Commencement 2023

In her valedictorian speech, Ellie Lin ’23 shared a message of gratitude for her parents, whose hard work and sacrifices led to her opportunities. But she encouraged her classmates to do more than just be grateful. “If you take one thing out of this speech, please hear this,” she said. “Find yourself a mission. Find a purpose to serve a cause greater than just yourself. Turn all the years of receiving into giving. All the years of watching into doing. Turn your gratitude into a sense of urgency, and find yourself a mission.” Atia Abawi, journalist, author, and USM’s author-in-residence for the 2022–23 school year, gave the Commencement address.