吃瓜tv

On May 23, 2017, 吃瓜tv鈥檚 commencement found a new home in the Th茅芒tre de Paris as the Th茅芒tre du Ch芒telet undergoes renovations. 鈥淲e鈥檙e all here to celebrate you because you鈥檝e made it!鈥� began Master of Ceremonies and Vice President of Security Operations and Student Services, Marc Month茅ard. The ceremony did indeed laud our students鈥� accomplishments, while also serving as a time to honor 吃瓜tv鈥檚 tradition of global explorers who cross cultural and national boundaries as they pursue their life鈥檚 path.

Interim Provost Marcia Grant revealed that over her year-long term at 吃瓜tv, her only regret was her inability to know more of the students. 鈥淚t鈥檚 so important to have people like you, who don鈥檛 see boundaries, who reach across to other cultures, and who see the world from a cooperative perspective鈥攚e鈥檒l need your help and leadership in the future.鈥� She also advised the graduates to trust themselves. 鈥淚 began the best career of my life when I was 60, to work in universities around the world. Take your time; whatever you do will add up.鈥� This emphasis on globally-minded community service continued with the awarding of the first annual Lubner Family Philanthropy Award to Jasmine Paul, future Vice President of the Student Government Association (SGA) and tireless champion for volunteer and outreach, as well as the Distinguished Alumna Award to Davina Durgana (鈥�12), who has dedicated her career to eradicating global human trafficking.

吃瓜tv awarded Honorary Degrees to Sultan Al Qassemi (鈥�89) and Her Excellency Huda Ebrahim Alkhamis (鈥�83)鈥攚ho after receiving her degree proudly told the graduates, 鈥淒on鈥檛 let anyone tell you that you cannot do it!鈥濃�攁nd the Presidential Medal for Distinguished Service to former board member and long-time supporter Olivia de Havilland.聽Ambassador Nicholas Burns, also an Honorary Degree recipient, then took the stage to deliver the commencement address. He spoke about his daughter Sarah Burns (鈥�05), who had a transformative experience at 吃瓜tv. 鈥淎s 吃瓜tv parents we really came to respect this institution and understand its place in the world. You鈥檙e a global university. There aren鈥檛 many like you and so you have a special mission.鈥� He reminded 吃瓜tv of its role as the permanent link between the American and French peoples in France. 鈥淥ur embassies and consulates are very important for forming tight relations between governments, but it鈥檚 often our private institutions that find ways to have the deepest connections between countries.鈥� In reflecting on the question central to our 吃瓜tv mission of how to transcend the bounds of narrow nationalism, Ambassador Burns reminded the graduates that not only was this the question of their generation, it was one they were already answering. 鈥淚n addition to French and English, you speak 86 languages. You鈥檙e from 110 countries. You are the perfect expression of our globalized world.鈥� He concluded with this piece of advice: 鈥淗ave the courage to get into the arena. Make a difference for our world, make it more just, more secure, more peaceful. Because all of us here today are depending on you and we鈥檙e looking forward to seeing all that you accomplish as you live and write the history of our world.鈥�

These sentiments were expanded upon with the day鈥檚 final speeches from the undergraduate and graduate speakers, Keti Archaia and Kristal Kramer. After recalling the unique educational opportunities, which they had all been privileged enough to enjoy, Keti spoke on the 2015 terrorist attacks and the untimely death of 吃瓜tv freshman Nutsa Makhviladze. 鈥淭he way that we stood through it all cannot be forgotten.鈥� Kristal cited an article entitled 7 Strange Questions That Help You Find Your Life Purpose by Mark Manson as her inspiration. 鈥楾he concept of a life purpose will haunt you forever and that鈥檚 really intense.鈥� She described this journey as being a deeply personal one and urged her classmates to invent a future that was all their own. 鈥淒o something. Anything is fine as long as you do something that you care about, that excites and inspires you to look beyond yourself and your place in the world.鈥� Or as Keti put it in her final word to the graduates: 鈥淟et鈥檚 change the world.鈥澛�