(soft gentle music)
>> Greetings Johns Hopkins graduates of 2021.
My name is Awa Sanneh,
I'm a 2020 graduate of JHU School of Medicine
currently training in obstetrics and gynecology
at UW-Madison.
It is an absolute honor to commemorate the years
of hard work and dedication
which have culminated in your respective degrees.
Becoming a Johns Hopkins graduate
was a transformational experience for me.
From connecting with lifelong friends in AMAP,
to checking in with mentors that have supported me
through some difficult life experiences,
to building a big community
and the Greater Baltimore and Washington area.
It was really the people that made my time
at Hopkins so special.
I'd like to take time to acknowledge
that this has been an incredibly challenging year,
regardless of who you are and what you do.
As a global community we have been through an experience
like no other.
Our lives were disrupted without warning.
Our physical connections to family and friends
cut off, sometimes without a chance for proper goodbyes
with the loved ones we've lost.
Our educational curricula,
were challenged to fit new formats
to keep in line with safety measures
while still trying to maintain the quality of our training.
As a society, we have witnessed the unveiling
of health disparities and systemic racism
as deeply rooted issues that need urgent attention.
I hope your time in Baltimore has sensitized you
and equipped you with experiences
that'll allow you to engage with these issues
wherever your path may lead.
As students, you have risen to the occasion,
you vaccinated community members,
volunteered your time to make PPE supplies
for hospital staff,
and kept up with coursework despite so much uncertainty.
The fact that you are here today is an achievement
that cannot be understated.
As a community, we are all incredibly proud of you.
During my transition as a graduate last year,
I had to navigate moving into a new city
during the pandemic and settle into my new role
as a resident physician.
And new relationships,
where I initially only recognized the upper half
of people's faces.
To some degree, you may be faced with similar situations
as you transition to your post-graduate lives.
Connecting with a fellow Hopkins alumni
who was also heading to Madison,
helped to make my move a lot easier as we shared costs
to rent a U-Haul,
and he helped to drive my furniture
from Baltimore to Madison.
It was a new connection that made a big impact
during a time of stress and uncertainty.
I hope that as you step into your post-graduate life
at a time of much uncertainty,
you find it reassuring to know that there is a community
of just over 230,000 Johns Hopkins alumni
in the U.S. and around the worlds who can provide you
with support and mentorship.
The Johns Hopkins Alumni Association network
is a community whose members share personal
and professional interests with you,
whether they graduated from the School of Medicine,
the School of Public Health, the School of Engineering
or any of the other JHU's nine divisions.
Wherever your next chapter is,
I encourage you to take full advantage of GoHop Online,
the alumni directory and online mentoring network
where you can connect with, and get advice
from other alums to forward your career.
One of my favorite things to do
as a Hopkins alum is to provide support,
mentorship and advice to prospective
and current graduate students at the School of Medicine.
Every year, I look forward to the opportunity
to return to Hopkins and give back.
So join your fellow alumni by attending
or planning an event,
by talking to your colleagues, friends
and prospective students about your experience,
and by remaining in touch with your classmates, lab mates,
and our School of Medicine faculty.
You can also stay connected in a virtual way
through Hopkins at Home,
an online source for lectures, mini courses,
live events and lifelong learning activities maintained
by the alumni association.
As an alumni of Johns Hopkins,
we can open doors for each other,
look out for each other,
and help each other become successful.
Remember, you will always be a Johns Hopkins graduate.