Rice University's 111th Commencement Ceremony: Over 2,500 total degrees awarded to students
The Class of 2024 was lauded as ‘more resilient and adaptive than ever’. More than 2,500 total degrees were awarded to graduating Owls.
Image source: Rice University
The 111th Commencement Ceremony of Rice University kicked off on May 3. The first event was to honour Master of Business Administration graduates from the Jones Graduate School of Business and a celebration event for the school’s first class of undergraduates.
"We are so proud of all our advanced degree and PhD graduates for their exceptional academic achievements. Here’s to the next chapter!," reads the university message on the X platform.
The next day, May 4 event was for both the doctoral commencement ceremony for PhD graduates and the ceremony for recipients of advanced degrees at Tudor Fieldhouse.
During the event, Rice Board of Trustees Chairman Robert T. Ladd said, "To our graduates — you leave our campus well-prepared. You carry with you the legacy for all of us who came before you. You are the future of Rice. Help us to continue to make Rice even better in the years to come.”
Rice President Reginald DesRoches emphasised the significance of reflecting more than academic knowledge.
Astronaut Whitson steals the show; shares inspiring journey
DesRoches introduced Whitson, who earned a doctoral degree in biochemistry from Rice, and accumulated 675 days in space throughout her 37-year career, which is the highest any other American astronaut or female astronaut in the world.
Whitson shared her story of how she followed her passion for finally being an astronaut.
She turned down a postdoctoral offer and advice from a highly esteemed professor to instead pursue her dream. Also, she was rejected nine times by the NASA selection committee before finally being accepted.
She told graduates that while chasing their dreams the students should become “comfortable being uncomfortable” and “expect the unexpected”.
“The path between you in these chairs and your future is not likely to be a straight line. I don’t say that to scare you but instead to remind you to soak up the experiences along the way. It’s about the journey. Learn from the challenges, the flat-out failures and eventually the triumphs. It was much later in my life when I realized the real value of all those rejections," she added.
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