Class of 2023 Awarded Honors Distinctions at Celebration of Excellence
By Mahidhar Sai Lakkavaram
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The annual Commonwealth Honors College Celebration of Excellence took place on Thursday, May 25, at the Mullins Center. Featuring speeches from Chancellor Kumble R. Subbaswamy, Honors Dean Mari Castañeda, Provost Tricia Serio, and student speaker Joash Elijah Audrey Gabriel, the event acknowledged and celebrated the 650 graduating CHC seniors across the 11 undergraduate schools and colleges at UMass.
The Honors students entered the stadium in groups based on their schools and colleges, and were followed by the platform party, which included representatives from all the colleges, Honors faculty and staff, and the Chancellor and Provost, amongst many others. Dean Castañeda welcomed the gathering, lauding the graduating class for their perseverance and determination through this degree, especially with the COVID-19 pandemic.
This journey has helped you develop the skills to understand the complex problems of this world and to respond to society’s changing needs. You have engaged in critical thinking, you have conducted advanced research, you have assumed leadership positions, you have volunteered in communities, and now, you are well-positioned to positively impact our world. (Dean Mari Castañeda)
Following Dean Castañeda, Chancellor Subbaswamy took to the stage, stating: “As you conclude your undergraduate university experience and commence the next part of your life, I have hope and faith in all of you.”
“For while I know the world is a challenging place, as undergraduates, you have already demonstrated, across a wide array of academic disciplines, exceptional intellectual curiosity, and resourcefulness,” added the Chancellor, and asked the graduates to stay connected with UMass even after graduating, as their perspectives and voices are always valued.
The Chancellor then introduced Provost Serio and passed the podium to her. Provost Serio described the community and environment fostered by the Commonwealth Honors College, and how at the heart of all of it is its students.
“You arrived at the Commonwealth Honors College with a myriad of experiences and interests and bonded in your pursuit of academic excellence and intellectual curiosity. From your first-year 'Ideas That Change the World' seminar to your senior thesis projects, you have delved into a breadth and depth of learning that has prepared you to make meaningful contributions to your fields of study and to society,” she explained.
Provost Serio added, “You have explored ideas, challenged assumptions, and made life-long connections. You are ready for what comes next.”
Lastly, student speaker Gabriel addressed her fellow graduates.
Tonight, we are here with the community that, for many of us, started it all — the community that pushed us to be outstanding in each aspect of our academic careers and made this big school feel just a bit smaller. (Joash Elijah Audrey Gabriel)
Gabriel added, “In the past four years, I have been continuously in awe of all that we have accomplished. Excellence doesn’t even begin to describe the Honors Class of 2023. This body is so brilliant — driven by genuine intellectual curiosity and a sense of social responsibility. From sequencing bacterial genomes to find solutions to antibiotic resistance, to designing new playgrounds to promote wellness — then actually going and building them — I can only imagine the impacts that everyone will continue to make in their fields.”
Following the speeches, each student was honored at the ceremony by having their name announced and receiving a gold stole with the Commonwealth Honors College insignia on it.
The crowd was abuzz with energy during the “stole-ing.” Family and friends were cheering on as each student made their way to the stage, while the graduates were beaming with joy as they received their stoles.
The ceremony was concluded by Dean Castañeda and the newly graduated Commonwealth Honors College alumni made their way out of the stadium, followed by the platform party.