Celebrating the CFANS Class of 2024
May 8, 2024
Every year, our CFANS community eagerly anticipates commencement and the opportunity to congratulate and celebrate our graduates in a ceremony befitting such a momentous occasion.
CFANS Undergraduate Commencement was held at 3M Arena at Mariucci on Friday, May 3, 2024. More than 320 graduates crossed the stage to receive their diplomas, hearing from a host of speakers including CFANS Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs Julie Grossman, Dean Brian Buhr, keynote speaker James Luby (PhD ’82 Plant Breeding), and student speaker Yasmin Mohran (BS ’24 Nutrition Studies).
"As we transition into our postgraduate lives, we will encounter more unexpected rejections in the future. Recall these previous times where you've turned rejection into redirection, and found the courage to embrace new opportunities that you would not have considered otherwise" said Mohran.
- View the photo gallery (students will receive a separate gallery of posed photos in the coming weeks)
- Watch the event recording
CFANS Graduate Commencement was held on Saturday, May 4, 2024 at Ted Mann Concert Hall. In attendance were 81 master's and PhD students who complete(d) graduation requirements between August 2023 and August 2024.
- View the photo gallery (students will receive a separate gallery of GradImages posed photos in the coming weeks)
- Watch the event recording
Emily Moore (MS ’24 Applied Plant Sciences) sang the National Anthem to open the ceremony.
Andrew Carter (PhD ’24 Food Science) was selected as student speaker.
"The skills and knowledge that you’ve gained in CFANS are the perfect preparation for facing difficulties ahead. Our training will make us key leaders as we address mounting global challenges in the years to come," said Carter. "I find it relevant to remember a quote from Fred Rogers to ‘look for the helpers; you will always find people who are helping.’ I believe we are those helpers. We are now experts in our respective fields and are the people most equipped to help humanity surmount impending obstacles and drive change, so that all people can live and thrive on a flourishing, healthy planet."
University of Minnesota Interim President Jeff Ettinger addressed graduates.
“You are poised to become a new generation of leaders, whose CFANS experience will propel you to take on our world’s grand challenges… and to be examples of innovation, creativity, and excellence for generations to come," said Ettinger.
CFANS alumnus Jonathan Slaght (MS ’05 Conservation Biology, PhD ’11 Wildlife Conservation), Regional Director of the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Temperate Asia Program, delivered the keynote address.
“Graduate school opened a number of doors for me: my time here showed me how to be rigorous, intentional, passionate, and focused. This can come out in different ways, and not always neatly tied to a degree,” said Slaght. “What you are now—who you are now—doesn’t have to define you forever, if you don’t want it to.”
Our graduate students contribute to the immense diversity of research that happens across our college, and commencement is one place where we get to celebrate them. Congratulations to our master's and PhD Class of 2024!
