成为必要改变的源泉 ... 是火博体育.’

With appeals to stand up for their beliefs and confront injustice while continuing to build community through empathy and kindness, 火博体育大学 conferred 650 degrees 在学院第113届毕业典礼上向2024届毕业生致辞.    

Family, 朋友, trustees, alumni, faculty, and staff gathered to celebrate the graduates’ 5月18日星期六在萨拉托加表演艺术中心(SPAC)举行的颁奖典礼上.   

学员来自50个国家，38个美国.S. 美国和波多黎各. 火博体育 授予447个文学学士学位和203个理学学士学位.   

Community activists, philanthropists, and exemplars of civic engagement 路易斯一个. 米兰达 Jr. P’23 and 卢兹·唐斯-米兰达P ' 23 both received honorary degrees and were among 那些是写给毕业生的.

Referring to medieval Persian and contemporary Irish poets, the musical “Hamilton,” and songs of Taylor Swift, speakers encouraged the graduates to embrace the tools provided by 火博体育’s liberal arts education as they embark on the next chapters 在他们的生活和事业中.

的 ceremony capped four transformative years for the Class of 2024: 的ir studies at 火博体育 started at the height of the global pandemic, and their senior year concluded 全国许多校园都举行了示威活动.   

罗伯特F. 雷斯尼克88年, a member of 火博体育’s Board of Trustees, noted the relationships and knowledge the graduates had developed as 火博体育 students will endure throughout 他们作为校友的生活. 

罗伯特F. 雷斯尼克88年

“你们完全有能力应对这个复杂世界的挑战. 是 解决方案，而不是问题本身. 要有智慧和成熟，不要小气和争吵. 成为前进的动力，而不是放弃的借口. 成为需要的源泉 改变，不是停滞不前不敢前进 ... 做光明，而不是黑暗. 是火博体育.”

马克·C总裁. 康纳，他自己在火博体育的第一个学期与此重叠 of the graduates, donned a 火博体育 2024 class ring in solidarity and noted this, 这也是他在火博体育的第四年. 康纳引用了英国文学教授的话 the Irish poet Seamus Heaney and stressed the bonds of community and caring spirit 这是他们在火博体育的整个班级的特点.

马克·C. 康纳

“You are impassioned, you are committed, you are eager to change this world for the better — which is what I’ve long said is what a 火博体育 education is all about. 和 you have continued to think about the impact of your words and expressions on your 的同学. 我看到了体贴和善良 ... 还有希望，还有你 这是希望吗?. 是的，我告诉你，希望和历史确实能押韵，你也会的 为我们的未来写这首诗.”

路易斯一个. 米兰达小. 新回忆录《火博体育官网》(2024年5月出版)的作者 of the Latino Spirit that is Transforming America,” and 卢兹·唐斯-米兰达P ' 23, an accomplished psychologist and psychoanalyst, reflected on their remarkable lives and careers, which have been characterized both by activism and service to others. 而 than delivering traditional speeches, the couple engaged in a short dialogue. 

Towns-米兰达 stressed the importance of empathy, noting how artists like the couple’s son and “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel 米兰达 take every experience and empathize 通过他们的创造性工作，有多种观点.

卢兹·唐斯-米兰达P ' 23

“什么东西都可以拿来磨. 你的每一次经历，无论是悲伤还是愤怒， confusing, wonderful, you name it, it is something that can help you grow, can help 你能理解别人. 我们无法为自己的生活做计划，但我们确实做好了准备 为了我们的生命. 我们坚守自己的价值观，努力工作，无论如何都要努力奋斗 我们所拥有的精力和技能为我们周围的社区创造了更好的方式.”

Luis 米兰达 described how the couple engaged in protests in their youth and continue to support causes that are important to them, such as the Hispanic Federation. 的 College is a partner institution for the 米兰达 Family Fellowship Program, an opportunity to advance emerging student artists and arts administrators from underrepresented 社区.

路易斯一个. 米兰达小. P’23

“学习系统，使用系统，改进系统. 相信力量 你们的投票和你们为提高自己的声音而采取的行动. 用你的精力，你的技能， your talent to speak out against injustice, to create change where you see it is needed, 提升我们社区中弱势群体的地位."

历史学助理教授穆拉特C. 耶尔德兹被选来给全班演讲 代表火博体育学院. 耶尔德兹是中东历史专家 described the intertwined histories of Muslim, Jewish, and Christian 社区 in 奥斯曼帝国. 他开场引用了13世纪波斯诗人萨迪的话 used a term for mankind that is virtually identical in 希伯来语 and 阿拉伯语 — children 正如他对我们今天相互联系的全球社会的反思一样.

Murat C. Yildiz

2024届毕业生，除了是 巴尼亚当/我的亚当, you are also members of an incredibly resilient generation that has navigated a number of seemingly insurmountable obstacles and disturbing developments, including but not limited to the great uncertainty surrounding COVID; the alarming climate crisis; intense political polarization; the fragility of democratic institutions and values ... Your resilience and perspectives that you have cultivated these past four years 在火博体育的经历让你处于一个独特的位置 今天的 明天的谈话.”

Class of 2024 President Vicky Grijalva, a self-determined multimedia communication major and self-described “huge Swiftie,” quoted Taylor Swift’s song “Mirrorball” in 传递她作为第一代大学生的经历. 格里哈尔瓦会追的 今年秋天他将在波士顿学院获得硕士学位.

维姬·格里哈尔瓦，24岁

“的 火博体育 community we created has allowed us to not dim our lights and encouraged 成为最好的自己. 保持明亮，就像镜子一样 do, because each of you has a gift and the world will accept you for who you are. 你决定下一步要走哪条路. ... 我希望你们都给自己一个保险箱 空间让你说出你的声音，你的真相和你的观点.”

仪式上有一支由斯克内克塔迪管乐队带领的游行队伍 彩色的小偷和绳子展示 symbolizing the graduates' many achievements, and a moving performance by 火博体育 学院母校的学生. 

Commencement followed a week of celebrations on campus for the Class of 2024. 除了 to a variety of fun activities for the class, there were ceremonies hosted by the Office of Student 多样性计划, Periclean Honors Forum, and Phi Beta Kappa.  

On Friday, students and their families also participated in a Brick Dedication Ceremony for the Class of 2024: A pathway in the heart of campus now bears the names of each recent graduate thanks to the generosity of the graduates' parents, families, and 朋友.