Winter Class of 2016: Seek to enrich and improve the lives of those around you

To the members of the Winter Commencement Class of 2016:

Congratulations on this wonderful achievement.

Whether you are an undergraduate or graduate student, this moment signifies that you have laid a solid foundation for your future, and for the future of our community, state and country.

The knowledge you have gained, and the experiences that you have had as a student, will help you better navigate an increasingly complex and interconnected world. Your University education will help you discern clearly, think critically, and positively and proactively involve yourself in the important issues of our time.

With your graduation, you join an extraordinary group of alumni who have gone on to have a major impact on their respective fields. These individuals have succeeded because they have proudly upheld the values on which our institution was founded.

During your time with us, you, too, have nurtured many of these same personal characteristics that will benefit you and contribute to our society - the inventiveness that you've gained through experiential learning and student competitions; the critical capacities you've brought to bear in evaluating information to make informed judgments; the intellectual curiosity and personal empathy that you've developed through long hours of studying and interacting with others, many of whom come from a wide variety of backgrounds, countries, races and religions.

You are at a point in your life when, truly, the possibilities are endless. As you endeavor to realize this opportunity, seek also to enrich and improve the lives of those around you. Let your opportunity be theirs as well. Throughout your life, ask a great deal of yourself. But ask even more of yourself as it pertains to others.

Best wishes for your future endeavors.

Go Pack!