The Class of 2022 assembled in Gosman Sports and Convocation Center, along with throngs of friends and family. Temperatures climbed toward the 90s, but the sweltering heat was no match for the joyous spirits of the thousands in attendance. Campus was abuzz with energy and excitement as graduates attended smaller ceremonies for departments and programs before filtering into Gosman for the main event.
In his keynote address, former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, H’17, urged the graduates to put aside cynicism and frustration about the state of American politics and be active citizens.
“Citizenship is an act, a thing you do, not just a thing you are. Its privileges and responsibilities are interdependent, each one making the other both possible and meaningful,” he said. “So, act like it. Make your citizenship personal. Don’t let your stake in your neighbors’ dreams and struggles be a purely abstract idea. Bring it to life in the way you behave and the things you do.”