More than 11,500 undergraduate and graduate Indiana University students received their degrees in ceremonies over the weekend.
President Pam Whitten, wearing a black "National Champs" cap commemorating Indiana Football's perfect season, told undergraduates at Memorial Stadium that they, too, overcame long odds at Saturday's commencement ceremony.
Read more: Students encouraged to ‘matter’ at IU graduate commencement
" Some of you were told that you weren't ready for this place, that your path was too uncertain, the obstacles too great, the odds too long, the distance too far. And yet here you are," she said. "You made it through early mornings and late nights, challenges no one else saw, demanding courses, jobs, responsibilities, and moments when finishing felt pretty far away. And you did more than finish. You led, you created, you served, you solved problems, you changed this place. You gave back."
Whitten said that 8,302 undergraduates received degrees Saturday, and when added to the graduate students at Friday's commencement, IU granted 11,545 degrees in total, making 2026 the largest graduating class in IU history.
Commencement speaker Mel Raines, president and CEO of Pacers Sports and Entertainment, urged the crowd to "show up."
" What's most important is to do every job with excellence, even on the bad days, even in the bad years, and never underestimate your capacity to do extraordinary things," she said. "That's been the key to my professional success, and it will be your key, too. While it may seem obvious, I promise it will set you apart."
This year's student speaker, Katherine Johnson, spoke about continuing to pursue her degree even after bring diagnosed with cancer during freshman year.
"Showing up isn't about being perfect," she said. "It's something that you build, and it's something that you choose. It's choosing joy even after the tough moments. It's choosing grace when you fall short. It's choosing gratitude for the people who helped you get here. And it's choosing to believe that the future is something we shape."
