Graduates, I commend you for all that you have accomplished here as students during your college career. The recognition bestowed upon you during Commencement exercises is both deserved and hard-earned. Already, you have demonstrated acumen, maturity, and perceptiveness beyond your years—in the classroom, on co-op, in laboratories, in our communities, and throughout the world. In your many endeavors as undergraduates you have brought great pride and honor to Northeastern University.

Commencement is as much a celebration of the future as it is a recognition of your past accomplishments. Yes, we celebrate all that you have achieved throughout your years here. However, we also look forward to the exhilarating challenges yet to be conquered ahead. Embrace these challenges. Be fearless. Trust your instincts. Know that your college experiences—both in the classroom and beyond—have prepared you to succeed in ways you may never have imagined. Know that wherever you wind up calling home, you will always have a home here at Northeastern.

For now, take a moment to enjoy this time. May it symbolize all that his new and exciting before you.