111th Undergraduate Commencement at Rice University: ‘The Universe Awaits’ the Class of 2024
55During two days of festivities May 3-4, Rice University’s Class of 2024 graduates celebrated the culmination of their experiences on South Main while also looking forward to the bright futures that await them.
This year’s undergraduate commencement ceremony was led by Rice President Reginald DesRoches and featured remarks from astronaut and Rice alumna Peggy Whitson ’86, who currently serves as director of human spaceflight for Houston-based Axiom Space.
“Whether you approach your goals in life with an intricate plan laid out on spreadsheets and timelines or just a general plan with significant hand-waving, there are an infinite number of ways to get to your destination,” Whitson told the graduates gathered in Rice Stadium Saturday evening. “There is no one path for the unique journey each of you will make.”
Rice’s 111th commencement kicked off May 3 with an event to honor Master of Business Administration graduates from the Jones Graduate School of Business as well as a celebration event for the school’s first class of undergraduates. It was followed May 4 by both the doctoral commencement ceremony, where Ph.D. graduates celebrated their ascension to the highest level of postgraduate education, and the ceremony for recipients of advanced degrees at Tudor Fieldhouse.
Following the undergraduates’ ceremonial walk through Lovett Hall’s Sallyport and into Rice Stadium, they and their guests were welcomed by Rice Board of Trustees Chairman Robert T. Ladd and Dean of Undergraduates Bridget Gorman before DesRoches took to the podium to address those in attendance.
“To our graduates — you leave our campus well-prepared,” Ladd said. “You carry with you the legacy for all of us who came before you. You are the future of Rice. Help us to continue to make Rice even better in the years to come.”
“I will forever have a special connection to this class,” said DesRoches, who started his tenure as provost and chief academic officer at Rice while many of this year’s graduates were freshmen. “You started pursuing your Rice degree during a pandemic that shook the way we and the world operated; you undoubtedly were robbed of precious moments to engage in person with others on campus. You also have been at Rice during an unbelievable time of transition: new leadership, new ways of teaching and learning born out of the pandemic, new buildings and a new Academic Quad.
“Yet here you are today, more resilient and adaptive than ever and ready to face life with the firsthand knowledge that change and challenges are not meant to be feared but to be hurdled and overcome.”
As the graduates stood ready to take on a new chapter in their lives, DesRoches emphasized the importance of reflecting not only on the academic knowledge they’ve gained but the lessons they’ve learned beyond the textbooks.
“Throughout your time here, you’ve embarked on a journey far greater than simply acquiring knowledge; you’ve learned invaluable lessons about life itself and hopefully about yourself,” he said. “You’ve encountered a myriad of situations that have tested your resolve, set you back, challenged your perceptions and pushed you beyond your comfort zones. Whether it was tackling a difficult assignment, navigating through personal struggles or grappling with uncertainty, each hurdle has been a lesson in resilience, adaptability and perseverance.”
In closing, DesRoches applauded the Owls’ persistence, talent, achievements and aspirations, highlighting the inspiration and hope they have provided to him and fellow faculty and staff.
“Remember, Owls are never alone,” DesRoches said. “Our more than 64,000 living alumni around the world are now a part of your extended family. Like you, they share immense pride in Rice and the accomplishments of all its graduates — you are now included.
“We look forward to welcoming you when you return, and we say to the great Class of 2024, congratulations.”
https://news.rice.edu/news/2024/rices-class-2024-lauded-more-resilient-and-adaptive-ever-during-universitys-111th
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