Nearly 2,000 Indiana University Bloomington graduates are moving on to the next stage of their lives.
IU hosted its Winter Commencement on Friday morning in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. President Pamela Whitten delivered the commencement address, saying the graduates will always have a connection to IU.
“Whether you're from the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering, finding solutions to tomorrow's tech challenges, or the Jacobs School of Music performing on the world's biggest stages,” Whitten said, “You are all part of a university that has decided it's done waiting for some day. We're winning now.”
In a nod to the Hoosier football team’s historic season, Whitten said graduates should aim to be No.1.
IU football wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. was among the graduates Friday with a degree in kinesiology.
“The world may tell you that certain problems are unsolvable, that certain careers are out of reach, or that you're the underdog,” Whitten said. “When you hear that, I want you to remember this autumn in Bloomington. I want you to remember that with the right team, exemplary leadership and an unwavering belief in yourselves, you can turn any situation around.”
Friday’s graduates came from 64 countries. Student commencement speaker Shreyansh Gala, an IU Kelley School of Business graduate, is from Mumbai, India.
“Today, it's not just about getting this degree,” Gala said. “It's about every mistake that has taught us something. It's about every challenge that has pushed us. And it's about every friendship that has carried us through.”
When he started at IU, Gala said, he wanted to check every box to build an impressive resume. But he learned relationships matter more than anything else. Gala said success will come and go, so he encouraged his peers to focus on the journey, not the finish line.
“The real joy is in the process,” Gala said. “It's in those late-night study sessions with your friends. It's in those walks at 2 a.m. from the university to home. It's in those random and chaotic moments that would never show up on our LinkedIn profiles, but they will always stay with us forever."
