>> GOOD EVENING EVERYONE, LET'S 
TRY THAT ONE MORE TIME. 
GOOD EVENING EVERYONE, WELCOME 
TO THE FIRST GENERATION STUDENT 
GRADUATION CEREMONY. 
I WILL TURN THAT DOWN, CAN YOU 
HEAR ME IN THE BACK. 
WE HAVE ENGAGING, AGAIN GOOD 
EVENING, THE FIRST PROJECT 
MANAGER SADDAM HUSSEIN. 
THANK YOU FOR COMING AS YOU KNOW
-- 
WE REFER TO FIRST GENERATION 
STUDENTS AS TRAILBLAZERS, THEY 
HAVE OVERCOME MANY HURDLES AND 
STRUGGLED AND ESPECIALLY WHEN 
YOU FINISH THE FINALS THAT I 
HOPE MANY ARE THERE, BUT OKAY IF
YOU ARE NOT, I GET IT. 
AND NOW YOU ARE HERE 
ACCOMPLISHED ONE OF THE MOST 
IMPORTANT MILESTONES OF YOUR 
LIVES. 
TODAY IS A DAY OF CELEBRATION 
AND GRATITUDE, WE HAVE A GREAT 
LINE UP OF SPEAKERS AND AT THE 
CEREMONY WE ARE A LONG-STANDING 
ADVOCATE OF FIRST GENERATION 
STUDENTS. 
WE INVITE A STUDENT LEADER AND 
OUR KEYNOTE SPEAKER IS CHOSEN BY
STUDENTS FOR THEIR SUCCESS. 
SUPPORTING FIRST GENERATION 
STUDENTS IS A COMMUNITY MOVEMENT
AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK SOME 
OF OUR SUPPORTERS. 
THANK THE FIRST GENERATION 
COLLEGE STUDENTS AT MICHIGAN, 
OUR FIRST PREMIER FIRST 
GENERATION STUDENT ON CAMPUS. 
OUR OFFICE OF ACTIVE 
MULTICULTURAL INITIATIVES. 
AND THE MULTISTUDENT AFFAIRS 
OFFICE AND THE OFFICE OF EQUITY 
AND INCLUSION. 
ALL THAT PROVIDED PROGRAMS LIKE 
THESE. 
HELP GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO
THESE OFFICES. 
OF THOSE SPEAKERS DR. ROBERT 
DUBOIS AND OUR PROFESSOR OF 
PSYCHOLOGY AND EDUCATION, YOU 
KNOW THEY ARE WELL ACCOMPLISHED 
WITH A LONG TITLE. 
DR. CELLARS IS A LONG-STANDING 
ADVOCATE AND CONTINUED TO 
SUPPORT UNREPRESENTED 
COMMUNITIES IN ACADEMIC AND 
PROFESSIONAL CAREERS. 
THE PAST PRESIDENT OF SOCIETY OF
PSYCHOLOGICAL STUDY OF ETHICAL 
MINORITY ISSUES.
AND FELLOW OF ASSOCIATION OF 
SCIENCE AND ROB HAS A BACKGROUND
IN TEACHING AND RESEARCH AND HAS
RECEIVED SIGNIFICANT RECOGNITION
FOR HIS WORK. 
AS THE CHIEF OFFICER HE IS HERE 
TO WELCOME TO YOU CEREMONY AND 
INVITE HIM TO THE STAGE. 
>> GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. 
SO AM I IN THE RIGHT PLACE, IS 
THIS NOT A CELEBRATION OF 
GRADUATION? 
IS NOT THE FIRST GEN GRADUATION 
CELEBRATION? 
GOOD EVENING!
THANK YOU. 
I AM SO PLEASED TO BE HERE THIS 
EVENING. 
I WANT TO WELCOME THE FAMILY, 
FRIENDS AS WELL AS MEMBERS OF 
THE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY. 
AND THE CLASS OF 2019. 
THE FIRST GENERATION GRADUATION 
TO THE FIRST GENERATION 
GRADUATION CELEBRATION HERE AT 
THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN. 
AND I WANT TO TAKE THE 
OPPORTUNITY TO THANK THE MANY 
PEOPLE THAT WORK HARD TO MAKE 
SURE THIS YEAR'S CELEBRATION IS 
OUTSTANDING. 
AND MEMORABLE. 
AND IS WORTH THE WAIT FOR THOSE 
OF YOU WHO ARE GRADUATES TODAY. 
IN PARTICULAR I WANT TO THANK 
THE OFFICE OF ACADEMIC 
MULTICULTURAL INITIATIVES, OR 
AMI AND FOR MAKING THIS 
WONDERFUL EVENT HAPPEN AND 
OBVIOUSLY MANY OTHERS THAT I 
TALK ABOUT IN A MOMENT. 
LIKE ADON, THIS EVENING I WANT 
TO FOCUS MY BRIEF REMARKS AROUND
THE CONCEPT OF TRAILBLAZERS. 
IN MANY WAYS I BELIEVE THAT THE 
CONCEPT OF TRAILBLAZERS IS THE 
MOST RELEVANT TERM TO OUR 
GRADUATES TODAY. 
IF YOU LOOK IN THE DICTIONARY 
UNDER TRAILBLAZERS YOU FIND 
SYNONYMS INCLUDING PIONEERS AND 
EXPLORERS AND INNOVATORS AND ALL
TERMS APPLY TO THE GRADUATES BUT
LACKING IN IMPORTANT WAYS. 
AND THE MOST IMPORTANT WAY 
UNLIKE THOSE OTHER TERMS 
TRAILBLAZERS BY DEFINITION 
ASSUMES NOT ONLY THAT WE ARE 
TALKING ABOUT INDIVIDUALS WHO 
HAVE BOLDLY GONE WHERE NO ONE 
ELSE HAS GONE BEFORE, FIRST AND 
ONLY STAR TREK REFERENCE OF THE 
EVENING -- BUT THEY ALSO HAVE 
DONE SO WITH THE GOAL OF LEADING
OTHERS TO FOLLOW THEIR PATHS. 
IN OTHER WORDS, THEY ARE NOT 
JUST THE FIRST. 
BUT THEY ARE DEFINITELY NOT THE 
LAST. 
AND WHEN I THINK OF 
TRAILBLAZERS, IN PARTICULAR 
TRAILBLAZERS ON THIS CAMPUS, ONE
PERSON IN PARTICULAR COMES TO 
MIND.
AND THAT'S DWIGHT LANG. 
IN MANY, MANY, MANY DIFFERENT 
WAYS DWIGHT HAS BEEN A 
TRAILBLAZER FOR FIRST-GENERATION
STUDENTS ON THIS CAMPUS. 
HE ALONG WITH SEVERAL OTHER 
FACULTY AND STAFF AND 
ADMINISTRATORS, MANY OF THEM 
FIRST GENERATION THEMSELVES. 
COLLEGE STUDENTS THEMSELVES. 
RECOGNIZE THE NEED TO RECOGNIZE,
SUPPORT AND ULTIMATELY CELEBRATE
THE EXPERIENCES AND THE SUCCESS 
OF OUR FIRST-GENERATION 
STUDENTS. 
10 YEARS AGO DWIGHT BEGAN TO 
CREATE A FIRST GENERATION 
COMMUNITY HERE AT THE UNIVERSITY
OF MICHIGAN. 
IN FACT THE VERY FIRST 
GENERATION GRADUATION CEREMONY 
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN 
WAS HELD AT HIS HOUSE WITH LESS 
THAN 10 STUDENTS. 
[APPLAUSE] 
SINCE THEN THE FIRST 
ORGANIZATION MEMBERSHIP HAS 
GROWN FROM 10 MEMBERS TO OVER 
800 MEMBERS. 
[APPLAUSE] 
WITH DWIGHT AND OTHERS HELPFUL 
GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT TWO YEARS 
AGO, WE HIRED ADON HUSSEIN, A 
FULL-TIME FIRST GENERATION 
MANAGER. 
DURING THAT TIME LAST FALL WE 
INTRODUCED THE VERY FIRST, FIRST
GENERATION GATEWAY BOTH IN AN 
EFFORT TO BUILD COMMUNITY 
AMONGST YOU, THE TRAILBLAZERS ON
OUR CAMPUS. 
THE COMMUNITY DINNERS HELD 
PREVIOUSLY AT DWIGHT'S HOME GREW
10 TIMES THEIR SIZE OVER THE 
YEARS. 
WE HAD OUR FIRST, FIRST-GEN WEEK
LAST FALL TO PROVIDE ACROSS 
CAMPUS 
WE HAD THE FIRST-GEN WEEK LAST 
FALL AND ACROSS CAMPUS AND 
STUDENTS TO [INAUDIBLE]. 
LAST YEAR WAS OUR LARGEST 
GRADUATION WITH 100 STUDENTS. 
NOW IF YOU LOOK AROUND -- 
EWW -- THANK YOU. 
SO NOW IF YOU COMPARE THAT 
WONDERFUL TURN-OUT TO THIS 
YEAR'S TURN-OUT WE HAVE MORE 
THAN 200 GRADUATING STUDENTS 
[INAUDIBLE]. 
THAT'S RIGHT. 
JUST IMAGINE WHAT NEXT YEAR WILL
HOLD.
AND PERHAPS WE MIGHT HAVE TO BE 
IN THE BIG HOUSE BEFORE IT'S ALL
DONE. 
SO NOW I WANT TO BRIEFLY RETURN 
TO THE THEME OF TRAILBLAZERS. 
IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND 
THAT A TRAILBLAZER CAN NEVER 
EVER BE SUCCESSFUL IF SHE OR HE 
HAS NOT BEEN PREPARED FOR THE 
JOURNEY OR TASK AT HAND. 
IN MANY WAYS OUR PARENTS, OUR 
GRANDPARENTS, OLDER SIBLINGS 
HAVE SET A FOUNDATION UPON WHICH
WE CURRENTLY STAND AND BY WHICH 
MANY OF YOU STARTED THIS 
JOURNEY, FOUR OR FIVE OR 
SOMETIMES EVEN MORE YEARS AGO. 
IN MANY WAYS THEY SACRIFICED AND
STROVED TO PROVIDE YOU WITH 
EVERY EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY 
THAT THEY COULD. 
SO I WOULD LIKE FOR ALL OF OUR 
GRADUATES TO TAKE A SECOND AND 
STAND. 
[APPLAUSE] 
AND NOW I WOULD LIKE FOR ALL OF 
OUR PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS, 
AUNTS, UNCLES, OLDER SIBLINGS, 
WHO ARE HERE IN SUPPORT TO 
PLEASE STAND. 
AND FOR JUST -- PLEASE STAND.
AND NOW WOULD OUR GRADUATES AND 
JUST OUR GRADUATES FOR A MOMENT 
PLEASE TURN AND SALUTE THEM AND 
CONGRATULATE THEM AND THANK THEM
FOR ALL THE SUPPORT THEY 
PROVIDED YOU. 
[APPLAUSE] 
THANK YOU. 
IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO 
UNDERSTAND WITH RESPECT TO 
TRAILBLAZERS THAT THEY MUST ALSO
HAVE SOMEONE TO FOLLOW THEM. 
IF NOT, THEY STILL ACCOMPLISHED 
A GREAT DEAL AND IN THIS CASE 
GRADUATING FROM THE UNIVERSITY 
OF MICHIGAN. 
BUT THAT ACCOMPLISHMENT BECOMES 
SLIGHTLY DIMINISHED. 
SO GRADUATES, I CHALLENGE YOU TO
MAKE SURE THAT YOU INSPIRE AND 
SUPPORT THE NEXT GENERATION OF 
YOUR FAMILY TO AN OPPORTUNITY 
FOR A COLLEGE EDUCATION. 
YOU'VE EARNED IT THROUGH YOUR 
OWN EFFORTS AS TRAILBLAZERS. 
OFTENTIMES WHEN FOLKS TALK ABOUT
BEING THE FIRST GENERATION 
GRADUATE STUDENT, THE FOCUS 
BEGINS WITH THE BURDEN. 
SORT OF A SENSE OF COMING ON A 
CAMPUS THIS LARGE, THIS CRAZY 
THAT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE IT 
NECESSARILY WAS DESIGNED FOR 
YOU.
AND HAVING THE SENSE OF NOT 
REALLY KNOWING WHAT ONE DOESN'T 
KNOW. 
THERE IS AN ASSUMPTION IF THERE 
IS SOMETHING THAT YOU DON'T 
KNOW, THAT EVERYBODY ELSE MUST 
KNOW IT. 
AND THAT SOMEHOW BECAUSE I'M A 
FIRST-GENERATION STUDENT THERE 
IS INFORMATION OUT THERE THAT I 
DIDN'T GET THAT OTHERS DID. 
THAT'S A SCARY, LONELY FEELING. 
SOMETIMES A FEELING THAT LEADS 
ONE TO THINK AND FEEL LIKE AN 
OUTSIDER. 
THERE IS ALSO THE ADDED PRESSURE
OFTENTIMES OF FIRST-GENERATION 
STUDENTS WE TALK ABOUT IN TERMS 
OF THE EXPECTATIONS OF EVERYONE 
WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU 
SUCCEED. 
THAT YOU CARRY THE EXPECTATIONS 
OF AN ENTIRE FAMILY AND IN MANY 
CASES ACROSS MANY GENERATIONS OF
AN ENTIRE FAMILY ON YOU AS YOU 
HAVE COME TO THE UNIVERSITY. 
AND I BELIEVE THAT ALL OF THESE 
EXPERIENCES ARE TRUE. 
AND TRUE IN SOME WAY, SHAPE OR 
FORM TO MANY OF US IN THE 
AUDIENCE TODAY. 
BUT THEY ARE NOT WHAT DEFINES 
WHAT FIRST-GENERATION STUDENTS 
ARE ABOUT. 
THAT'S JUST ONE SMALL PART OF 
IT. 
WHAT MANY OF YOU MAY NOT HAVE 
KNOWN AND SOME OF YOU DISCOVERED
ALONG THE WAY, IS THAT IN MANY 
WAYS YOU HAD AN ACTUAL ADVANTAGE
OVER MOST OF THE OTHER STUDENTS 
THAT WEREN'T FIRST GENERATION 
HERE. 
THAT FIRST AND FOREMOST YOU WERE
NEVER EVER ALONE. 
SO EVEN THOUGH IT MAY HAVE FELT 
LIKE YOU HAD AN ADDED BURDEN AND
THAT BURDEN WAS KIND OF WEIGHING
ON YOU. 
THERE ARE ALSO TIMES WHEN THOSE 
SAME EXPECTATIONS AND SAME HOPES
AND DREAMS WERE THE THINGS THAT 
GOT YOU UP IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE 
THEM YOU WOULDN'T HAVE HAD. 
THE THINGS THAT MADE POSSIBLE 
WHAT SEEMED LIKE WAS IMPOSSIBLE.
BEING A FIRST-GENERATION STUDENT
ALSO MEANS THAT UNLIKE FAR TOO 
MANY OF YOUR OTHER COLLEAGUES 
AND STUDENTS, YOU CAME HERE WITH
AN INHERENT PURPOSE. 
SO SOME STUDENTS UNFORTUNATELY 
SPEND A LIFETIME SEARCHING FOR A
PURPOSE. 
WITH A LOT OF MONEY ON THERAPY 
AND OTHER KINDS OF THINGS TO 
FIND THAT PURPOSE. 
BUT YOU CAME WITH A PURPOSE. 
AND THAT PURPOSE WAS SOMETHING 
THAT WAS BIGGER THAN YOURSELF. 
AND BY HAVING THAT PURPOSE AGAIN
IN MANY WAYS YOU CAME HERE MUCH 
STRONGER THAN OTHER STUDENTS 
WITHOUT THAT PURPOSE. 
SO WHAT I REALLY HAVE COME TO 
SAY IS WE'RE SO VERY, VERY PROUD
OF YOU. 
THAT YOUR PRESENCE HERE AT THE 
UNIVERSITY, WE KNOW WILL MAKE 
YOUR LIFE BETTER. 
THAT'S WHAT A COLLEGE EDUCATION 
DOES. 
AND A COLLEGE EDUCATION FROM A 
PLACE LIKE THE UNIVERSITY OF 
MICHIGAN WILL GIVE YOU MORE 
OPPORTUNITIES IN LIFE THAN 
OTHERS. 
BUT I WANT YOU TO LEAVE HERE 
KNOWING ALSO THAT THE UNIVERSITY
OF MICHIGAN IS A BETTER PLACE 
BECAUSE YOU CHOSE TO COME HERE. 
THAT YOU HAVE MADE OUR 
UNIVERSITY A BETTER PLACE. 
AND I ALSO WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT
NO MATTER HOW YOU FELT AT ANY 
POINT IN YOUR TIME HERE I WANT 
YOU TO ALWAYS KNOW THAT THIS IS 
YOUR UNIVERSITY. 
THIS UNIVERSITY BELONGS TO NO 
ONE MORE THAN IT BELONGS TO YOU.
AND I HOPE YOU WILL ALWAYS FEEL 
THAT THIS UNIVERSITY IS YOUR 
HOME. 
AND THAT YOU ARE A PART OF ITS 
LEGACY. 
AND THAT YOUR FAMILY WILL SEE 
THIS AS A PLACE THAT IS PART OF 
YOUR FAMILY'S LEGACY. 
SO IN CLOSING, CLASS OF 2019, I 
WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU FOR A 
JOB WELL DONE. 
[APPLAUSE] 
AND ALWAYS REMEMBER FOREVER GO 
BLUE. 
[APPLAUSE] 
>> LET'S GIVE DR. SELLERS ONE 
MORE ROUND OF APPLAUSE. 
[APPLAUSE] 
NEXT I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF 
INTRODUCING OUR NEXT SPEAKER 
WHICH IS GARILELLA PONTYALA. 
GABBY IS THE OUTGOING PRESIDENT 
OF THE STUDENT ORGANIZATION 
FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE 
STUDENTS AT MICHIGAN. 
GABBY IS MAJORING -- YOU'RE 
DONE? 
OKAY, ALMOST, ALMOST MAJORING IN
POLITICAL SCIENCE AND 
COMMUNICATIONS BUT WE KNOW SHE'S
GOING TO BE DONE.
AND HOPES TO PURSUE LAW SCHOOL. 
IN THE TWO YEARS I HAVE GOTTEN 
TO KNOW GABBY SHE'S IMPRESSED ME
WITH HER BREADTH OF INVOLVEMENT 
ON CAMPUS AND BALANCING HER 
ACADEMIC RESPONSIBILITIES. 
SHE'S GOT A FIERY PERSONALITY AS
SOME OF YOU MIGHT KNOW.
AND IN THE TIME I HAVE GOTTEN TO
KNOW GABBY SHE HAS USED THAT 
SPIRIT TO WORK HARD IN ELEVATING
THE STANDARD OF FCTS AND MADE 
SURE THAT THE FIRST-GEN AND 
NEEDS WERE REPRESENTED ACROSS 
CAMPUS. 
SHE'S AN ADVOCATE AND TRUE 
TRAILBLAZER AND CONFIDENT SHE 
WILL ONE DAY HAVE HER JB. 
WELCOME GABBY. 
>> HI, EVERYONE. 
IT'S TRUE, EVERYTHING HE SAID. 
SO GOOD EVENING PROUD PARENTS, 
FRIENDS, STAFF AND FACULTY. 
TODAY WE'RE HERE TO HONOR THE 
TRIUMPH OF ALL THE GRADUATES IN 
THE ROOM. 
SO I WON'T MAKE YOU STAND UP BUT
PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU 
ARE A FIRST-GENERATION GRADUATE.
ALL RIGHT. 
WELL, KEEP THEM UP, KEEP THEM 
UP. 
NOW PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND IF 
YOU ONCE WAS A FIRST-GENERATION 
GRADUATE. 
A FEW MORE. 
I SEE THEM IN THE BACK TOO. 
OKAY, NOW LOOK AROUND EVERYONE, 
IT'S PRETTY BRILLIANT TO SEE ALL
OF THESE FIRST-GENERATION 
GRADUATES IN THE ROOM, LET'S 
GIVE EVERYONE A ROUND OF 
APPLAUSE. 
[APPLAUSE] 
SO FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T 
KNOW ME, I'M CURRENTLY ONE PAPER
AND ONE EXAM AWAY FROM BEING THE
FIRST IN MY FAMILY TO GRADUATE 
FROM COLLEGE. 
THANK YOU. 
[APPLAUSE]. 
>> THAT SHOULDN'T BE RIGHT, I 
SHOULD BE DONE BY NOW. 
BUT IT'S OKAY. 
SO MY PARENTS WERE BORN IN 
MEXICO WHERE POVERTY FORCED THEM
TO LEAVE SCHOOL BEFORE THEY 
COULD MAKE IT TO HIGH SCHOOL.
AND LATER WITH MY OLDER SISTER 
BORN DECIDED TO LEAVE POVERTY 
WOULD BE THE BEST SOLUTION AND 
IMMIGRATED TO THE UNITED STATES 
TO PROVIDE MY SIBLINGS AND I THE
OPPORTUNITIES THEY NEVER HAD. 
I GREW UP ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF 
CHICAGO IN A LOW-INCOME 
NEIGHBORHOOD. 
MY FAMILY STRUGGLED -- I HEAR 
YOU, ALONG THE WAY MY PARENTS 
INSTILLED IN US THAT EDUCATION 
WOULD BE THE PATH THAT WOULD 
LEAD US OUT OF OUR STRUGGLES. 
AND DESPITE THIS I DIDN'T FULLY 
UNDERSTAND THE IDENTITY I WOULD 
CARRY IN MICHIGAN. 
BEFORE MICHIGAN I WAS NEVER 
CALLED THE FIRST-GEN, IT WASN'T 
AN IDENTITY THAT THEY WAS 
FAMILIAR WITH AND NOT UNTIL I 
FILLED OUT APPLICATIONS THAT I 
WAS LABELED AS SUCH. 
MY FIRST YEAR I KNEW I WAS A 
FIRST-GEN AND DIDN'T UNDERSTAND 
THE BARRIERS TO OVERCOME WHERE 
WE ARE TODAY.
AND AS A FIRST GENERATION 
STUDENT WE WERE TOLD THAT WE 
WOULD FAIL AND WE DIDN'T BELONG.
BUT WE STAND HERE HAVING PROVED 
THEM ALL WRONG, YEP. 
[APPLAUSE] 
AS I WOULD LATER LEARN MY 
FIRST-GENERATION IDENTITY WOULD 
BECOME CENTRAL TO MY EXPERIENCE 
AT MICHIGAN. 
BEING A FIRST GENERATION STUDENT
IS SOMETHING AS DIFFERENT TO 
SOMETHING TO EMPOWER OTHERS. 
BEING FIRST-GEN CARRIED A LOT OF
WEIGHT WITH ME AND I WANT TO 
SHARE WHAT THAT PART OF ME MEANT
AS I NAVIGATED MY FOUR YEARS. 
THE TRANSITION OF MY BACKGROUND 
FROM CAMPUS FOR ME LIKE MANY 
OTHERS IS ALIENATING. 
I REMEMBER BEING PLACED IN A 
HALL WITH PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T 
LOOK LIKE ME AND FEEL SO LITTLE.
AND LATER I REALIZED MY LOW 
INCOME IDENTITY WAS MAGNIFIED AS
MY IDENTITY AS FIRST-GENERATION 
STUDENT. 
IT SEEMED THAT EVERYONE AROUND 
ME HAD NO QUESTIONS AND KNEW 
WHAT THEY WERE DOING AND HAD IT 
FIGURED OUT. 
WE ALL HAD TO OVERCOME OBSTACLES
TO GET WHERE WE ARE AND I WISH I
UNDERSTOOD THAT I BELONG HERE. 
WHERE YOU GO AFTER GRADUATION, 
WHETHER LAW SCHOOL OR A JOB, 
PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT YOU 
BELONG. 
YOUR IDENTITY AS A FIRST 
GENERATION STUDENT ONLY 
HIGHLIGHTS TO THE WORLD THAT YOU
ARE A TRAILBLAZER. 
AND YOU ACHIEVED HIGHER 
EDUCATION WHEN NO ONE IN YOUR 
FAMILY HAD. 
WE ARE PERSISTENT AND RESISTANT 
AND WE COULD NOT HAVE DONE IT 
WITHOUT OUR FAMILIES AND MENTORS
AND COMMUNITIES. 
MANY TIMES DURING MY TIME IN 
MICHIGAN I FELT THAT I WAS THE 
ONLY ONE STRUGGLING AND FOUND 
OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT UPHELD MY
IDENTITY THAT MADE ME FEEL WITH 
OTHERS. 
OUR TIME HERE HAS TAUGHT US TO 
BE STRONG AND WE VENTURED INTO 
HIGHER EDUCATION AND MADE IT. 
BEING FIRST-GEN MEANS YOU BLAZED
A TRAIL FOR THE FAMILY, OUR 
STRUGGLES ARE BEAUTIFUL AND NOW 
LEARNING LESSONS AND WITH THAT 
GIVE A SHOUT-OUT TO ADON AND AMI
TO PROVIDE FOR OUR FIRST 
GENERATION INITIATIVES AND AS A 
MEMBER OF THIS POWERFUL 
COMMUNITY WE THANK YOU. 
THE WORK YOU DO -- HOLD IT, THE 
WORK YOU DO IS SO IMPORTANT, YOU
DO NOT REALIZE THE IMPACT THAT 
YOU HAVE ON THIS CAMPUS AND MORE
IMPORTANTLY TO THE INDIVIDUALS 
THAT STEP INTO YOUR OFFICE THANK
YOU FOR EVERYTHING. 
NOW GIVE HIM A ROUND OF 
APPLAUSE. 
[APPLAUSE] 
SO GRADUATES, I WILL LEAVE YOU 
WITH A COUPLE MORE WORDS. 
AS YOU ATTEND CEREMONIES AND 
ENJOY THE LAST DAYS WITH CLOSEST
FRIENDS UNDERSTAND THAT 
GRADUATION AS A FIRST-GENERATION
STUDENT IS SO POWERFUL, YOU ARE 
ALL SO POWERFUL. 
CELEBRATE THIS AND CONTINUE 
BLAZING TRAILS.  
TAKE PRIDE AND SUCCESS AND WE 
ACHIEVED WHAT THE STATS TOLD US 
WOULD NOT HAPPEN AND NAVIGATE 
THE BUSINESS INSTITUTION AND NO 
SMALL ACHIEVEMENT. 
CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF 2019. 
[APPLAUSE] 
>> GABBY, THANK YOU FOR THOSE 
KIND WORDS AND THANK YOU ALL. 
SORRY FEELING A LITTLE 
EMOTIONAL, SO THANK YOU. 
IT'S NOW TIME THAT I INTRODUCE 
OUR KEYNOTE SPEAKER. 
DR. DEAN HUBS. 
THE STUDENTS HAD SELECTED DEAN 
HUBS TO BE THE SPEAKER TODAY AND
WHEN I REACHED OUT TO HER AND WE
HAD DONE RESEARCH ON HER AND 
SEEN AS A REALLY GOOD KEYNOTE 
SPEAKER BUT WHEN I E-MAILED HER 
I GOT AWAY MESSAGE THAT SHE 
WOULD BE OUT UNTIL NEXT FALL. 
AND FELT UNFORTUNATE BUT THEN 
REACHED OUT AND WOULD BE BACK IN
ANN ARBOR FOR A SHORT WHILE AND 
WILL BE HERE AND WANTS TO BE 
HERE FOR THE CEREMONY. 
SO IT'S HER SPIRIT -- YEAH, GET 
TO THAT TOO, IT'S HER SPIRIT TO 
HAVE HER AS PART OF THE 
CEREMONY. 
SHE'S ACCOMPLISHED SCHOLAR AND 
THEORISTS AND FACULTY IN THE 
CULTURE OF UM. 
AND WHAT ARE NOT IN -- AND 
HELPING OTHERS IN CLASS AND 
IMMIGRATION TO USE MUSIC TO 
NAVIGATE THEIR WORLDS.
AND PUBLISHED ARTICLES ON 
COUNTRY AND POP MUSIC INCLUDING 
1970s RADIO DISCO HEAD AND TWO 
BOOKS. 
DR. DEAN HAS ARTICLES FEATURED 
IN THE NATION AND MANY OUTLETS. 
QUITE ACCOMPLISHED AND I AM 
EXCITED TO INVITE HER TO STAGE, 
PLEASE HELP ME TO BRING HER UP. 
[APPLAUSE] 
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
NOT QUITE AS TALL AS ANYONE ELSE
IT SEEMS. 
BUT CERTAINLY THAN PROVOST 
SELLERS. 
GABBY IS A TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW. 
AND I WILL DO MY BEST, GOOD 
EVENING EVERYONE, FRIENDS, 
ALLIES, FAMILIES, GIVEN AND 
CHOSEN AND UNIVERSITY OF 
MICHIGAN 2019 FIRST-GEN 
GRADUATES. 
IT IS SUCH A PLEASURE AND 
PRIVILEGE TO SPEAK TO YOU ON 
THIS JOYOUS OCCASION. 
I WANT TO THANK ADOM, AND I WANT
TO THANK THE STUDENT MEMBERS OF 
FIRST-GEN EXECUTIVE BOARD FOR 
INVITING ME. 
THAT'S SUCH A THRILL TO BE 
INVITED BY THE STUDENTS. 
AS ADOM MENTIONED NOTHING ELSE 
THIS PAST YEAR HAS MANAGED TO 
BRING ME BACK FROM MY SABBATICAL
EXCEPT YOU, FIRST-GENS. 
BECAUSE THE CHANCE TO SPEAK TO 
YOU ON THIS DAY IS SUCH AN HONOR
AND SO IMPORTANT. 
SO I KNOW THAT YOU GRADUATING 
STUDENTS AND FAMILIES HAVE AN 
M
AMBITIOUS SCHEDULE OF PARTYING 
AHEAD, SO I PROMISE TO KEEP MY 
REMARKS BRIEF. 
BUT IN THE SPIRIT OF THIS 
EVENING OF CELEBRATION AND 
REFLECTION, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE
THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE SOME 
THOUGHTS AND EXPERIENCES DRAWN 
FROM MY WORK AS TEACHER AND 
MENTOR TO HARD-WORKING, TALENTED
AND IDEALISTIC MICHIGAN STUDENTS
OVER THE PAST TWO DECADES. 
AND MY EXPERIENCES TOO AS 
SCHOLAR AND RESEARCHER AND 
WRITER. 
SO I WANT TO START BY 
CONGRATULATING ALL OF YOU WHO 
MANAGED TO COMPLETE NOT ONLY 
COMPLETE A MICHIGAN DEGREE BUT 
ON TOP OF THAT TO DO SO AS A 
FIRST-GEN STUDENT. 
I KNOW PERSONALLY THE SPECIAL 
CHALLENGES OF BEING IN THE FIRST
GENERATION OF YOUR FAMILY TO GO 
TO COLLEGE AND COMPLETE A 
DEGREE. 
BUT THE GRADUATES AMONG US 
TONIGHT ALSO MANAGED TO DO SO AT
THE GREATEST PUBLIC UNIVERSITY 
IN THE COUNTRY. 
WE ARE ALL SO PROUD OF YOU. 
FOR ALL OF US THIS EVENING, AND 
IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS AND WEEKS, 
THIS IS A TIME TO PAUSE AND 
RECOGNIZE THAT EACH OF YOU 
ALREADY HAS DEFIED GREAT ODDS 
AND ACHIEVED REMARKABLE THINGS. 
IF IF NAVIGATEING AND PURSUING 
AN EDUCATION IN THIS HUGE, 
SOMETIMES INTIMIDATING 
WORLD-CLASS UNIVERSITY HAS AT 
TIMES FELT LIKE A MARATHON. 
THEN GRADUATES NOW IS THE TIME 
TO EXHALE. 
BREATHE DEEP AND TAKE A MOMENT 
TO LOOK BACK OVER THE DISTANCE 
YOU HAVE TRAVELED. 
AND TO SHARE SOME OF THE 
MEMORIES, SIGHTS, SOUNDS AROUND 
HERE AND PEOPLE FROM YOUR TIME 
AT MICHIGAN. 
WITH THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS WHO 
HAVE SUPPORTED YOU IN REACHING 
YOUR GOALS. 
THANK YOU, FAMILY MEMBERS, FOR 
YOUR CRUCIAL LOVE AND SUPPORT IN
COUNTLESS FORMS WITHOUT WHICH 
THESE GRADUATES LIFE-ALTERING 
EXPERIENCE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF 
MICHIGAN EDUCATION MIGHT NOT 
HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE. 
AND THANK YOU FOR SHARING THESE 
STUDENTS WITH US. 
FOR FOUR YEARS OR MORE. 
I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO 
FEEL SUPPORT FROM EVEN ONE 
PERSON. 
WHEN YOU ARE OUT ON A LIMB IN 
PURSUIT OF NEW EXPERIENCES AND 
KNOWLEDGE ON THE VERY TOUGH 
QUESTIONS THAT WE FACE IN THE 
WORLD.
AND THAT'S THE CHALLENGE THAT 
THESE GRADUATES TOOK ON. 
AS FIRST-GEN STUDENTS THEY 
BRAVED NEW WORLDS IN PURSUIT OF 
HIGHER KNOWLEDGE. 
GABBY SPOKE TO THAT. 
COMING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF 
MICHIGAN AS A FIRST-GEN STUDENT 
IS COMING TO A NEW WORLD AND IT 
CAN BE A SCARY WORLD. 
IT TAKES A LOT OF COURAGE AND 
PERSISTENCE. 
THEY BROUGHT THEIR QUESTIONS AND
CURIOSITY AND KNOWLEDGE AND 
SKILLS AND PASSION, STAMINA AND 
COMMITMENT INTO THIS UNIVERSITY.
AND THEY PURSUED THEIR QUESTIONS
IN A WIDE VARIETY OF CLASSES, 
LABS, CAMPUS ORGANIZATIONS AND 
THESIS, AND DISSERTATIONS AND 
INDEPENDENT AND GROUP PROJECTS. 
AS A SCHOLAR I HAVE EXPERIENCED 
THIS MANY TIMES OVER. 
WHEN I WROTE A THESIS, AND 
DISSERTATION AND ARTICLES AND 
BOOKS AND EACH TIME FRANKLY I 
WONDER IF I'M GOING TO GET 
THROUGH IT. 
I'M IN THE MIDDLE OF A BOOK NOW 
AND I AM WONDERING IF I AM GOING
TO SURVIVE IT. 
I ESPECIALLY WONDERED THAT A LOT
DURING THE 10 YEARS I WAS 
RESEARCHING AND WRITING MY LAST 
BOOK. 
THAT PROJECT PRESENTED MANY 
CHALLENGES. 
FIRST I HAD DECIDED TO WRITE A 
BOOK IN A FIELD I HAD NEVER 
WORKED IN AND WAS NOT TRAINED 
IN. 
WHAT IS MORE, THAT FIELD DID NOT
EXIST. 
NOT YET ANYWAY. 
I THOUGHT IT SHOULD EXIST. 
I WANTED TO WRITE ABOUT HOW 
SOCIOECONOMIC CLASS WORKS IN 
AMERICA. 
AND I WANTED TO PLACE MY 
DISCUSSION IN THE HUMANITIES, 
NOT JUST THE SOCIAL SCIENCES AS 
USUAL. 
AND IN AN UPDATED FRAME SUITED 
TO THE GLOBALIZED 21st CENTURY 
WORLD WE LIVE IN. 
SO MY FIRST TASK WAS TO FIND 
OTHER SCHOLARS AND RESEARCHERS 
THINKING AND WRITING ABOUT 
SIMILAR QUESTIONS AND CONSTRUCT 
A BIB LOGRAPHY THAT YOU HAVE 
DONE AND READ THE RELEVANT 
LITERATURE. 
THIS IN ITSELF TOOK YEARS. 
FINDING USEFUL SOURCES WAS LIKE 
A NEEDLE IN A HAYSTACK SINCE I 
CHOSE TO WORK IN A FIELD THAT 
DID NOT EXIST. 
WHAT IS MORE, SOME PEOPLE, 
HIGH-PLACED AND AUTHORITATIVE 
PEOPLE HAD MADE STATEMENTS 
DENYING EVEN THE POSSIBILITY 
THAT SUCH A FIELD SHOULD EXIST. 
CLASS, THESE FOLKS SAID IS NO 
LONGER A RELEVANT OR CATEGORY OF
ANALYSIS. 
THE NOTION HAD OUT LIVED ITS 
USEFULNESS OF UNDERSTANDING 
CURRENT AND SOCIOECONOMIC LIFE 
IN AMERICA. 
SO HOW WOULD I MANAGE THAT 
CHALLENGE? 
THE QUESTION HAUNTED ME, IT KEPT
ME UP AT NIGHT TO TELL YOU THE 
TRUTH. 
THEN THERE WAS THE FACT THAT AS 
A MUSIC ECOLOGIST AND GENDER 
SCHOLAR I PLANNED TO PLACE THESE
IN THE ESTABLISHED EXPERTISE, 
WHICH IS ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA 
EXCEPT PRECIOUS FEW PEOPLE 
ENGAGED IN SOCIAL CLASS AND 
MUSIC STUDIES AND SLIGHTLY IN 
GENDER STUDIES.
AND IN ANY CASE HOW WOULD THAT 
WORK? 
HOW WOULD I COMBINE THESE THREE 
AREAS? 
I DIDN'T KNOW. 
FIVE OR SIX YEARS IN THE 
RESEARCH I STARTED TEACHING A 
COURSE AT THE INTERSECTION OF MY
THREE SUBJECTS AND HONED IN ON A
TITLE AND KNEW IT WAS THE RIGHT 
TITLE FOR THE PROJECT, REDNECKS,
QUEERS AND COUNTRY MUSIC. 
IT WAS PERFECT AND SURE ENOUGH 
IT STUCK AND ULTIMATELY BECAME 
THE TITLE OF MY BOOK. 
BUT ONCE I DREAMED UP THIS TITLE
IT TOOK ME TWO OR THREE MORE 
YEARS TO FIGURE OUT HOW MY BOOK 
WAS TO JOIN TOGETHER THESE THREE
SEEMINGLY IRRECONCILABLE 
ELEMENTS THAT I ANNOUNCED IN THE
TITLE. 
I ACTUALLY HAD NO IDEA HOW THAT 
WAS GOING TO WORK. 
IN FACT IT SEEMED A DUBIOUS 
PROPOSITION EVEN TO ME. 
FOR REASON I KNEW THAT WAS THE 
BOOK BUT I DIDN'T KNOW HOW I WAS
GOING TO PULL THAT OFF. 
SO I HAD PLENTY OF THINGS TO 
KEEP ME UP AT NIGHT AND THEY 
DID. 
WHAT WAS ESPECIALLY WORRISOME TO
ME HAD TO DO WITH MY PERSONAL 
JOURNEY AND MY FAMILY HISTORY. 
A BIG REASON I WAS INTERESTED IN
STUDYING WORKING CLASS AND 
MIDDLE-CLASS WORLDS AND THE 
DIFFERING ASSUMPTIONS AND LOGICS
DRIVING THEM.
AND AGAIN I THINK THAT GABBY 
INVOKED THIS. 
I HAD GROWNUP IN ONE WORLD AND 
WILL OVER A NUMBER OF YEARS 
GRADUALLY AND EFFORTLY MOVED 
INTO ANOTHER WORLD.
NOW THIS PROJECT OF MINE 
THREATENED TO DESTROY EVERYTHING
I HAD WORKED FOR. 
I WAS A MIDWESTERN SMALL-TOWN 
WORKING CLASS KID THAT MANAGED 
TO BECOME A TENURED PROFESSOR IN
ELITE UNIVERSITY. 
THROUGHOUT YEARS OF AAPPRE
APPRENTICESHIP AND I LEARNED NEW
CODES TO HIDE MY DRUTRUTH. 
THEY WAS NOT FROM THIS PLACE AND
GREW UP USING OTHER KNOWLEDGES 
AND SPEAKING OTHER LANGUAGES. 
NOW WITH THIS BOOK I WAS ABOUT 
TO OUT MYSELF. 
I MEAN I WAS OUT -- 
BUT I WAS ABOUT TO OUT MYSELF IN
A MUCH SCARIER WAY. 
AS A PRODUCT OF A SOCIAL GROUP 
LONG MARKED AS LESS THAN. 
LESS CULTIVATED. 
LESS DESERVING. 
MORE BACKWARD, MORE BELLIGERENT.
WHAT'S MORE THIS SELF-REVELATION
WOULD COME VIA A BOOK LINK 
DEFENSE, WORKING CLASS CULTURE 
AND CRETEAKCRETEAK -- CRITIQUE. 
AND THIS KEPT TURNING UP LIKE A 
BAD PENNY. 
I GAZED AT THE PROSPECT THAT ALL
I HAD MANAGED TO OBTAIN, THE 
PRIVILEGED PLATFORM OF THE IDEAS
AS A SCHOLAR. 
THE GOODWILL OF MY ACADEMIC 
COLLEAGUES AND ORGANIZATIONS. 
ALL OF THAT WAS ABOUT TO GO DOWN
THE DRAIN, BECAUSE I WAS BOUND 
AND DETERMINED TO WRITE THIS 
BOOK. 
AND COULDN'T TALK MYSELF OUT OF 
IT. 
AND THEN SOMETHING HAPPENED. 
ALONG CAME THE 2008 GLOBAL 
ECONOMIC CRISIS. 
A CRIPPLING DISASTER FOR POOR 
AND WORKING-CLASS FAMILIES. 
BUT IRONICALLY IT SERVED TO HELP
ME AND MY BOOK. 
WHY? 
BECAUSE IT MEANT THAT CLASS WAS 
ONCE AGAIN A SERIOUS TOPIC OF 
DISCUSSION. 
MORE SERIOUS THAN HAD BEEN IN 
YEARS.
AND BY THE WAY, ONE LESSON THAT 
I LEARNED FROM ALL OF THIS, YOU 
NEVER KNOW WHAT IS AROUND THE 
CORNER IN THIS LIFE. 
BUT TO CUT TO THE CHASE. 
I FINISHED MY BOOK AND I 
PUBLISHED IT.
AND LITTLE BY LITTLE I HEARD 
FROM READERS AND REVIEWERS AND I
LEARNED THAT OTHER PEOPLE WERE 
ALSO THIRSTING FOR THE 
CONVERSATION I HAD INSISTED ON 
RAISING. 
EVERY SINCE THE BOOK WAS 
RELEASED I HAVE BEEN HEARING 
FROM PEOPLE, NOT ONLY STUDENTS 
AND COLLEAGUES BUT STRANGERS. 
WHO TELL ME HOW IMPORTANT MY 
BOOK AND THIS DIALOGUE IS TO 
THEM. 
SOME BECAUSE THEY RELATE TO 
WORKING CLASS EXPERIENCE AND 
WELCOME THE CHANCE TO THINK 
ABOUT THE LARGER STRUCTURAL 
FACTORS THAT SHAPED THEIR LIVES.
AND EASING UP PERHAPS ON 
INDIVIDUAL SELF-BLAMING. 
OTHERS GET IN TOUCH NOT BECAUSE 
THEY RELATE DIRECTLY BUT BECAUSE
THEY COME FROM MORE PRIVILEGED 
POSITIONS AND TRULY WANT TO 
UNDERSTAND. 
HOW GREAT IS THAT? 
IN BOTH THOSE CASES. 
SO OUT OF A ONCE-LONELY PROCESS 
I HAVE FOUND MEANINGFUL FORMS OF
COMMUNITY. 
SO YOU MIGHT THINK THAT HAVING 
WRITTEN ONE ARTICLE OR ONE BOOK 
WOULD MAKE IT EASIER TO WRITE 
MORE. 
GOOD NEWS IT ACTUALLY DOES. 
BUT IT ALSO MAKES IT POSSIBLE TO
POSE BIGGER AND TOUGHER 
QUESTIONS. 
AND THAT'S JUST WHAT WE DO, ALL 
OF US. 
WHEN YOU COMMIT TO ANY 
SIGNIFICANT PROJECT, INCLUDING A
DEGREE PROGRAM AT A MAJOR 
UNIVERSITY. 
YOU TAKE ON RISKS, CHALLENGE AND
UNCERTAINTY. 
YOU DON'T KNOW HOW THIS ALL WILL
TURN OUT. 
YOU OPERATE AT THE FRONTIER, THE
LIMITS OF YOUR CURRENT 
CAPACITIES. 
THE LIMITS OF OUR CURRENT 
KNOWLEDGE. 
AND YOU PUSH THOSE LIMITS 
FARTHER AHEAD. 
SO THAT NO MATTER HOW THIS 
PROJECT TURNS OUT, ONCE YOU ARE 
FINISHED YOU HAVE A NEW MORE 
DISTANT FRONTIER IN AHEAD OF 
YOU. 
THIS IS HOW WE ALL OPERATE. 
THIS IS HOW I KNOW YOU ALL WORK.
BUT FOR THIS WEEK AT LEAST, 
GRADUATE, I URGE YOU TO 
CELEBRATE WITH YOUR FAMILY AND 
FRIENDS AND YOUR PROFESSORS. 
CELEBRATE THE GOALS YOU HAVE 
WORKED TOWARD, THE LIMITS YOU 
HAVE REACHED TOWARD AND WHAT YOU
HAVE LEARNED FROM THE PROCESS. 
INCLUDING THE SURPRISES, AND THE
SETBACKS. 
AND PLEASE RECOGNIZE THAT OUR 
WORLD NEEDS YOU IN WHAT YOU HAVE
TO OFFER. 
YOU HAVE A FIRST-RATE EDUCATION 
AND CREDENTIALS FROM THE 
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN. 
AND AS A FIRST-GEN GRADUATE, YOU
ALSO HAVE SPECIAL SUPER POWERS. 
YOU POSSESS SUPER POWERS OF 
TRANSLATION AND CODE SWITCHING. 
YOU ARE FLUENT IN NAVIGATING 
DIFFERENT LANGUAGES AND WORLDS, 
EACH ONE OF YOU. 
YOU POSSESS SUPER POWERS OF 
CULTURAL FLEXIBILITY.
YOU KNOW HOW TO WORK EFFECTIVELY
IN DIVERSE ENVIRONMENTS AND 
COMMUNITIES. 
YOU KNOW PROBABLY HAVE SUPER 
POWERS OF EMPATHY. 
EMPATHY FOR OTHERS WHO HAVE TO 
OPERATE ON UNFAMILIAR TERRAIN 
AND PERHAPS OUTSIDE OF THEIR 
COMFORT ZONE. 
AS YOU HAVE HAD TO DO. 
AND YOU HAVE STILL OTHER SUPER 
POWERS, PLEASE THINK THROUGH 
THIS AND CONSTRUCT YOUR OWN LIST
IN THE COMING DAYS. 
YOU HAVE FINISHED YOUR TIME 
HERE, GRADUATES, AND YOU ARE 
TRANSITIONING INTO THE NEXT 
STAGE. 
FOR SOME OF YOU THAT WILL MEAN A
JOB. 
IN YOUR FIELD OR OUTSIDE YOUR 
FIELD. 
MAYBE CAREER RELATED OR MAYBE 
JUST PAYING THE RENT. 
IT MAY MEAN MORE SCHOOL OR 
TRAINING. 
IT MAY MEAN A CHANGE OF SCENERY.
OR A RETURN TO SOME PLACE 
FAMILIAR. 
MAYBE YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IS 
NEXT. 
AND THAT'S FINE. 
REST ASSURED YOU ARE NOT ALONE. 
BUT FROM THIS DAY FORWARD, IF 
YOU FIND YOURSELF FEELING OUT OF
PLACE. 
IF IMPOSTURE SYNDROME REARS ITS 
UGLY HEAD, IF YOU BEGIN TO DOUBT
YOURSELF, GO OVER YOUR LIST OF 
SUPER POWERS. 
REMIND YOURSELF OF THE RARE AND 
VALUABLE QUALITIES YOU BRING TO 
EVERY SITUATION. 
EVERY JOB. 
BECAUSE YOU ARE A FIRST-GEN 
GRADUATE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF 
MICHIGAN. 
AND DON'T FORGET SELF-CARE. 
WE KNOW THAT AS MUCH AS EACH OF 
YOU HAS MADE GREAT EFFORTS TO 
OBTAIN SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC AND 
CAREER MOBILITY. 
THAT MOBILITY ITSELF TAKES A 
TOLL. 
HAS ANYONE BEEN WARNED ABOUT 
THAT? 
MOBILITY IS HARD. 
MOBILITY IS EXHAUSTING. 
THAT MOBILITY TAKES A TOLL IN 
ENERGY AND EFFORT AND 
POTENTIALLY ALIENATION FROM 
FAMILIAR WORLDS AND SELVES. 
AND PEEPS. 
SO TAKE TIME AND REMEMBER TO 
SEEK OUT YOUR COMFORT ZONE. 
RESTORE AND RECHARGE IN SPACES 
AND WITH PEOPLE WHO SEE YOU. 
AND ACCEPT YOU. 
AND WHO AT A CORE LEVEL MAKE 
SENSE TO YOU. 
NEVER FORGET HOW YOU DREW 
STRENGTH AND MOTIVATION FROM 
YOUR MENTORS, PEERS AND LOVED 
ONES, INCLUDING THE FOLKS IN 
THIS ROOM. 
IF EVER FOR A MOMENT YOU THOUGHT
ABOUT GIVING UP, YOU MIGHT HAVE 
PERSISTED BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T 
WANT TO LET THESE FOLKS DOWN. 
NOW YOU HAVE DONE IT. 
EARNED YOUR DEGREE. 
ONCE YOU TURN IN THAT LAST PAPER
-- 
IT WILL HAPPEN. 
BEING FIRST-GEN MEANS YOU'VE HAD
OPPORTUNITIES THAT SOME FAMILY 
AND FRIENDS MAY NOT SHARE.
AND THAT CAN HURT. 
BY NOW YOU HAVE BEEN TO PLACES 
AND HAD EXPERIENCES THAT ARE 
DIFFERENT. 
FROM WHAT YOU KNEW BEFORE YOUR 
MICHIGAN EDUCATION. 
YOUR EXTREME SUPER POWERS WILL 
COME FROM THE MERGING OF ALL 
YOUR EXPERIENCES. 
ALL OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE. 
FROM ALL THE DIFFERENT WORLDS 
YOU KNOW HOW TO MOVE IN. 
YOU HAVE BEEN SHAPED BY YOUR 
EDUCATION IN A GREAT UNIVERSITY 
AND DEEPLY SHAPED BY THE PEOPLE 
WHO CAME OUT THIS EVENING TO 
CELEBRATE THIS MILESTONE IN YOUR
LIFE. 
WE'RE ALL ROUTING FOR YOU. 
WE'RE SO PROUD OF YOU. 
AND THIS WORLD NEEDS YOU AND 
YOUR SPECIAL TALENTS. 
CONGRATULATIONS. 
AND GOOD LUCK. 
[APPLAUSE] 
>> DR. SELLERS, THANK YOU FOR 
TELLING US THE VALUE FIRST-GEN 
BRING TO U OF M. 
GABBY, THANK YOU FOR TELLING US 
WHAT IT TAKES TO BE FIRST-GEN. 
AND DR. HUBS THANK YOU FOR 
TELLING US THAT TRAILBLAZING 
DOESN'T STOP AFTER GRADUATION. 
IT'S NOW TIME TO HONOR THE 
GRADUATES. 
[APPLAUSE] 
YEAH. 
SO I HAVE A COUPLE OF PEOPLE 
HELPING ME. 
CAROL WILL HELP THE RELEASE 
FOLKS TO COME AND GET A CORD. 
YOU WILL HEAR A COUPLE OF 
INSTRUCTIONS BUT IDENTIFY CAROL.
DWIGHT AND ANITA. 
ANITA IS THE INCOMING PRESIDENT 
OF THE FIRST GENERATION STUDENT 
BOARD, SO DWIGHT AND ANITA, CAN 
YOU COME UP. 
SO OUR TRADITION IS TO INVITE 
GRADUATES TO COME UP TO THE 
STAGE, GRADUATES SAY THEIR NAME.
AND THEIR MAJOR. 
AND THEY CAN SHARE A MESSAGE TO 
THEIR FAMILIES. 
GRADUATES, THERE IS A LOT OF 
YOU. 
SO YOU NEED TO KEEP IT VERY, 
VERY SHORT. 
OKAY. 
YOU CAN SAY I'M ADOM HUSSEIN, I 
GRADUATED IN EDUCATION. 
GO BLUE. 
I'M KIND OF KIDDING, YOU CAN 
ALSO SAY, THANK YOU MOM AND DAD,
ETC. 
BUT KEEP IT AS SHORT AS 
POSSIBLE. 
SO THAT EVERYONE GETS THE CHANCE
TO SAY SOMETHING. 
SO GRADUATES, CAROL WILL TELL 
YOU WHEN TO STAND AND SHE WILL 
RELEASE PEOPLE BY ROWS. 
OKAY, SO KEEP AN EYE ON CAROL. 
YOU WILL WALK OVER, COME UP FROM
THIS SIDE. 
SAY YOUR NAME, YOUR MAJOR. 
AND THEN DWIGHT AND ANITA WILL 
CORD YOU. 
OKAY? 
THIS NOT  -- THIS IS NOT A 
SPEECH, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING TO
GET WORKED UP. 
EVERY YEAR THIS GOES WELL SO 
DON'T THINK TOO HARD ABOUT THIS.
BUT IN ORDER FOR THIS TO GO 
SMOOTHLY, I NEED THE ROOM TO BE 
QUIET. 
OKAY. 
ALL RIGHT. 
SO WE'LL GET THE INITIAL GROUP 
OF STUDENTS LINED UP. 
ALL RIGHT. 
AGAIN IT'S IMPORTANT FOR Y'ALL 
TO KEEP IT DOWN SO WE CAN HEAR 
EVERY SPEAKER AND WE CAN GO 
THROUGH THIS QUICKLY. 
OKAY? 
ALL RIGHT. 
>> HI. 
MY NAME IS LISA SANCHEZ. 
I'M A FIRST-GEN AND I MAJORED IN
MICROBIOLOGY. 
[APPLAUSE] 
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, I'M 
CHRISTOPHER QUÉBEC, I AM 
GRADUATING WITH MASTER'S DEGREE 
IN URBAN AND REGIONAL PLANNING 
AND I'M FROM CHICAGO. 
[NAME] GO BLUE. 
GOOD EVENING EVERYONE, I AM... 
I WAS A FIRST-GENERATION 
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT AND EARNED
MY BACHELORS IN SPORTS MEDICINE 
FROM HOWARD UNIVERSITY. 
[APPLAUSE] 
>> GOOD EVENING EVERYONE, 
MICHAEL BARNES, MBA FROM THE 
SCHOOL OF BUSINESS, JUST WANT TO
SAY, MOM, I MADE IT. 
>> HI, EVERYONE, I AM DIANA 
CRUZ, A GRADUATING STUDENT AND 
SO HAPPY TO HAVE SO MANY OF YOU 
IN FRONT OF ME. 
AND I WANT TO THANK MY COMMUNITY
AND MY FAMILY FOR GETTING ME 
HERE. 
>> HI, EVERYONE, TAYLOR, ALSO 
GRADUATING MBA, AND FIRST-GEN 
UNDERGRAD IN MARKETING AND 
PROFESSIONAL SALES AND WANT TO 
SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO 
EVERYBODY, WE DID IT. 
>> HI, EVERYONE, CHRIS FRANKS, 
GRADUATING MBA AND ALSO 
FIRST-GEN UNDERGRAD IN 
MATHEMATICS. 
GO BLUE. 
>> HELLO, EVERYONE, I AM 
ORIGINALLY FROM PERU. 
I AM GRADUATING MBA STUDENT FROM
ROSS SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND 
FIRST-GEN UNDERGRAD FROM SMITH 
COLLEGE, THANK YOU. 
>> HEY, EVERYBODY, MOHAMMAD, 
MAJORED IN ELECTRICAL 
ENGINEERING, CONGRATULATIONS 
EVERYBODY. 
HI, EVERYONE, REEMA MIA, I AM 
GRADUATING WITH A BBA AND A 
MINOR IN COMMUNITY ACTION AND 
SOCIAL CHANGE, AND GOOD LUCK ON 
YOUR NEXT ADVENTURE. 
>> HI, EVERYONE, SHAQUILLE, FROM
HONG KONG, AND GRADUATING FROM 
EDUCATION, THANK YOU. 
>> HI, BRIANNA WELLS, GRADUATING
WITH MAJORS IN COGNITIVE 
SCIENCE.
>> HI, SHANIES SOTHERLAND, 
GRADUATING WITH A MASTER'S IN 
SOLAR BIOLOGY. 
I AM FROM JAMAICA AND I WANT TO 
SAY MOM FOR ALL OF YOUR 
SACRIFICES. 
AND ALL OF YOU OUT THERE, 
ANYTHING YOU CAN BELIEVE IN, YOU
CAN ABSOLUTELY DO. 
>> HI, EVERYONE, DESMON, 
GRADUATING WITH MBA IN AEROSPACE
ENGINEERING. 
>> HI, EVERYONE, I AM EARNING MY
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN SOFTWARE 
ENGINEERING AND I WANT TO THANK 
MY FAMILY, FRIENDS AND MENTORS 
FOR BEING WITH ME IN THIS 
JOURNEY, THANK YOU. 
>> HI, MY NAME IS GRACE, I AM 
GRADUATING WITH A MAJOR IN 
BUSINESS, THANKS MOM AND DAD. 
>> GOOD EVENING, I AM GRADUATING
WITH MY DOCTORATE IN DENTAL 
SURGERY, GO BLUE!
>> HI, EVERYBODY, TIANNA MORGAN,
GRADUATEING WITH MY MASTER'S IN 
PUBLIC HEALTH AND I WANT TO SAY 
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF MY 
PEERS.  
WATCH OUT WORLD, HERE WE COME. 
>> HELLO, I AM GRADUATING WITH A
MASTER'S IN HEALTH SERVICE 
ADMINISTRATION AND I WANT TO SAY
THANK YOU TO MY FAMILY AND 
FRIENDS AND THE COMMUNITY THAT 
HELPED ME GET HERE. 
>> HI, LINDSAY LAFOREST, 
GRADUATING WITH A BACHELOR'S IN 
SPORTS MANAGEMENT AND A MINOR IN
LAW SOCIAL CHANGE, AND I WANT TO
SAY THANK YOU TO MY FAMILY AND 
FRIENDS. 
>> HI, EVERYONE, COLLEEN CHONG, 
AND GRADUATING A DUAL DEGREE IN 
BIOLOGY AND NEUROSCIENCE AND MBA
FROM THE ROSS SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
AND WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL
MOMS AND DADS THAT SUPPORTED 
EVERYONE. 
>> GOOD EVENING, I'M KIMBERLY 
GOU, I AM GRADUATING WITH A 
DEGREE IN BIOPSYCHOLOGY AND 
NEUROSCIENCE, GO BLUE. 
>> HELLO, I AM GRADUATING WITH A
BACHELORS IN DENTAL HYGIENE AND 
I WANT TO SAY, LOOK, MOMMA, I 
MADE IT. 
>> HI, I AM GRADUATING WITH A 
BACHELORS IN DENTAL HYGIENE, SO 
GO BLUE. 
>> HI, Y'ALL KNOW EVERYTHING -- 
I DON'T HAVE TO SAY MUCH, 
THANKS. 
>> HI, EVERYONE, I AM GRADUATING
WITH A BACHELORS IN PUBLIC 
POLICY AND I WANT TO SAY THAT WE
HAVE AND CONTINUE TO CONFIRM 
THAT WE HAVE EVERYTHING THEY 
SAID WE COULDN'T HAVE. 
>> HELLO, I AM GRADUATING WITH A
MAJOR IN ENGLISH FOR SECONDARY 
EDUCATION AND GO BLUE. 
HI, I AM HEATHER HUNT AND 
GRADUATING WITH A MAJOR IN 
PSYCHOLOGY AND I WANT TO SAY 
THANK YOU TO MY FAMILY AND 
CONGRATS EVERYONE. 
>> HI, MY NAME IS HOLLY TRULLA, 
AND I AM GRADUATING WITH A 
DOCTORATE, AND I AM ALSO 
FIRST-GEN FOR UNDERGRADUATE IN 
BIOLOGY. 
>> HI, EVERYONE, I AM GRADUATING
WITH A BACHELOR SCIENCE IN BIO O
-- BIOCHEMISTRY AND A MINOR IN 
CREATIVE WRITING.
>> HELLO, I'M GRADUATEING WITH 
MY BA IN PSYCHOLOGY AND THEY 
TOLD ME TO DO IT IN FOUR YEARS 
AND I DID IT IN THREE. 
>> HELLO, GETTING A BACHELORS IN
PUBLIC HEALTH AND THAT'S ALL I 
GOT -- 
>> HI, I AM FIRST-GEN UNDERGRAD.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, I AM GETTING 
MY MASTER'S DEGREE IN 
CONSERVATION ECOLOGY AND I WOULD
LIKE TO THANK MY FRIENDS AND 
FAMILY FOR ALWAYS SUPPORTING ME.
>> GOOD EVENING, I AM GRADUATING
WITH MY BACHELORS IN DENTAL 
HYGIENE, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK 
MY MOM, MY DAD AND THE REST OF 
MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS FOR THEIR 
SUPPORT, AND GO BLUE. 
>> HI, I AM GRADUATING WITH A BA
IN WOMEN'S STUDIES, AND I WANTED
TO SAY THANK YOU TO MY MOM AND 
DAD. 
>> HI, I AM GRADUATING WITH MY 
BACHELORY IN KINESIOLOGY, THANKS
MOM. 
>> HI, EVERYBODY, I AM 
GRADUATING WITH A MASTER'S IN 
SOCIAL WORK AND I WANT TO THANK 
GOD AND MY PARENTS AND FAMILY 
FOR BRINGING ME HERE TODAY. 
>> HI, I AM GRADUATING WITH A BA
IN POLITICAL SCIENCE, WOMEN'S 
STUDIES AND MINOR IN INTERGROUP 
RELATIONS. 
I AM REALLY HAPPY TO BE HERE 
TODAY AND I STILL HAVE 
ASSIGNMENTS LEFT AND GOOD LUCK 
TO THOSE THAT DO AND 
CONGRATULATIONS TO THOSE THAT 
DON'T. 
>> HELLO, I AM MAJORING WITH A 
DEGREE IN ELEMENTARY EDUCATION. 
AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO 
MY FAMILY BACK HOME, AND 
ESPECIALLY MY MOM AND DAD AND TO
MY FAMILY ON CAMPUS. 
WITHOUT ALL OF THEM I WOULDN'T 
MAKE IT HERE TODAY. 
THANK YOU. 
>> HI. 
I AM GRADUATING WITH 
BIOPSYCHOLOGY NEUROSCIENCE AND I
WANT TO SAY I AM PROUD AND 
GRATEFUL FOR THE COMMUNITY I 
ESTABLISHED HERE AND BACK HOME 
WITH ALL THE SUPPORT. 
>> HI, I'M GRADUATING WITH A 
MAJOR IN COMMUNICATION STUDIES 
AND MINOR IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP. 
>> HI, EVERYONE, I AM RECEIVING 
MY BA IN BCN WITH A MINOR IN 
LINGUISTICS AND TO SAY THANK YOU
TO MY FAMILY BACK HOME AND MY 
FRIENDS AND FAMILY HERE. 
>> HI, EVERYONE, I'M STUDYING 
POLITICAL SCIENCE AND HISTORY 
AND I WANT TO THANK MY PARENTS 
WHO COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY FOR 
THEIR HARD WORK AND SACRIFICES 
TO BE HERE ON THIS STAGE TODAY. 
>> HI, EVERYONE, I AM A 
GRADUATING -- OH, MY GOD, I'M 
GRADUATING WITH A BA IN 
POLITICAL SCIENCE AND SOCIOLOGY.
WITH A CONCENTRATION IN LAW 
JUSTICE, AND SOCIAL CHANGE -- 
OH, MY GOD, I WANT TO THANK ALL 
OF MY FAMILY, FRIENDS, MENTORS 
AND EDUCATORS THAT HAVE HELPED 
ME GET TO THIS STAGE TODAY. 
THIS WAS HARD WORK BUT WE MADE 
IT Y'ALL. 
>> GOOD EVENING EVERYONE, I'M 
HAILEY RICHARDSON AND I AM 
GRADUATING WITH A BACHELOR OF 
SCIENCE IN BIOLOGY, HEALTH AND 
SOCIETY IN SOUTHEAST ASIAN 
STUDIES AND THANKS TO MY MOM, 
DAD AND GRANDMA GOLDIE FOR BEING
HERE TONIGHT. 
>> GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE, I'M 
LLOYD MERC AND GRADUATING WITH A
BACHELORS IN SCIENCE AND 
NEUROSCIENCE AND SAY HELLO TO MY
FAMILY HERE AND MY FAMILY IN THE
PHILIPPINES. 
>> HI, I WANT TO FIRSTLY THANK 
GOD, THANK MY FRIENDS, THANK MY 
FAMILY, AND THANK EVERYONE WHO 
GOT ME IN THE POSITION I AM NOW,
GRADUATING WITH A BACHELORS IN 
PSYCHOLOGY AND I'M GOING TO 
CONTINUE MY SCHOOLING IN 
NURSING. 
>> GOOD EVENING EVERYONE, I AM 
ASHLEY ANDERSON, GRADUATING WITH
A DEGREE IN POLITICAL SCIENCE 
AND AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES AND
THANK YOU TO MY MOM AND DAD AND 
SISTER FOR ALWAYS SUPPORTING ME.
>> HELLO, I WANT TO SAY THANK 
YOU TO EVERYONE, LITERALLY MY 
FRIENDS, BLACK AMISH AND THE 
ONLY PRE-LAW SORORITY AND I AM 
GRADUATING WITH A BACHELORS IN 
ARTS AND HISTORY. 
>> OKAY, HI, I AM BRIANNA 
WILLIAMS, AND GRADUATEING WITH A
BACHELORS IN SOCIAL COMMUNITY 
AND THANK EVERYONE THAT IS PART 
OF MY SUPPORT SYSTEM THIS ENTIRE
TIME BECAUSE I COULDN'T HAVE 
DONE THIS WITHOUT YOU. 
>> HI-- HI, HI, EVERYONE, SIDNEY
HILL, FROM DETROIT. 
I WILL BE GRADUATING WITH A 
BACHELORS IN ART AND MINOR IN 
SOCIAL CHANGE, I WOULD LIKE TO 
THANK MY FAMILY AND ALL OF MY 
FRIENDS THAT SUPPORTED ME IN 
THESE FOUR YEARS, AND SAY THANK 
YOU AGAIN. 
>> HI, EVERYONE, I AM CHELSEA 
THOMPSON, AKA, FANCY. 
MAKE ME BLUSH -- SHOUT OUT TO MY
FAMILY, GOD, MY FRIENDS, THE 
PEOPLE I MET HERE AND ALSO THE 
PEOPLE I HAVE GROWNUP WITH AT 
THE EASTERN MARKET, THANK YOU. 
>> HELLO, EVERYONE, VINCENT 
ROGERS, GRADUATING WAY BACHELOR 
IN PSYCHOLOGY AND I WANT TO SAY 
THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING AND GO 
BLUE. 
>> HI, EVERYONE, I AM MADISON 
O'DONNELL, GRADUATING WITH MY 
BACHELORS IN BIOPSYCHOLOGY AND 
NEUROSCIENCE, AND WANT TO SAY 
THANKS MOM AND DAD, LOVE YOU 
GUYS. 
>> HEY, EVERYONE, I AM ALLIE 
MAN, GRADUATING WITH AN 
ELEMENTARY EDUCATION DEGREE, I 
WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO GOD, MY
MOM, MY DAD, MY OMMI AND GRANDMA
AND ALL THE SUPPORT THEY GIVE 
ME. 
>> HEY, Y'ALL, I'M SHANNON, 
GRADUATEING WITH A BACHELORS IN 
PSYCHOLOGY IN WOMEN'S STUDIES 
AND A SHOUT OUT TO ALL THE 
FAMILIES THAT MADE IT OUT AND A 
SHOUT OUT TO MY FAMILY THAT 
COULDN'T MAKE IT OUT BUT ALWAYS 
BACK AT HOME SUPPORTING US, 
THANK YOU. 
>> HELLO, I AM KNOWN AS PACO. 
I AM GRADUATEING WITH A BACHELOR
OF SCIENCE AND INFORMATION AND 
CONCENTRATION IN USER EXPERIENCE
DESIGN, AND I WANT TO SAY 
REGARDLESS OF EVERYONE IN HERE, 
IF YOU ARE A FIRST-GEN OR NOT, I
HOPE YOU CONTINUE TO BLAZE A 
TRAIL YOU WANT TO BE ON. 
THANKS. 
>> HI, I AM GRADUATING WITH A 
BSA IN ENGINEERING AND 
CONCENTRATION IN BUSINESS 
ENGINEERING AND TO THANK MY 
FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND 
ESPECIALLY MY MOM BEING HERE AND
SUPPORTING ME THROUGH MY LIFE. 
>> HI, YOU GUYS, I AM CINDY, 
MAJORING IN PSYCHOLOGY, ALL I 
WANT TO SAY IS THANKS TO MY MOM.
>> HI, EVERYONE, I WILL BE 
GRADUATING WITH A BACHELOR OF 
SCIENCE AND BIOPSYCHIATRY AND 
NEUROSCIENCE AND THANK YOU TO MY
FRIENDS, YOU GUYS ARE THE REASON
I AM HERE.
>> HEY, I AM FROM DETROIT, 
MICHIGAN. 
I AM GETTING A DEGREE IN HISTORY
AND RELIGION. 
AND A QUICK SHOUT OUT TO 
IMMIGRANT PARENTS, COULDN'T HAVE
DONE IT WITHOUT Y'ALL. 
>> HI, RENEE LIONS, I JUST 
FINISHED YESTERDAY MY BS IN 
MICROBIOLOGY. 
YEAH!
AND I WANT TO SHOUT OUT, FROM 
MICHIGAN MY AWESOME FRIENDS BACK
THERE AND OVER THERE, AND GO 
BLUE. 
>> HI, I WAS A FIRST-GENERATION 
UNDERGRADUATE AND GETTING MY 
MASTER'S AND PhD IN MATHEMATICS.
I WANT TO SAY [SPANISH] AND 
REALLY HAPPY TO SEE SOME OF MY 
STUDENTS HERE. 
YOU DID VERY WELL. 
>> HI, I AM GRADUATING WITH A 
BACHELORS IN COMMUNICATION 
STUDIES AND I WANT TO THANK MY 
MOM FOR ALWAYS ANSWERING MY 
PHONE CALLS AT 4 O'CLOCK IN THE 
MORNING. 
>> HI, I STUDIED BCN AND GERMAN 
IN MY TIME HERE, A LOT OF PEOPLE
I WANT TO THANK BUT THE PEOPLE 
THAT DESERVE IT THE MOST IS MY 
MOM AND DAD AND SISTER AND 
ESPECIALLY MY MOM WHO DROVE OUT 
AN HOUR ON THIS RAINY DAY TO 
COME SEE ME. 
>> HI, EVERYONE, I AM GRADUATING
WITH A BACHELOR OF SCIENCE AND 
NURSING, GO BLUE. 
>> HEY, GUYS, GETTING A BAC
R
BACHELORS IN ENVIRONMENTAL 
SCIENCE AND I WANT TO SAY, BEAT 
OHIO STATE THIS YEAR. 
>> HEY, GETTING A MASTER'S IN 
INFORMATION. 
GO BLUE. 
>> HI, EVERYONE, I AM GRADUATING
A MASTER'S IN INFORMATION, 
CONGRATULATIONS EVERYONE, WE DID
IT. 
>> HI, EVERYONE, I AM TAMMY 
NGUYEN, AND ALSO GRADUATING WITH
A MASTER'S IN INFORMATION AND I 
WANT TO THANK MY FRIENDS AND 
FAMILY THAT SUPPORTED ME AND I 
HOPE I CAN DO THE SAME FOR 
OTHERS IN THE FUTURE. 
>> HI, TIFFANY NGUYEN, 
GRADUATING WITH A BACHELORS IN 
EDUCATION AND WISH ME LUCK AS I 
TEACH MIDDLE SCHOOL. 
>> HI, EVERYONE, I AM GRADUATING
WITH A BACHELOR OF SCIENCE, AND 
FOREVER GO BLUE. 
>> HI, EVERYONE, I AM GRADUATING
WITH A BACHELORS IN COMMUNITY 
AND GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH AND 
THANK YOU TO MY FAMILY FOR 
ALLOWING ME TO BE THE FIRST TO 
GRADUATE. 
FOREVER GO BLUE. 
>> HI, EVERYONE, I WILL BE 
GRADUATING WITH A BA IN PSYCH 
AND GENDER AND HEALTH, AND 
THANKS TO EVERYONE THAT GOT ME 
WHERE I AM TODAY. 
>> HI, I AM GRADUATING WITH A BA
IN PSYCHOLOGY AND A MINOR, AND 
ASIAN PACIFIC ISLANDER -- THAT'S
A LOT, SO SORRY, MY PARENTS 
AREN'T HERE BUT... 
>> HI, EVERYONE, I AM GRADUATING
WITH A BACHELORS OF SCIENCE AND 
NURSING, MY MOM ALWAYS WANTED TO
BE A NURSE, SO MOM, THIS DEGREE 
IS FOR YOU. 
>> HELLO, I WANT TO THANK MY MOM
AND FAMILY AND FOREVER [FOREIGN 
LANGUAGE] 
>> HI, NICOLE SMITH AND 
GRADUATING WITH A DEGREE IN 
ANTHOPOLOGY AND MINOR. 
>> HI, I AM GRADUATING WITH MY 
BACHELORS IN HISTORY AND I WANT 
TO SAY THANK YOU TO GOD AND MY 
MOM AND DAD AND MY AUNT CINDY. 
>> HI, I AM FROM TAIWAN AND 
GRADUATING WITH MY BACHELORS IN 
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING. 
>> HEY, I'M GRADUATING WITH A 
BACHELORS IN AEROSPACE 
ENGINEERING AND MINORS IN 
PHYSICS AND MUSIC AND THEATER 
LIGHTING. 
AND I'M THANKFUL TO MY PARENTS, 
MY FAMILY AND MY FRIENDS AND 
YEAH, ESPECIALLY TO THE LORD 
JESUS. 
MY PLANS ARE MANY BUT HE 
ESTABLISHES MY STEPS. 
[APPLAUSE] 
>> HI, EVERYONE, I AM GRADUATING
WITH A BACHELORS OF SCIENCE IN 
MICROBIOLOGY AND GO BLUE. 
>> HEY, EVERYONE, I AM 
GRADUATING FROM U OF M MEDICAL 
SCHOOL AND TO MY FAMILY, THANK 
YOU FOR THE CONTINUED SUPPORT. 
REALLY APPRECIATE IT. 
>> HEY, EVERYBODY, I AM 
GRADUATING WITH A MASTER'S IN 
ENGINEERING WITH A CERTIFICATE 
IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP. 
I WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO
EVERYBODY BUT A SPECIAL SHOUT 
OUT TO THE DETROIT GRADS. 
>> HEY, EVERYONE, I'M GETTING MY
MASTER'S DEGREE IN MOLECULAR 
DEVELOPMENT AND TO THANK GOD AND
MY FAMILY AND AMAZING FRIENDS. 
>> HI, EVERYONE, I AM SOON TO BE
A TWO-TIME GRAD FROM THE 
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN 
FINISHINGING WITH MY MASTER'S IN
MICROBIOLOGY.
AND THANK FIRST AND FOREMOST TO 
GOD AND TO MY PARENTS WHO ARE 
NOT HERE TODAY BUT TO BRING ME 
ON THE U.S. AND GIVE ME A LIFE 
THEY DIDN'T HAVE. 
>> HI, EVERYONE, FROM JAPAN AND 
I WANT TO SAY THANKS TO MY WIFE 
AND MY BABY. 
AND I HOPE SHE WILL COME BACK 
AND U OF M STUDENT IN THE 
FUTURE, GO BLUE. 
>> GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE, I'M 
FROM UKRAINE AND I AM A STUDENT 
AND HERE ON THE MEN'S WRESTLING 
TEAM GRADUATING IN NEUROSCIENCE.
THANK YOU TO MY FRIENDS, FAMILY 
AND COACHES, WITHOUT YOU GUYS IT
WOULDN'T BE POSSIBLE. 
>> HI, EVERYONE, LIVE LONG AND 
PROSPER. 
MASTER'S IN CHEMISTRY. 
>> HELLO, I'M GETTING MY 
MASTER'S IN ENGINEERINGING WITH 
EMPHASIS ON ELECTRICICATION OF 
VEHICLES. 
AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MY 
FIANCÉ THAT IS HERE TODAY AND 
LOOKING FORWARD TO MARRYING YOU 
IN 30 DAYS. 
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS LISA, I'M 
GETTING READY TO COLLECT MY 
DEGREE IN INTERNATIONAL STUDIES.
I WANT TO HONOR THE SACRIFICES 
OF ALL THE POWERFUL WOMEN BEFORE
H
ME AND UPLIFT THE DREAMS OF ALL 
THE POWERFUL WOMEN THAT COME 
AFTER ME. 
>> HI, EVERYONE, I'M GRADUATING 
WITH A BACHELOR IN BUSINESS, I 
WANT TO SAY WISHING YOU GUYS THE
BEST OF LUCK, LET'S KILL IT. 
>> HELLO EVERYONE, ANDRÉ FISHER,
I STARTED ECONOMICS AND 
ENTREPRENEURSHIP. 
I WANT TO SAY THANKS TO MY MOM 
AND GOD AND ALL THE WONDERFUL 
FRIENDS THAT HELPED ME AND KEPT 
ME CENTERED IN MY TIME HERE IN 
MICHIGAN. 
THANK YOU ALL. 
>> GOOD EVENING EVERYONE, I AM 
CARLOS HENDERSON, GRADUATING 
WITH A BACHELORS OF SOCIOLOGY 
AND CONCENTRATION IN HEALTH AND 
MEDICINE, WATCH OUT WORLD, WE'RE
GROWN NOW. 
>> HI, EVERYONE, RICHARD CHONG, 
GRADUATING WITH A DUAL DEGREE IN
NEUROSCIENCE AND ECO-EDUCATION 
AND FROM THE WORDS OF DRAKE, 
STARTED FROM THE BOTTOM AND NOW 
WE'RE HERE.
>> HI, I AM GRADUATING WITH A 
DEGREE IN FILM TELEVISION AND 
MEDIA STUDIES, AND ALL I WANT TO
SAY IS CONGRATS TO EVERYONE 
HERE, WE FINALLY DID IT. 
>> HI, JEFF BROOKS, AS OF TODAY 
I OFFICIALLY DID FOUR YEARS WITH
A 4.0, SO I'M EXCITED. 
BUT I WANTED TO SAY THANKS TO MY
MOM, SHE RAISED ME WITHOUT MY 
DAD AROUND REALLY AND I'M HERE 
BECAUSE OF YOU. 
I LOVE YOU. 
>> HI, EVERYONE, I AM GETTING --
GRADUATINGING WITH MY MASTER'S 
IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION 
BIOLOGY, AND LET ME TELL YOU THE
BLESSINGS DO NOT STOP THERE, I 
AM A NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
FELLOW AND GETTING MY PhD FROM 
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, AUSTIN.
>> THANK YOU, MOM. 
>> HI, I AM AMY DELL, I'M 
GRADUATING WITH A BACHELOR OF 
SCIENCE IN CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 
AND I WANT TO GIVE THANKS TO MY 
FAMILY AND A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT 
TO THE EPISODE OF GAME OF 
THRONES LAST NIGHT. 
>> HI, EVERYONE, EMILY LOU, AND 
I WILL BE GRADUATING WITH A 
BACHELORS IN ELECTRICAL 
ENGINEERING AND I WANT TO SAY 
THANK YOU, MOM, I WOULDN'T BE 
HERE WITHOUT YOU. 
>> HI, EVERYONE, I AM GRADUATING
WITH MY BSE IN CIVIL ENGINEERING
AND I WANT TO CONGRATULATE 
EVERYONE ON YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS 
AND I HOPE YOU GUYS CONTINUE TO 
DO GREATER THINGS. 
>> HI, EVERYONE, I AM GRADUATING
WITH MY BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN 
BIOMECHULAR SCIENCE, AND 
CONGRATS TO ALL GRADUATES. 
>> HI, EVERYONE, I WILL BE 
GRADUATING WITH MY MASTER'S IN 
BIOSTATISTICS AND I WANT TO 
THANK MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND 
TWO CATS TO HELP ME GET THROUGH 
SCHOOL. 
AND CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE 
HERE TONIGHT. 
>> HI, EVERYONE, I AM ALSO 
GRADUATING WITH A MASTER'S IN 
BIOSTATISTICS AND I WANT TO 
THANK MY PARENTS AND FRIENDS AND
MY DOG, PENNY. 
THANK YOU. 
>> GOOD EVENING EVERYONE, I AM 
GRADUATING WITH A BACHELOR IN 
SCIENCE AND MINOR IN RELIGION, 
THANK YOU EVERYONE THAT 
SUPPORTED ME IN MY LIFE AND 
SHOUT OUT TO THE 
FIRST-GENERATION AMERICANS IN 
THE ROOM, YES, THANK YOU AND IN 
THE WISE WORDS OF ENMIM. 
SUCCESS IS MY ONLY FRICKING 
OPTION, FAILURE IS NOT. 
>> HI, GRADUATING WITH THE BS IN
THE ENVIRONMENT AND THANKS TO 
EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.
>> MY NAME IS ALLEY MANGES, I AM
GRADUATING WITH A DOUBLE MAJOR 
IN WOMEN'S STUDIES AND A MINOR 
IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE. 
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE AND
SUPPORTING US. 
>> MY NAME IS KENNEDY SHOCK, I 
AM GRADUATING WITH A BS IN 
BIOPSYCHOLOGY AND I MAY HAVE 
LEARNED TO NAVIGATE THIS 
UNIVERSITY ALONE BUT MY FAMILY 
IS MY COMPASS FOR EVERYTHING 
ELSE, THANK YOU TO THEM AND 
CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU. 
>> HELLO, I AM GETTING MY 
BACHELORS IN PUBLIC HEALTH AND I
WANT TO SAY GRACIAS TO MOM AND 
POP. 
>> HI, EVERYONE, I AM GETTING A 
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN 
ENVIRONMENT AND MINOR IN 
OCEANOGRAPHY.
AND I WANT TO THANK MY FIVE 
YOUNGER SIBLINGS TO BE MY 
DRIVING FORCE IN EDUCATION. 
>> HI, I AM GRADUATING WITH A 
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE WITH EBCN.
AND WANT TO THANK THE 
GENERATIONS THAT COME BEFORE ME 
AND I AM HOPEFUL TO THE FUTURE 
AHEAD OF US. 
>> HI, EVERYONE, I AM GRADUATING
WITH A DOUBLE MAJOR IN SCIENCE 
AND CREATIVE WRITING. 
MOM AND DAD, I OWE YOU THE 
WORLD.
>> HI, EVERYONE, I AM GRADUATING
WITH A BACHELORS IN BIOMOLECULAR
SCIENCE AND A MINOR. 
I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO MY 
FRIENDS AND FAMILY. 
>> I AM GETTING MY BACHELORS IN 
ENGLISH WITH A MINOR IN ART AND 
DESIGN, AND YEAH, WE DID IT. 
>> HI, I AM GRADUATING WITH A 
DEGREE IN INTERNATIONAL STUDIES,
SPANISH AND A MINOR IN LATIN 
AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN STUDIES. 
>> HI, I AM GRADUATING WITH A 
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN 
PHILOSOPHY, I WANT TO THANK MY 
FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND 
ESPECIALLY MOM AND DAD, GO BLUE.
>> HI, EVERYONE, I AM GRADUATING
WITH A BA IN ENGLISH AND TWO 
MINORS IN DANCE AND MY MOM LEFT 
HER DREAM AND HERE TONIGHT AND 
THANK YOU FOR HELPING ME OBTAIN 
MINE. 
AND GO BLUE. 
>> HI, I AM GRADUATING IN BCN. 
AND I WANT TO SHOUT OUT MY AUNT 
WHO IS ALSO A GRADUATE OF U OF M
AND MY MOM AND DAD AND MY SISTER
BET ME $20 THAT I WOULD NOT 
SHOUT HER OUT AND THIS IS ME 
TELLING YOU THAT I AM GRADUATING
AND LEAVING SCHOOL AND I'M NOT 
WRITING YOUR PAPERS ANYMORE. 
>> HI, EVERYONE, I WILL BE 
GRADUATING ON SATURDAY WITH A 
DOUBLE MAJOR IN INTERNATIONAL 
STUDIES OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AND
A DOUBLE MINOR IN SUSTAINABILITY
AND ENERGY POLICY. 
I WANT TO GIVE A HUGE SHOUT OUT 
TO ALL THE INSTRUCTORS, THE 
STAFF, ALL THE ADVISORS THAT 
HELPED ME REACH WHERE I AM TODAY
AND TO MY PARENTS TO GIVE ME THE
LUXURY TO PURSUE MY PASSION. 
THANK YOU, GO BLUE. 
>> HI, EVERYONE, I AM GRADUATING
WITH MY MASTER'S FROM MEDICAL 
SCHOOL. 
I GOT MY BACHELORS DEGREE IN 
MICHIGAN AND STAYING IN MICHIGAN
FOR PhD DEGREE IN COMPUTER 
SCIENCE ENGINEERING. 
SO FOREVER GO BLUE. 
>> HELLO, EVERYONE, I AM 
COMPLETING MY MASTER IN 
MANAGEMENT IN THE ROSS SCHOOL OF
BUSINESS AND THANKS MOM, THIS IS
ALL FOR YOU. 
>> GOOD EVENING, I WILL BE 
OBTAINING A BACHELOR'S IN 
SCIENCE IN AEROSPACE ENGINEERING
AND THANK MY MOM AND SISTER AND 
MY PARTNER FOR SUPPORTING ME IN 
THIS JOURNEY. 
>> HELLO, EVERYONE, RECEIVING MY
BACHELORS IN COMMUNICATION. 
I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, MOMMY 
AND DADDY, I LOVE YOU. 
>> HI, EVERYONE, I AM EARNING MY
GRADUATE DEGREE IN SPORTS 
MANAGEMENT AND THANK YOU MOM AND
DAD FOR YOUR SUPPORT, GO BLUE.
>>  APOLOGIZE FOR THE BRIEF 
ANNOUNCEMENT IF YOU WERE NOT 
SITTING IN THE DEGREE AREA THIS 
IS YOUR TIME TO LINE UP, AND GET
A CORD.
>> HI, DENNIS MARCH, GRADUATING 
WITH A DEGREE IN ENGINEERING AND
IT TOOK AN ACT OF GOD SO THANK 
GOD FIRST THEY SAID FOUR YEARS 
BUT TOOK ME 30 AND GLAD TO BE 
DONE WITH IT. 
THANK YOU. 
THANK YOU. 
IT'S NEVER TOO LATE. 
DON'T EVER GIVE UP, AND THANK MY
WIFE, DONNA AND SON MAXWELL AND 
GOING TO ROSS FOR MBA EXECUTIVE 
PROGRAM. 
I SHOULD BE DONE WITH THAT IN 
2055. 
THANK YOU. 
>> HI, EVERYBODY, I'M GRADUATING
WITH A BACHELORS OF SCIENCE IN 
PHYSICS AND I WANT TO THANK MY 
ENTIRE FAMILY TO ALLOW ME TO BE 
A TRAILBLAZER AND ESPECIALLY MY 
MOM IN THE AUDIENCE AND MY DAD 
WHO COULDN'T BE HERE TONIGHT. 
THANK YOU. 
>> HI, EVERYONE, I AM GRADUATING
WITH A BACHELOR'S IN SOCIETY 
CHANGE AND CERTIFICATE OF 
ENGAGEMENT AND MUSIC. 
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MY FRIENDS
AND FAMILY FOR EVERYTHING, I 
WOULDN'T BE HERE WITHOUT YOUR 
SUPPORT. 
>> HI, EVERYONE, I WILL BE 
GRADUATING WITH MY BA IN SPANISH
LANGUAGE AND LITERATURES.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE A BIG 
SHOUT OUT TO MY FAMILY AND 
FRIENDS THAT SUPPORTED ME FOR 
THE PAST FOUR YEARS, COULDN'T 
HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOU. 
THANK YOU. 
>> HI, I AM GRADUATING WITH A 
BACHELOR IN CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU MIX.
>> HI, I AM GRADUATING WITH A 
DOCTORATE OF NURSING PRACTICE 
AND ACUTE CARE DESIGNATION. 
>> GO BLUE!
>> MY NAME IS TERRY BRUMAN AND I
TOO GRADUATING WITH A DOCTORATE 
OF NURSE PRACTICE AND 
CONCENTRATION IN ACUTE CARE. 
SAY GO BLUE. 
>> GO BLUE. 
>> HI, I AM GRADUATING WITH A 
DOCTORATE OF NURSING PRACTICE 
AND ACUTE PRACTITIONER, IT'S 
BEEN A LONG JOURNEY. 
GO BLUE. 
>> WHAT AN INCREDIBLE GRADUATING
CLASS, LET'S GIVE THEM A HAND OF
APPLAUSE, YES. 
[APPLAUSE] 
>> GRADUATES ONCE AGAIN 
CONGRATULATIONS. 
AS YOU WRAP UP YOUR FINAL FEW 
DAYS AT U OF M, AND TAKE A 
MOMENT TO PAUSE, TAKE IN YOUR 
TIME HERE AND TO GIVE GRATITUDE 
TO THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU. 
CONGRATULATIONS AND GO BLUE!
[APPLAUSE] 
GRAB AN EXTRA COOKIE IF YOU SEE 
IT ON YOUR WAY OUT. 
WE'RE AT THE END OF OUR PROGRAM,
THANK YOU AGAIN. 
