As I reflect on our four years at Pomona, the most valuable connections are the ones
I've made with the people very different from me, the ones I've made by chance and the ones
I've made in the most difficult of times.
The most important connection we have right now is our shared experience here.
We'll always carry this experience, very unique Pomona experience with us in the world.
And as we do amazing things, treasure the connections you've made as you make new ones.
We want to see the world change, to live somewhere where living is something different.
But now we're already standing at the starting line before we figured out what that even
means.
It's okay.
We will figure it out and we will do it in our own way, which has always been progressive,
which has always laughed in the face of what was done before and ignored all previous norms.
We don't know what the future holds, but knowing us, it has no choice but to be utterly wayward,
rebellious, chaotic, and world changing.
We need you in this fight.
Whatever you decide to do next, you have to find time to do your part.
What is your dream for the country we could have?
This is the time to lean in, to insist, demand, to believe that you can make a difference.
And while you do this work, hold your joy, which begins today with your family and friends
as you celebrate the wonderful accomplishment of having completed your degree.
Today is a good day.
Grab it and embrace it.
Congratulations Class of 2023.
Graduates, you have spent four years learning and preparing for your future.
Never stop believing in yourself.
Determination, challenging yourself, striving to grow each day, are all important.
You will be successful.
Make yourself, your family, your friends, and especially Pomona College proud.
Congratulations graduates, and thank you .
From your hands, a more beautiful and more just and more loving world will be born.
Believe in yourselves and believe in each other.
Believe in your power to make this world shine bright and see the around you and the people
in it with affection and with respect.
Class of 2023, I love you.
We all love you.
And we'll miss you.
Congratulations.
It feels surreal.
I mean, this has easily been the best experience that I've, you know, I've ever had.
I can't imagine, you know, who I was in the beginning and who I've become right now, it's
such a insane change in growth.
And at the same time, you know, while all that is going on, I am excited to go into
the real world and apply all the things that I've learned here and continue, you know,
growing using the lens that I've gotten from Pomona College.
I'm super sad to leave my teammates like D Baby and my amazing friends, but I'm excited
for what's next.
I miss just living with my friends next door to me, going to the dining hall with my friends,
hanging outstaying up late, and just seeing everybody around campus, man, you know.
You see a new face every single day here and so many beautiful people around campus and,
you know, it's just, it's also a beautiful campus, right?
So there's a lot to things about Pomona, but if I were to miss one thing, it's just, just
the culture about this, this school.