Commencement 2021

COMMENCEMENT May 15, 2021

The Graduating Classes of 2020 and 2021 Joined Together to Reflect on and Celebrate a New Path Forward

By Caroline Casper, Adjunct Professor of Literature and Humanities

On Saturday May 15, 2021, in Atherton, California, Menlo College celebrated its 93rd commencement by combining two classes, for the first time ever, in a socially distanced yet festive graduation ceremony. The event, which was also streamed live on Menlo’s website for those who couldn’t attend in-person, began with a serenade of traditional Scottish bagpipes and an enthusiastic processional of the Menlo 2020 and 2021 graduating classes. The event, which, at times, felt more like a reunion than commencement, was convened by Grand Marshal Charles “Chop” Keenan III ’66 and a beautiful rendition of the National Anthem sung by alumna and class of 2020 salutatorian, Solin Piearcy. After a celebratory welcome to the first gathering of students in 15 months, President Steven Weiner reminded the graduates that although the pandemic and other recent tragic events have seemed to “overshadow everything,” it’s important to remember all that the graduates have accomplished during this time. “We have had such momentum, even during this awful period, and the credit goes to the students sitting in front of me,” he said.

The momentum he mentioned refers to a series of new “firsts” for the college. Among these, in the midst of a global lockdown, Money Magazine ranked Menlo as the 11th best business program among more than 5,000 colleges and universities in the country. Also, within the past 15 months, the Center for World University Rankings (CWUR) recognized Menlo alumni in the top executive ranks at 44th in the world (out of nearly 20,000 institutions), and Menlo’s internship program was heralded as the “most innovative” in California. “All of these milestones, and others I haven’t mentioned, speak to our momentum, and our determination,” the president said. President Weiner also noted that after Menlo’s Women’s Wrestling team won two national championships in 2019, three of those wrestlers have gone on to win spots on the 30-member Women’s U.S. National Wrestling Team. There was one “first,” however, that President Weiner said he would have liked to omit from his list—the fact that, for the first time ever, Menlo students underwent 100% virtual instruction for the last 15 months. “My excitement about the prospect of a return to campus this fall is admittedly tinged with more than a little sadness that all of you were deprived of the experience you deserved to have in the final year of your college journey,” he said. “This pandemic stole something from all of us…but your Menlo journey isn’t over. Your continued engagement with Menlo as a proud alumnus will open

Top: Friends Sachal Jogi ’20 and Courtney Cooper ’21 got to share their graduation experience when the Class of 2020 was invited to join the Class of 2021 at this year’s commencement ceremony. Bottom: Dean of Arts and Sciences Dr. Melissa Michelson congratulates Jumar Wynn ’21.

Commencement photos by Taylor Henkel, Douglas Peck, and Lisa Villarreal

the door to many opportunities to celebrate together on this very quad in years to come.” Micah Ka -ne ’91, Chair of the Menlo College Board of Trustees, native of Hawaii, and father of Ka’llihiwa Ka -ne ’20, introduced the day’s student speakers, 2021 Valedictorian Cosette Fitzgerald and Student Government President Ian Martins. Ka ne also congratulated this year’s salutatorian Anna Schobel, an international student from Munich, Germany and member of Menlo’s dance team. Schobel is one of three graduating seniors, along with Cassandra Carino and Amelie Elsasser, to achieve perfect 4.0 grade point averages. Cosette Fitzgerald, who holds the distinction of being Menlo’s first valedictorian with autism spectrum disorder, spoke next, passionately using her time at the podium to acknowledge her diagnosis: “I am autistic,” she said. “You probably don’t see that in me because I was given many services early in my life to help me adapt to a non-autistic world.” Fitzgerald went on to comment on the unjust limitations society places on people like her, and she spoke about the importance of inclusivity and self-love. She also recognized the hardships caused by the pandemic, and implored the audience to fight back against a growing culture of ignorance and misinformation about the Covid vaccine, as many people in this country still “erroneously believe that vaccines give children autism.” To read Fitzgerald’s full speech, see page 42 of the magazine. Ian Martins, student government president and another native of Hawaii, delivered a spirited speech—with a few jokes on Menlo’s behalf—while thanking his family for their support, and his classmates for choosing him as their representative.

“It is the greatest honor I think anyone can receive,” he said. “I hope that I’ve been able to reach you and support you in your college ambitions.” Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Grande Lum then thanked the Menlo faculty, and recognized the awards and outstanding achievements of Professors Manish Tewari, Melissa Poulsen, Fabian Eggers, Sean Pradhan and Benny Boveda. He introduced the event’s keynote speaker, Dr. Maya Soetoro-Ng, a distinguished peace innovator, educator and author. As the third Hawaiian to take the stage, Dr. Soetoro-Ng, who is former President Barack Obama’s half-sister and serves as an advisor to the Obama Foundation to develop programs in the Asia Pacific region, joined the ceremony via jumbo screen from her home to offer congratulations, and to speak about the importance of bridging communities and building peace. “The past year has been one of sorrow, stress and fear for many…and I know you will help the world to reimagine a stronger, healthier and more innovative future after the storms of today,” she said. “This is an opportunity for you to wash your eyes, refresh your gaze, see yourself in new ways and claim opportunities.” She also said that because at least 25% of Menlo’s student body is international, the graduates will be entering the world with a particular advantage over many others. “You are building a sense of global citizenship and connection and a powerful sense of responsibility for one another, and those things will not only serve you well and help you to make

Top: Anna Schobel ’21, class salutatorian, is thrilled to see her fellow psychology majors receive their degrees. Bottom: Bianca Barros ’22 welcomes fellow international student Roman Richard ’20 back to campus to finally walk the commencement stage.

a great difference in the world, but also will be instructive to so many of us who desperately need to see that modeled,” she said. In addition to her work for the Obama Foundation, Dr. Soetoro-Ng is also the co-founder of three groundbreaking initiatives; Ceeds of Peace peacebuilding workshops; the Institute for Climate and Peace, and the Peace Studio, which trains content creators like musicians and artists in peacebuilding. She closed by asking the graduates to reflect on three multifaceted dimensions of peace: peace within, peace between or interpersonal peace, and peace in service to others. “There is so much work to be done in terms of building interpersonal peace between communities of people,” she said. “There is a great deal of conflict… so figure out what the conflicts of today are trying to teach you and where they are guiding you.” Dr. Soetoro-Ng, who was named for the late writer and Civil Rights activist, Dr. Maya Angelou, and is the author of a children’s book called Ladder to the Moon, also suggested that creating interpersonal peace starts with altering the stories we tell. “Rewrite the stories from the perspectives of others,” she said. “Make sure you know more than a single story about the other.” In closing, the members of the classes 2020 and 2021 took to the stage to receive their diplomas from President Weiner, while those who could not attend in-person were presented in a recorded video. The ceremony concluded with a cap toss and a spray of confetti. And, as Grand Marshal Charles “Chop” Keenan III led the recessional, the graduates embraced one another, and all seemed normal in the world, the future bright and possible again.

Clockwise from top left: Clockwise from top left: Student Body President Ian Martins ’21 says goodbye to Director of Student Engagement (and staff mentor to the Student Government Association) Carmen Stockberger; Samantha Furlanic ’21, Brenna Francisco ’21, and Makenna Twisselman ’21 get ready for the big event together; President Steven Weiner congratulates Anthony Orozco ’21; Lauren Schaefer ’21 enjoys a commencement moment; Courtney Cooper ’21 pays tribute to the women who fought for education rights with her mortarboard; Bruce Valdez completed his Menlo degree in December 2019. He’s waited a long time but he finally gets to throw his cap in the air.