Page 3 - 2023 Graduate Commencement

LETTER FROM THE PROVOST
Dear 2023 Graduates:
Congratulations on the culmination of your years of effort, dedication, and commitment. Today you will receive your well-earned diploma. I join with your families, your instructors, and your mentors in saying that I am proud of you and what you have accomplished here at the University of Minnesota.
But the diploma is not simply a piece of paper, or a credential. It represents the information, knowledge, and wisdom you have acquired during your time with us.
Each of you has been on a journey of discovery. You have discovered new knowledge, expertise, and perspectives through your educational experiences. But you have also discovered yourself: your strength, your resilience, and your dreams for the future. These discoveries have led to a greater understanding of our community, our nation, and our world, a personal vision for the future, and an obligation to fulfill your role and responsibility in creating that future.
I want to acknowledge that your college experience has looked very different from that of students who graduated prior
to 2020. We have together learned about accessibility, flexibility, and resilience. We have together worked to examine our institution’s role and responsibilities in racial, cultural, and gender relations, and to identify areas in which we can and should improve. We are all grateful for your collaboration in these important initiatives, and I assure you that we will carry on the work that we have begun together, even as you may move on.
You are about to embark on a new chapter in your life, and a milestone like this can sometimes feel like stepping off a cliff into a void of uncertainty. But I hope that you will embrace the excitement, and the pure potential, that lies ahead of you. As Octavia Butler said in her 2017 commencement address: “It’s your turn to choose and define what success means to you. Now, others will try to define it for you, but yours is the only voice that matters.”
I wish you success in the myriad ways you define it, and I eagerly await the opportunity to hear your voices ringing out loud and true as you shape the world.
As you contemplate your next steps, know that you will always be a member of the University of Minnesota family. Our entire community stands behind you, believing in you, here to support you, and cheering you on. Your efforts will change our world for the better, and we are so proud to know that we were a part of enabling that change.
Finally, I hope that you will stay in touch with the University of Minnesota and participate in our community as alumni. Just as you have received support throughout your time here, and as you receive our support today, you will one day be in a position to offer that support to future generations of students and new graduates. Thank you in advance on their behalf.
Congratulations again on your accomplishments. Please keep in touch. We all look forward to your bright future, wherever life may take you.
Sincerely yours,
Rachel Croson
Executive Vice President and Provost, University of Minnesota
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