On behalf of more than 410,000 alumni from around the world, I extend warmest congratulations to all members of the Class of 2025, and sincere gratitude to all who have supported you along the way.
The transformation from student to graduate is a defining accomplishment, and one that will speak compellingly about you for the remainder of your lives. After all, you didn’t just study hard and make good grades, you also had to learn some practical life skills that will be essential as you navigate the pathways ahead.
In getting to this stage of your journey, you invariably had to be resourceful. In addition to fulfilling degree requirements, you had to overcome a range of challenges: finding suitable accommodation; managing money and time; perhaps holding down a part-time job; making good decisions about course selection; exploring co-op opportunities, not to mention the necessity of staying physically active and allowing time to have a bit of fun.
At times, you may have found it difficult to be separated from your families, or to say goodbye to old friends and find new ones. Perhaps you had moments of doubt, and even genuine anxiety. But for now, rest assured that the problems you solved and the challenges you overcame were an integral part of your education, and are therefore a part of the triumph and transformation that we celebrate with you today.
Indeed, you may not yet be fully aware of the great extent to which you have differentiated your character, so please do not underestimate how very much you have achieved in getting here today.
So where to now? Putting your degree to work in a meaningful way represents another challenge. But whatever path you choose, I encourage you to rigorously pursue your passion, whatever that may be.
At the same time, however, be receptive to new opportunities, including things you may never have thought of before. Success is not about how much money your make; it’s about leading a happy, healthy and fulfilling life.
Above all, utilize your critical thinking skills to seek truth and evidence in all your dialogue and deliberations, and encourage others to do the same.
Continue to work hard. Be joyful and confident, be persistent, be imaginative, learn from mistakes, stay physically active, and always make time for the people you love.
We hope you will return often to UBC and that you will stay always connected in some way to your university. A warm welcome will always await.
Tuum Est!
— Judy Rogers, C.M., B.R.E. (BR.COL.),
M.P.A.
Chancellor