Commencement

Dear Graduates and Families,

We are so glad you are able to be with us virtually on this important day. Our community shares your joy in honoring this outstanding class of graduates, and I am so pleased we are able to celebrate you today. 

I always look forward to this time of year at the University of Minnesota Morris. This is a very special institution with a strong and clear set of values: a commitment to access, appreciation for diversity in all its forms, and belief in the power of education for societal good. The UMN Morris Class of 2020, with its collective achievements, demonstrates the power of these values. 

As one of the country’s top public liberal arts colleges, UMN Morris provides talented students access to life-changing educational experiences. Our students strive to strengthen their communities, and this year’s graduates are no exception. They have studied abroad, led student organizations, taken part in athletic competitions and musical, theatre, and dance performances. They have served the region and participated in creative and scholarly activities alongside award-winning teacher-scholars. And they have overcome unprecedented challenges to completing their degrees. These graduates exemplify our mission, serving as models of institutional values such as reasoned discourse, discovery, intellectual growth, and civic responsibility. They are prepared to continue their lives as engaged and committed global citizens. We are immensely proud of them—all they have accomplished and all they will accomplish.

Today we celebrate not only these outstanding graduates, but also each and every one of you who has stood by them: a powerful network of family and friends that made it possible for these students to succeed. I wish you a memorable and gratifying day as we celebrate together this landmark moment in our graduates’ lifelong journeys of growth and learning.