Commencement Program
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COMMENCEMENT 2020 On behalf of the University of Illinois Board of Trustees, and as a proud alumnus, I am honored to bring greetings and congratulations to the Class of 2020. Although it has been quite a few years since my own graduation, I still remember the mix of excitement and anxiety I felt, not knowing exactly what the future would hold. That feeling is both understandable and, for you, filled with more unknowns than anyone could have imagined just a few months ago. To be sure, you have been uniquely challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic. You have both my admiration and respect for the ways you have responded as you took your final steps toward your degrees. I have truly been humbled, and proud, to see you continue to strive toward your future as instruction moved online, Donald J. Edwards friends and colleagues scattered across the globe, and the Chairman of the Board changes thrust upon you tested your initiative and your resolve. of Trustees So what can I say to you today, knowing that you have already accomplished so much in the face of adversity? It is this: Whatever lies ahead, like everyone who has ever earned a degree from the University of Illinois, you have laid an incredibly strong foundation for the future you will build. The world-class education you received here, in and out of the classroom, has provided you with the knowledge and skills to succeed and flourish. And the world, challenged as it has not been in a long time, needs you now. It is time to take that education and make your mark. As you take your next steps, know, too, that you carry a bond that forever connects you to your years working toward this moment. You are joining one of the world’s largest alumni networks— nearly 750,000 strong from across the U of I System’s three, best-in-class universities. As our alumni do now, I hope you will carry our flag with pride, with your successes adding to our global reputation for excellence and attracting the new generations of students who want to follow in your footsteps. When the time comes that we are all able to gather again, I hope you will come back to your campus often—to share your achievements, your experiences and your insights. And, as you are out there changing the world for the better, know that all of us you have left behind will be working for you, ensuring that the value and prestige of your degree continues to grow. Congratulations again, Class of 2020! UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO | 2020 COMMENCEMENT 3 Congratulations, Class of 2020! Your class has carved a special place in the history of the University of Illinois System, and not because you are the first to have its commencement put on hold in the over 150 years since our founding. You will be remembered for the extraordinary character you have displayed during a crisis unlike any our world has seen in generations. You are resilient—shifting gears seamlessly as the COVID-19 pandemic shifted your traditional, on-campus classrooms to online and distance learning, almost overnight. Tim Killeen President You are understanding and selfless . giving up the last few weeks of college as you knew it during your very last year on campus. And you are role models . setting an example through your sacrifices that inspired others to follow and build on the social distancing that is essential to slow COVID’s spread and restore the lives we appreciate now more than ever. Those qualities will carry you far in your new life journey that begins tomorrow. And you are primed to flourish, thanks to the talents and civic-minded spirit you nurtured here that will lift not just your own careers, but your families and your communities. But, first, take some time to reflect on everything you’ve accomplished…the lessons you have learned here and the friendships you have made that have shaped you and opened the doors to your dreams. There are a small handful of milestone days in life that you will never forget. From my own experience and from the beaming faces I have watched at more than 30 years of commencements, I can tell you that your graduation is one of them. So I hope you savor every minute of it. On behalf of everyone across our state’s flagship university system, it is an honor to celebrate you, joined by the proud family and friends who have supported you along the way. I hope the lessons you carry away from this world-class university exceed the high expectations that brought you here, and guide you to the future you imagined. Enjoy your day and come back often. UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO | 2020 COMMENCEMENT Dear 2020 Graduates: Each year, I have the honor to write a letter to our newest graduates that is printed in the commencement ceremony program—to congratulate you on your success in meeting the demands of your academic career at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Every year, the programs are placed on your seats waiting for you, as you’ve gathered with your families, friends, and fellow students for the university to formally recognize your accomplishments by conferring your degrees. Today, while nearly everything has changed due to the pandemic, nothing changes your achievements over the course of your studies at UIC. Michael D. Amiridis Chancellor This singular day in your lives rises above the necessary isolation that has kept us apart during this most important time of the year—your graduation. But that cannot silence the joy your families, friends, fellow students, and professors all share with me in honoring your hard work and the sacrifices you’ve made to attain your degrees. We are proud of you, as you must be of yourselves, and I will be waiting to celebrate together in person when the conditions allow us to do so. You have reached the end of this stage of your journey as students. Many of you are the first in your family to attend college, and many of you have worked one or more jobs to pay for your education. You have been challenged to reach your highest potential, and even in the face of an unprecedented health crisis, we celebrate your success. You are now part of our alumni community and the next generation of UIC ambassadors. During this uncertain time, I have every confidence that your future accomplishments will make a difference in people’s lives. That is the UIC legacy. I urge you to remain close to UIC and to share your future experiences with your university. Congratulations Class of 2020! UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO | 2020 COMMENCEMENT 5 THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS BOARD OF TRUSTEES EX OFFICIO MEMBER Honorable J. B. Pritzker Governor of Illinois BOARD MEMBERS Ramón Cepeda Darien Kareem Dale Chicago Donald J. Edwards Chicago (Chair) Ricardo Estrada Chicago Patricia Brown Holmes Chicago Naomi D. Jakobsson Urbana Stuart C. King Champaign Edward L. McMillan Greenville Jill B. Smart Downers Grove STUDENT MEMBERS Rosie Dawoud Springfield Trayshawn M. W. Mitchell Urbana-Champaign Susan E. Panek Chicago UNIVERSITY OFFICERS Timothy L. Killeen President of the University of Illinois System Barbara J. Wilson Executive Vice President of the University of Illinois System and Vice President for Academic Affairs Michael D. Amiridis Chancellor of the University of Illinois at Chicago and U of I System Vice President Robert J. Jones Chancellor of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and U of I System Vice President Susan J. Koch Chancellor of the University of Illinois at Springfield and U of I System Vice President Avijit Ghosh Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and Comptroller for the U of I System Edward Seidel Vice President for Economic Development and Innovation Lester H. McKeever Jr. Treasurer of the Board of Trustees Thomas R. Bearrows University Counsel Dedra M. Williams Secretary of the Board of Trustees and of the University UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO | 2020 COMMENCEMENT UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO ADMINISTRATION Michael D. Amiridis Chancellor Susan Poser Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs TJ Augustine Vice Chancellor for Innovation (Interim) Robert Barish Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs John Coronado Vice Chancellor for Administrative Services Joanna Groden Vice Chancellor for Research Theresa Mintle Vice Chancellor for Public and Government Affairs (Interim) J. Rex Tolliver Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Tom Wamsley Vice Chancellor for Advancement DEANS Mary Case University Libraries Karen J. Colley Graduate College Darby Dickerson John Marshall Law School Bo Fernhall College of Applied Health Sciences Wayne H. Giles School of Public Health Creasie Finney Hairston Jane Addams College of Social Work Ralph Keen Honors College Michael B. Mikhail College of Business Administration Peter C. Nelson College of Engineering Michael A. Pagano College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs Mark Rosenblatt College of Medicine Rebecca Rugg College of Architecture, Design, and the Arts Glen Schumock College of Pharmacy Clark Stanford College of Dentistry Astrida Orle Tantillo College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Alfred Tatum College of Education Terri E. Weaver College of Nursing UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO | 2020 COMMENCEMENT 7 COLLEGE DEANS BO FERNHALL ALFRED TATUM College of Applied Health Sciences College of Education REBECCA RUGG PETER C. NELSON College of Architecture, Design, College of Engineering and the Arts DARBY DICKERSON MICHAEL B. MIKHAIL John Marshall Law School College of Business Administration ASTRIDA TANTILLO CLARK STANFORD College of Liberal Arts and Sciences College of Dentistry UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO | 2020 COMMENCEMENT COLLEGE DEANS MARK ROSENBLATT CREASIE FINNEY HAIRSTON College of Medicine Jane Addams College of Social Work TERRI E.