Ceremonies challenged newest alumni to leverage the skills won during the pandemic to create impact in business and society.鈥嬧��
A graduate waves to her family during the undergraduate commencment ceremomy, held at the CU Events Center. Below, Atul Raguveer, Leeds Student Government president, returns to his seat after giving his address to the class.
The best thing you could say about this year鈥檚 commencement celebrations at the Leeds School of Business is that they were normal.听
Because for the graduates being honored, the experience at the University of Colorado Boulder was anything but.听
Graduation 2022
Complete coverage of the commencement ceremonies for the Class of 2022 at Leeds.
Graduates poised to create impact at work.
Michael Leeds awarded University Medal for his support of CU Boulder.
Curtis Sears honored with .
The Class of 2022 spent fully half its time in an uncharted virtual setting, but鈥攁s commencement speakers frequently pointed out鈥攇raduates will be that much stronger, more adaptable and more capable for it.
In his remarks, Scott E. Kingdom (Fin鈥�82), vice chairman at Korn Ferry, said the most pressing concern on his mind at graduation was what to do about his couch as he prepared to move out of his apartment. Not so for the Class of 2022.
鈥淵ou are a category of one,鈥� he told undergraduates at the CU Events Center. 鈥淭ake a second to take this in, all of it 鈥� because unlike anyone else who鈥檚 ever gone through this, your circumstance at Leeds have required you to do some things no one has. You deserve a bit more than just the congratulations from me.鈥澨�
Kingdom, a member of Leeds Board of Advisors, outlined some of the hard-won skills students developed during the pandemic, from finding new ways to collaborate to managing schedules and projects with strangers.听
鈥淭he world is facing huge challenges that need different and new solutions,鈥� Kingdom said. 鈥淏ig problems require big solutions, and demand innovation. They demand what you now have. You will be the ones to tackle these challenges, it鈥檚 your responsibility and opportunity to lead us into the future with those new skills of yours.鈥澨�
Kingdom also touched on the need to look for success beyond work, including creating impact in society and the community. Student speaker Atul Raguveer, president of Leeds Student Government, also urged his classmates to create an identity separate from their work lives.听
鈥淥ur worth as human beings does not change based on the success or failures in your career,鈥� said Raguveer, who鈥檚 off to Morgan Stanley, in New York. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a fresh start in front of all of us, and you truly get to choose who you want to be and what matters most to you.鈥�
'The sun will shine again'
The graduate ceremony, held in a full Macky Auditorium, featured a keynote speech by Dan Caruso, an accomplished entrepreneur who ran through a list of entrepreneurs out to change the world.听
鈥淓very product and service is being reimagined, every industry is transforming,鈥� said Caruso, managing director of Caruso Ventures who sits on the strategic advisory council of CU Boulder鈥檚 chancellor. He listed the challenges that the world is confronting鈥攑andemic, climate disaster, geopolitical instability, war鈥攂ut was upbeat about graduates鈥� ability to effect change.听
鈥淭he sun will shine again, and my bet is on your generation,鈥� he said. 鈥淓ach of you is prepared to play a pivotal role in shaping the world. We need you to lean in.鈥�
Harrison GreenMaki (MBA鈥�22), a 13-year veteran of the U.S. Navy, gave the student address to his classmates, touching on the resilience the cohort developed in class and beyond.
鈥淔ail and get up, fail and get up again,鈥� said GreenMaki, who has already started work as a senior development analyst with NexCore Group. 鈥淢y teams have failed, I have failed individually鈥攁nd we are all still here today. Welcome to life.鈥�
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