Dear Graduates, today is the day you would have celebrated at commencement this year had the COVID-19 epidemic not forced us all to be safer at home. I am sad that we are unable to gather in celebration of your achievements at this time.

However, I am grateful that so many of you were able to find a way to overcome the unexpected challenges and successfully complete the semester. I am also grateful that we will be able to celebrate these achievements at a later date.

Earning a bachelor's degree or a master's degree takes a lot of hard work. Earning it when your last term has been derailed by a pandemic is exceptional.

All of you should be proud of yourselves. Persevering in science and mathematics through the last many years is a testament to your inner strength, your perseverance, and your willingness to sacrifice now for a better tomorrow. Well done!

Today is a day for celebration, but also a day for reflection on what made it possible for you to get here.  If we were all together, I would ask you to take a moment to thank all of those who helped you get here, be it your close friends, your classmates, or your chosen family.

Today is still a good day to thank those around you. Indeed in this time of social distancing, it is even more important for you to reach out to those you love and respect, and those to whom you owe a debt of gratitude, even if you can only do so electronically.

If we were all physically together today, as you crossed the stage and shook my hand, you would be able to look out on everyone in the audience and see your faculty there so happy for your success. You would see them happy to see you embark on the next step of your life's journey. They would be applauding you, shaking your hands, and celebrating with you.

Know that even though we are not physically together, the faculty are still celebrating your accomplishments, they are still wishing you success as you journey on, and they are still celebrating your achievements in their hearts.

Let me close by simply saying,

Congratulations to the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics graduating class of 2020!