Clad in green robes, hundreds of MSU undergraduates from seven colleges walked across the stage of Breslin Center Saturday morning during the first session of fall commencement ceremonies, sent on their way with degrees by speaker and best-selling author Mitch Albom.
For Eli Broad College of Business graduate Charles Witt, the day was an exciting one.
“It’s unbelievable,” he said. “It’s just awesome to be a part of this.”
About 1,730 undergraduate-degree candidates and 750 advanced-degree candidates graduated yesterday and today, according to an MSU release.
Albom — who received an honorary doctorate of humanities from MSU — drew a majority of his speech from his popular book, “Tuesdays with Morrie,” encouraging graduates to give back to their communities by living with ‘whole hearts’ and recognizing the importance of teamwork with others.
“We are connected, and because we are connected, we owe each other something,” he told the graduates.
Albom also encouraged graduates to be “human “in their interactions with other people by showing compassion and also briefly addressed the challenges to come for future leaders.
“You can’t have a great nation full of less-than-good people,” he said, as he implored graduates to set an example for others.
Graduates can have an impact on others by being grateful and happy for those around them, Albom said.
“Seize life with vigor, compassion and … love,” he said.
This semester’s graduates have a unique opportunity to shape the world, MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon said.
“(These graduates will) create the legacy that will define the 21st century,” Simon told the crowd.
Simon also thanked the family and friends of graduates, calling them an “important part of Team MSU.”
Senior class speaker Ashley Wright, who was selected to address her fellow graduates by the Senior Class Council, said each of the graduates now is a part of the MSU community.
“I’m proud to say … I’m a graduate of MSU,” she said.
The ceremonies marked the end of a time of hard work and achievement, MSU Trustee Melanie Foster told the graduates before they walked across the stage to receive their degrees.
“Our faculty, administrators and trustees are very proud of you,” she said.
Following this morning’s ceremonies, Roy Roberts, emergency financial manager for Detroit Public Schools, is slated to address graduates from six additional MSU colleges on Saturday afternoon.
Prior to the start of the weekend’s undergraduate ceremonies, Indiana University Distinguished Professor Emilio Moran spoke to advanced-degree candidates at their commencement ceremonies on Friday and received an honorary doctorate of science.
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