Commencement 2024

Undergraduate Student Address by Ianna Gilbert ’24

Transcript

Thank you.

Good morning, members of the Board of Trustees, faculty, staff, honored guests, President Ron Liebowitz, parents, family members, friends, and the class of 2024. We made it!

[Audience applauding]

Congratulations. I'm elated to stand here with you all today and celebrate this great milestone. You being here is a testament to your hard work, resilience, dedication throughout the years and in the years to come. Many Brandeis graduates have gone on to earn Pulitzer Prizes, Nobel Peace Prizes, amongst other accolades, and that will be us one day. The tenacity and intelligence in the room gives me confidence that each and every one of us will achieve great successes.

"These are unprecedented times." A common phrase we've heard for these past four years. Even before we stepped foot on this campus, we knew that our college experience would be like no other, but we made it. For many of us, this is our first formal graduation as the year of 2020 presented its challenges. We were resilient then and continue to be resilient now as we embrace change and navigate what is to come. Reflecting on my...[laughs] Reflecting on my own journey, I'm reminded of freshman-year Ianna, who was introverted, timid, not eager to get out of her comfort zone, just like those cute little bunnies you see hopping around campus. My first-year experience was overcome with a strong feeling of imposter syndrome, and only after speaking with many of you, did it become clear that this is a shared feeling. The curriculum of the Computer Science department was rigorous and challenging, and a huge change from what many of us were accustomed to, but we embraced that change. And for all the graduates, sometimes assignments required us to attend office hours and wait in the long queue. But thankfully, with our supportive professors, TAs, and our various support groups, we were resilient and persevered through. I wanna take this moment to shout out my family and friends. [Audience cheering] And the Posse Foundation. But also... Yeah. Go, Mommy! But also give a shout out to all the organizations that have helped you guys persevere and get to where you are today. So, let's give them a round of applause.

[Audience applauding]

Thank you. Growth requires us to ride the wave of change. Junior year, I decided now was the time to break out of my comfort zone. So, during the fall semester, I took a chance and traveled to Bocas Del Toro, Panama, to see where this experience would lead me. One pivotal moment was swimming in the ocean for class and then turning my head to the right to see a six-foot-long shark staring at me. Four seconds of eye contact felt like a five-minute interaction. It was almost as if this shark looked deep down in my soul and asked, "What are you doing with your life?" It was that look you get from a parent that makes you look inward and do some introspection. That look really stuck with me. And at that moment, I found inspiration from a creature that initially unsettled me. Sharks are misunderstood to be fearsome creatures, but research has shown that they are natural leaders known for their wise counsel. They're observant with a keen eye to detail. They are curious, resilient, adaptive, and strong advocates. This gave me a renewed determination for my senior year as I channeled my inner shark and stepped out more as a Roosevelt Fellow, a Study Abroad Ambassador, an undergraduate departmental representative, and a leader of the John Bible Study Group.

[Audience cheering and applauding]

In this room, I see so many sharks. Natural leaders, wise individuals, curious minds, and those eager to advocate for themselves and others. When we noticed the need on campus, we've connected with the necessary resources and moved forward. When we were curious, we nerded out a bit, pursued two, three, four majors and minors. You know what we do. When we saw the injustices of BIPOC students, graduate students, dining hall workers, and currently with the challenges in Gaza, we advocated, petitioned, and protested. Continue to go out in the world. [Audience cheering] Continue to go out in the world and be fearless as you aim to make a difference, because this is our time to shine. As we turn the next page in our book, we can be delighted knowing that we have the opportunity to make a difference in the world. I, along with the many of you have learned how to embrace our voices, how to be more engaged in various spaces, and how to be resilient when challenges come our way. This institution has crafted critical thinkers, problem solvers, and natural leaders. All things that will be needed in the world ahead of us.

And as we leave this campus and head into this world, it's important that we recognize the impact we have. And when I say this is our time to shine, I'm reminded of the book of Matthew where Jesus said, "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden." We ought to illuminate the path for others with our unique strengths, skills, and various passions. As we leave this campus and head into the world, it's important that we recognize the impacts that we can have.

So, as we continue to be resilient and embrace change, remember, yes, these are unprecedented times. Yes, growth requires us to ride the wave of change. But guess what? This is our time to shine. Congratulations, class of 2024.

[Audience cheering and applauding]