For the ones graduating this semester, Congratulations! You made it here with a lot of effort and determination, and probably with extra liters of coffee, and several hours of sleep deprivation. For the first generation students, allow yourself a double pat on your shoulder. You learned how to navigate your first steps in academia with no guidance at home, and sometimes with double pressure of your family who saw you with high expectations or skepticsm.

For the parent students, double pat on each shoulder, or maybe a gentle massage after the incredible commitment of keeping up with studies, working and parenting at the same time.

No matter how you made it until gruadation, don’t forget you started here, at NECC, where professors and staff encouraged you to do better and showed you many possibilities to thrive. Small classes gave you the opportunity to share your ideas, ask more questions, listen to your peers insights, and extend those conversations afterclasses.

And if this is not your last semester, take advantage of everything I mentioned before because I promise you, you’ll miss it and there’s no way back!

Thank you NECC for showing me the way to excel and pursue my dreams.