Vaasavi Unnava, CMU's student body president, told students they have arrived at a playground of inspiration and were now part of the same institution that was home to Olympian Nada Arakji, the late Nobel Laureate John Nash and the late Kevlar inventor Stephanie Kwolek.
Unnava asked the Class of 2020 if they want to witness change or choose to create it.
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Last year, Convocation both for the school at large and privately for the School of Drama were some of my favorite times at CMU...
On a more serious note, this article serves as a reminder not only to this new freshman class, but to the entire student body here at CMU that we have both a responsibility to ourselves, and to our peers to stretch our educations to their furthest points. More often than not last year, I got caught up in the amount of work I had, or my own personal pity party to truly appreciate how lucky I am to attend such a highly regarded institution studying something I am passionate about. Last year at Convocation, President Suresh asked each freshman to look to their right and left to acknowledge our peers and the next generation of change makers. Though this put the pressure on from the very beginning, since then I have tried to remain focused in my education and positive contributions to my community. This article served as a reminder of my freshman year goals, and truly helped me to put things back into perspective. Good read!!
This article takes me right back to one year ago, when I was sitting in those chairs, ready to yell the kind of stupid chant about students from CFA looking "good every day." I was so excited to start my journey at Carnegie Mellon, and it was thrilling to listen to all of the speakers and look around at everyone else in my freshman class. I remember one of the speakers saying that the next time our whole class would be assembled in a similar fashion, we would be graduating. The idea felt crazy and so far off, and while it is still crazy and very far off, a year has passed with me barely noticing. Anyway, I am very excited to see what the new year brings, and see what the new crop of freshmen have to add to the community. I am also especially very excited to see this article, since Vaasavi Unnava, the student body president, was the community advisor for my dorm, Morewood E Tower, last year. I know she will be able to lead the student body community well and make good choices on our behalf, and I can not wait to see what she does.
This year’s convocation speech seemed to reach a new level of emotion. I remember my own convocation speech where that year’s speaker spoke of a metaphor comparing us to fleas. Talking about if to put a lid on a jar of fleas and they hit it enough, then even after you remove the lid they will never jump that high again. He then went on to tell us not to be like those fleas, to always keep jumping, keep pushing. And you could really feel that drive being absorbed around the entire class of 2019. It was positive, and it was inspiring.
But this is a different year, and sadly we’ve suffered some terrible tragedies at my time at Carnegie. I don’t know if stress culture is at an all time high, but I think it is un ignorable that the nation is struggling with it, whether it is new or if it always has been this way. SO I appreciate this speech. I appreciate the acknowledgement that people make mistakes sometimes, even smart, competent people. I also appreciate the mentality that when you make those mistakes you don’t become those mistakes. Just keep pushing!
I completely agree with Jasmine. I loved my convocation speech and appreciated it as much as I could for the stage I was in at that time. However, now that I have a better understanding of the university, and of myself I think this years words really hit hard. There is constant talk at Carnegie Mellon of being the best, succeeding the most, and trying to reach perfection. While this is the atmosphere that drives the smartest people I have ever met, and creates things like self driving ubers, it makes the "college" environment a little volatile. After the suicides of two students last year there was significant call for change in the way that this campus handles the environment it creates, and even though I didn't hear all of the speeches at this years convocation it seems as if the university is listening. To say that it is okay to make mistakes, and that "you will never be a failure at Carnegie Mellon" is an exponential step in the right direction, and the students of this class and every one after it will benefit. It is important to be around people who push you to do better and CMU is incredible at that, but it also important to recognize that you're human, and I think everyone on this campus, myself included, need a reminder sometimes. I am so happy that I attend CMU for all that it is, but I am even more excited that it is getting better, and that I'll be around to watch.
I love reading quotes from these events. I can't remember any specific word spoken at my classes convocation but I can remember the feeling of excitement and fear growing into energy and determination as the speeches went on. I like the message that the speakers were trying to sent, that is not about labeling yourself or events in your life, because at the end of the day you are you, and that's that. However, I think as a freshmen heading into school that they are, or have the potential to still not know exactly who they are. They know their major and often that can lead to the label of who they are, but as a human being in there values and beliefs is not always a known at this stage in life. I agree that the focus should not be on the fail or success of a project or a person, but perhaps more needs to be said on self discovery. Of course having not been there I can't say if he idea was addressed or not in the full speeches. I am proud to say that I think Carnegie is trying to reach goals in regards to events in the past, and I do see a difference in what we are promoting to the new class and the rest of the school. Keep going.
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