Today's New York Times has a wonderful article on Michelle Obama's speech at the University of California Merced's graduation. UC Merced is the newest campus in the University of California system and the uplift that Michelle Obama's speech gave to the graduates, their families, and to the larger community is captured in this terrific article. Her visit and speech gave the graduates and the community hope and memories that they will not forget. She has also been visiting elementary schools in the DC area and emphasizing to the students the importance of hard work, education, and believing in oneself even if those around you do not. Her strength and perserverance and the time that she takes to personally talk with students serve as exemplars to everyone. I especially appreciate that she chose the location of her first commencement speech an institution with a large minority population and one where many of its graduates are the first to receive college degrees in their families.The above photo is from the Mullins Center on the UMass Amherst campus, which has been the site for several graduation ceremonies in the past and will be the site of this year's graduate ceremonies on Friday, May 22, 2009. The upcoming commencement week activities and ceremonies will be joyful. Students will be receiving their hard-earned degrees and their families, friends, faculty, administrators, and staff will be celebrating with them. Families have already started to arrive to take part in the ceremonies.
At the Isenberg School of Management, we congratulate the 2009 graduates and thank them and their families for their support. We wish them all happiness, health, and success in their new lives and emphasize that they will always be part of the alumni network.
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