As Isaac Newton once said, "If I have seen a little further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants."
Dear Students,
This week is a big one in the College for our seniors who will go through their graduation this Sunday, December 6, 2:30pm, in the Erwin Center. There will be lots of students in their caps and gowns, awards and honors, faculty dressed in their regalia (can you believe that in the Middle Ages we university types used to walk around town dressed like this just to set ourselves apart from everyone else?). Graduating senior and biochemistry major Mai Dao will give the student address. Parents, family, and friends will be on hand to congratulate the seniors. It's a big accomplishment after years of hard work.
Coming on the heels of the holiday weekend this past weekend, it brings to mind an important theme -- thanksgiving. I'm thinking in particular of the graduating seniors, but this applies to us all. A college degree certainly speaks to a lot of hard work you all put in: long hours studying, triumphs and disappointments, working extra jobs for money, and maybe even juggling school and family obligations. But it also happens thanks to a lot of hard work and support from those around us. Whether it is our parents and family who were our mentors, siblings who challenged us, or friends who were with us along the way for support, we all owe a great deal of gratitude to those who helped us get here. This extends to our teachers, professors, and staff at the university, many of whom may have taken extra time to work with us, provide advice, make networking connections, and support us in our journey.
As Isaac Newton once said, "If I have seen a little further [than others] it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants." In the spirit of the holiday, I hope you will use this graduation as an opportunity to give thanks to those around you for all they've done.
For those of you not graduating, I hope you'll consider coming to the Erwin Center for commencement ceremonies this Sunday. Express your appreciation to those seniors who were an inspiration for you, or express your admiration for their hard work and accomplishments. Within our academic community, we have every reason to celebrate those who are embarking on the next stage of their lives and careers.
Useful information on parking, required regalia, photography, invitations, etc, is available here.
I hope to see you there. I'll be the one in the funny hat.
Dr. Sacha Kopp
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