, and the only one of my family to become a physician.

Every single day, I doubted my abilities, but I kept going.

Doubt doesn' mean you're on the wrong path.

It means you are growing.

Will you have the chance to be first at something?

You will.

And when you are, remembe that being first means you are paving the way for someon to be second, third, and so on.

And it means that you can mentor them.

The value in a mentoring cannot be overstated.

Back in the 1990s, I did not have the privilege of mentoring as it didn't really exist at that time in my academic roles.

I've been able to mentor the next generation of physicians and leaders.

I try to share the successes of my career, but also try to share the the failures of my careers, the ones that shape my path with the hope that those experience will help others navigate their own personal and professional journeys.

Mentorship can take many forms.

It can be as simple as having a cup of coffee, but at other times it requires honest conversations about rethinking long standing plans that may not have been unfolded as I thought they would.

In every case, the goal of mentoring is to support others as they grow, adapt, and ultimately find their own path forward.

Do not shy away from mentoring others.

It does not diminish your success.

It multiplies it.

Will you face moments when you are the only one in the room who looks like you?

You will.

I did.

I sit in a boardroom each month filled with accomplished leaders.

I'm oftentimes the only woman in that room.

Is that bad?

No.

That is an opportunity.

I became the first female chair of emergency medicine in South Carolina, and one of only two female clinical department chairs in my institution.

It is my opportunity to mento and to make sure the next woman in that room is not alone.

Will yo face instability and struggle?

You will.

I did.

When I was six years old, my father became disabled from a mental health condition.

Our family fell below the poverty line and I stayed ther until I graduated from college.

I worked many job scooping ice cream, waitressing, cleaning cages at a veterinary clinic in East Lansing and running PCRs in the biochem building.

There were moments when my path felt uncertain.

But perseverance, determination and the generosity of many others including my mentors, teachers, scholarships and my family changed that trajectory.

Struggle is not a stop sign.

It is merely a training ground.

Will you feel career pressure?

You will.

You will compare yoursel to your classmates who seem to publish faster, earn more, and move further ahead in their intended careers.

You will wonde if you are climbing the ladder quickly enough.

Well, let me tell you, ladders are overrated.

Build something instead.

Build a family.

Build a lifetime.

Friendship.

Build a meaningful project.

Build a legacy and build a legacy of which you can be proud.

As someone once wrote, are you doin something to put it on your CV or somethin that can be read at your eulogy?

Will you publish the paper?

Start the company.

Lead the team.

You will.

I did.

And at this first generation farm girl from Carroll, Michigan.

Can do it.

You can do.

But not without setbacks.

You will fail.

You will miss.

You will get rejected.

But you will try again.

Will you have relationship conflicts?

You will.

I did.

I joined the 50% Americans who got to file taxes as a divorced individual.

Those were some rough times, but that chapter ultimately led me to the right person.

My husband, who is sitting here today supporting me.

It also led me to three amazing children, none of whom decided to apply to Michigan State.

But I love them.

Despite their shortcomings.

Will you face physical and mental health struggles?

You will.

And when you do, may you seek help.

May you give yourself grace.

May you use that experience not as a weakness, but as wisdom.

Will you live a life full of good deeds?

You will not because someone is watching.

Not because it is easy, but because it matters.

You will mentor someone.

You will advocate for someone.

You will hold the door open for someone.

You will have days that feel endless and you have days that feel finite.

You have moments when you stand in awe at the ocean, at the birt of a child, and a breakthrough discovery, or the cold campus you once called home.

Will you fail?

You will.

Sometimes that fail will be tiny, and sometimes that fail will be epic.

Do not believe when someone tells you they have never failed.

I failed typing class in 11th grade.

I struggled throug that yearlong of orgo chemistry.

I had research papers rejected, and I made some less than stellar parental decisions along the way.

The real question is whether I learned from those failures and I can confidently tell you that I learne from every single one of them.

And will you question whether you are enough?

You will.

But your answer should always be yes.

You are enough.

Will you ever get to the end of the speech and graduate from college?

You will, in just a few moments.

And when you walk across the stage, it will not simply mark the end of the chapter.

It will mark the beginning of choice.

The path you are o is determined by the next step you take.

So again I ask you, will you take that step?

You will.

Will you rise to the challenge of adversity?

You will.

Will you build something meaningful?

You will.

Will you succeed?

You will.

Will you go forward and do great things?

You will.

Because once a Briggsy, always a Biggsy.

Once a Spartan.

Always a Spartan.

Congratulations, class of 2026.

You will.

Spartans will.

Go green.

Go white.

Running.

Thank you, doctor Krywko.

My name is Ryan Sweeder, and I'm the associate dean for research and faculty affairs.

It is my honor to recognize outstanding seniors for their contributions to our residential community.

We would like to recognize two Briggs graduates for the LBC Student Impact Award.

When I call your name, please join me and Provost McIntyre at the podium to receive your award.

Both students we recognize today have made significant contribution to the Lyman Briggs community.

They have been instrumental in developing and launching the first year seminar for incoming Briggs students, and guiding our Peer Mentor program.

First, please welcome Mary Watanabe to the podium.

Mary is from Clinton Township.

She's a member of the Honors College and is earning he degree in Genomics and Molecular genetics with a second degree in microbial logy and a minor in bioethics in Global Public Health and Epidemiology.

Mary has volunteered her time with survivor advocacy and crisis intervention.

The prevention, Outreach and Education Office and Spartans Against Violence program.

Please welcome Michael Hamilton.

Mike is from Grosse Pointe, Michigan.

He is earning his degree in neuroscience with a minor in bioethics.

He plans to attend medical schoo with an end goal of psychiatry.

In addition to his work with the Peer Mentors program, Mike has served as president of Phi Delta Epsilon, the medical fraternity.

Congratulations to these students.

Thank you, Doctor Slater.

Hello.

My name is Paola Leon.

And I use she her pronouns.

And I am the associate dean for inclusive excellence and academic innovation.

It is my pleasur to recognize the remarkable hard work and accomplishments of this graduating class.

Your honors are a testament to the incredible work you have invested in the amazing support that brought you here.

MSU's Honors College is one of the nation' most extensive honors programs.

Students graduating from the Honors College wear a white stol to signify this accomplishment.

Will the students graduating from the Honors College please rise?

If you're able and be recognized?

You may be seated.

The students of Lyman Briggs College are among the most academically distinguished students at Michigan State University.

This year, over 40% of our graduating class are graduating with honors.

Students in the top 7 to 20% of all MSU students in the graduating class are.

Distinguish as graduating with honors.

These students have earned a cumulative grade point average of 3.89 to 3.97.

These students wear the gold honor cord while the students graduating with honors.

Please rise if you are able and be recognized.

Please be seated.

Students in the top 6% of all MSU students in the graduating class are distinguished as graduating with high honors.

These students have earned a cumulative GPA of 3.98 or higher.

These students also wear the gold honor cord.

Will the students graduating with high honors please rise?

If you are able and be recognized?

You may be seated.

Students graduating with a perfect 4.0 grade point average across all of their courses at MSU.

Receive the special hono of the Board of Trustees Award.

This students wear the green, white, and gold cord.

This is an incredible achievement attained by only 315 students graduating across the entire university.

47 of those students are graduating today from Lyman Briggs College.

And you are seeing their names on this screen right now with those receiving the Board of Trustees award.

Please stand if you are able and be recognized.

Congratulations to you all on your academic accomplishments.

All right.

Hi, folks.

My name is Niki Rudolph.

I'm the assistant dean for student success in advising, and I use she her pronouns.

As part of an essential about an essential par of our success in Lyman Briggs is the role that our students play in co-creating a supportive residential academic, and academic community both in Briggs and across campus.

They welcome prospective and new students.

They support each other in the classroom, represent the student voice on college and university committees, and raise important questions in our community.

I ask the audience to hold their applause as I announce these leadership roles.

Would these students please stand?

If you are able and remain standing?

Those of you who have served as Undergraduate learning assistants, Briggs ambassadors, Peer mentors, and Peer Support Coordinators, members of the Student Advisory Council, Resident Assistants, and intercultural aides.

Thank you for your leadership.

Please be seated.

Our students found balance much more than academics and student involvement.

Well, students who have participated in education abroad or away.

Please stand if you are able.

Thank you.

And be seated.

Well, students who have competed as a student athlete for MSU.

Please stand if you are able.

Thank you.

Well, members of an MSU band or choir, fraternity or sorority or other MSU student organization, please stand if you are able.

Thank you.

Well those students who worked a job or 2 or 3.

Please stand if you are able.

Thank you.

And be seated.

Well those students who have served or who are currently serving i the United States Armed Forces, please stand and receive our thanks.

Thank you.

Finally, in recognition of all the different pathways our Briggsies take, we' like to celebrate all of those graduating today who are setting family milestones.

Well, all of those who are first generation are the first generation in their family to graduate from college.

Please stand if you are able and be recognized.

Oh.

Thank you to you all and congratulations.

You.

Our Briggsies.

These are amazing, aren't they?

One loud round of applause.

We will now present diplomas to the new graduates.

Graduates once you receive your diploma, we ask you to return to your seats and celebrate the rest of your fellow Briggsies.

Will the graduates please be escorted to the stage to be recognized?

(Conferral of degrees reading graduate names) The energy in this room right?

Yeah.

All right.

Let's take just a moment to thank some very important people here today.

We want to recognize and thank the people who've worked so hard to make this event so special for our amazing graduates.

First, thank you to the Lyman Briggs College staff and alumni who have dedicated many hours to coordinating and staffing today's celebration.

I want to also thank Breslin staff, Heather Fink and the University commencement office, infrastructure, planning and facilities, and the MSU police for their hard work i preparing for today's ceremony.

Thank you to Andrea Kleiber, who provided the captioning for our event, and to Doctor Linda Kernohan and Melissa Ingless, who read Graduate Names.

Thank you for that.

Okay so now I ask the class of 2026 from Lyman Briggs College to please rise.

Lyman Brigg College could not be what it is without the dedication, enthusiasm and expertise of our faculty and advising team, many of whom face you now on this stage.

These individuals have playe an essential role in providing education, mentoring and support throughout the years that helped you to get to this celebration.

Today, let's shar a round of applause as gratitude for their contribution as teachers, advisors, collaborators and mentors.

Now, I ask the graduating students to turn around and see your family, your friends, your loved ones.

We want to all thank yo for supporting your Briggsies.

Thank you.

All right, graduates, please face the stage and remain standing.

At this time, I'd like to invite Trustee Bahar-Cook to the podium for the conferral of your degrees.

Thank you dean Cheruvelil.

By the authority delegated by the State of Michigan vested in the Board of Trustees, I confer upon all of you the degrees for which you have qualified with all the rights and distinct distinctions to which they entitle yo as a symbol of your achievement.

You can now move your tasse from the right side of your cap to the left.

This act recognizes a great accomplishment.

So today we honor and congratulate you.

Okay.

This represents the conclusio of a great achievement and marks the beginning of a lifetime of dedicated service.

It is an achievement worthy of celebration.

Of the 356 individuals who have joined the alumni of Lyman Briggs College.

Can everybody say it with me?

Once a Briggsy, always a Briggsy.

All right, we will end our celebration today with a university tradition singing the alma mater, MSU shadows.

After singing, we request that our guests and graduates remain in place until after the recessional of the platform party.

Well, everyone stand as you are able for singing of MSU shadows.

(Singing and performance of MSU Alma Mater) (MSU Fight Song performance)