Standing before a sea of black mortar boards and colored tassels at GEODIS Park, Chancellor Daniel Diermeier delivered a timely message to the Class of 2025: "You are made for this moment. You have what it takes to meet it. And meet it you must."
In his address, the chancellor acknowledged the rapid changes occurring throughout the nation and the world in recent times-including the COVID-19 pandemic and big shifts in the economy, technology and geopolitics.
"The uncertainty this creates is profound and persistent and can be deeply unsettling," Diermeier said. "Wherever we turn, there seem to be more questions than answers."
But he called upon the class to meet the challenges of the day with courage, as they join an unbroken chain of graduates reaching back to Vanderbilt's first proper Commencement in 1877-a class that walked into a world still being remade by civil war.
The chancellor reminded the graduates of the skills they've honed during their time at Vanderbilt-skills that he said would help them navigate their future: the art of radical collaboration, how to take risks and innovate, and staying open to other points of view. "The Community Creed we asked you to live by these past four years calls on us to openly engage with ideas and experiences, to treat one another with respect, to be connected with each other and to be courageous," Diermeier said. "Unlike your Commodore Card, the wisdom of the Community Creed never expires. Carry it with you always."
Vanderbilt's momentous win in football over Alabama during this academic year proved a fitting metaphor for the graduates' path ahead. "Life's unpredictable," Diermeier said. "Some days, you get knocked down. But on other days, you beat Alabama!"
Diermeier concluded his Commencement address with a call to action for the Class of 2025 to use the tools they have acquired during their time at Vanderbilt.
SPECIAL HONORS
Before the chancellor's address, Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs C. Cybele Raver recognized this year's undergraduate Founder's Medalist recipients. These Founder's Medal recipients were also recognized at Graduates Day on May 8, along with the medalists for the university's graduate and professional schools.
Raver also recognized 34 retiring faculty members who were granted emerita or emeritus status during the Commencement exercises.
Click through more photos on Instagram below!
- See more stories from the Class of 2025.
- Watch the Graduates Day celebration with speaker Gary Sinise.
