Marvin Burt

Transcription

[Clarke's The Prince of Denmark March plays] "THE GRADUATE SCHOOL IS LED BY THE GRADUATE SCHOOL MARSHAL, DR. ROBERT DELUTY, ASSOCIATE DEAN OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL." "AND MR. SAMUEL HAILE, WHO IS GRADUATING TODAY WITH A PH.D. IN BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES, AND WHO IS CARRYING THE GRADUATE SCHOOL BANNER." "THE PROCESSION OF GRADUATE STUDENTS IS LED BY THE STUDENTS' MARSHAL, DR. MANIL SURI, THE 2013 PRESIDENTIAL TEACHING PROFESSOR, AND PROFESSOR OF MATHEMATICS AND STATISTICS." "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE RISE AS THE FACULTY AND STAFF AND THE PLATFORM PARTY ENTER THE ARENA." "THE FACULTY AND STAFF PROCESSION IS LED BY THE FACULTY MARSHAL, DR. CONSTANTINE VAPORIS, THE 2013-2016 PRESIDENTIAL RESEARCH PROFESSOR AND PROFESSOR OF HISTORY AND DIRECTOR OF THE ASIAN STUDIES PROGRAM." "HE IS JOINED BY STAFF MARSHALS, MR. PAUL S. CIOTTA, THE 2012 RECIPIENT OF THE PRESIDENTIAL DISTINGUISHED STAFF AWARD FOR PROFESSIONAL STAFF AND TECHNICAL COORDINATOR AND FACILITIES MANAGER FOR PHYSICS" "AND MS. CHERYL P. JOHNSON, THE 2012 PRESIDENTIAL DISTINGUISHED STAFF AWARD RECIPIENT FOR NON-EXEMPT STAFF AND GRANTS SPECIALIST FOR THE OFFICE OF CONTRACT AND GRANT ACCOUNTING." "THE PLATFORM PARTY IS LED BY THE GRAND MARSHAL, MR. TIMOTHY NOHE, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE FACULTY SENATE, A PROFESSOR OF VISUAL ARTS AND DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER FOR INNOVATION, RESEARCH AND CREATIVITY IN THE ARTS ." "THE GRAND MARSHAL CARRIES THE UNIVERSITY MACE, A SYMBOL OF PRESIDENTIAL AUTHORITY. USED ONLY ON FORMAL ACADEMIC OCCASSIONS, IT IS CARRIED IN THE PROCESSION IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THE PRESIDENT. UMBC'S MACE WAS COMMISSIONED BY THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION FOR UMBC'S 20TH ANNIVERSARY IN 1986." DR. CARROLL: "GOOD MORNING. THE 61ST COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, BALTIMORE COUNTY WILL NOW BE IN ORDER." "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE REMAINING STANDING FOR OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM, SUNG TODAY BY MS. MADELINE WATERS, WHO IS GRADUATING TOMMOROW WITH A MAJOR IN MUSIC." "GENTLEMEN, PLEASE REMOVE YOUR HATS OR CAPS DURING THE ANTHEM." [THE NATIONAL ANTHEM] DR. CARROLL: "PLEASE BE SEATED." DR. CARROLL: "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IT IS MY GREAT PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE THE VICE PROVOST AND DEAN OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL, DR. JANET RUTLEDGE." DR. RUTLEDGE: "GOOD MORNING..." "PRESIDENT HRABOWSKI AND DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, AND OF COURSE, OUR GRADUATES." "TODAY WE GATHER TOGETHER IN A TIME-HONORED TRADITION SHARED ACROSS THE WORLD IN SALUTING THE ATTAINMENT OF THE STANDARDS OF ADVANCED GRADUATE STUDY. THIS CEREMONIAL TRADITION OF THE CONFERRAL OF MASTER'S AND DOCTORAL DEGREES IS ONE THAT PROVIDES A UNIVERSAL CURRENCY, SIGNIFYING THE HIGHEST STANDARD OF ACHIEVEMENT IN THE DISCIPLINES, SUBJECTS, AND PROFESSIONS SPONSORED BY UMBC." "THIS IS ONE OF LIFE'S HAPPIEST AND MOST SIGNIFICANT MILESTONES FOR EACH OF TODAY'S GRADUATES. IT IS A MILESTONE NOT ONLY FOR THOSE EARNING DEGREES, BUT FOR ALL OF US HERE TODAY." "FOR THE GRADUATES SEATED IN FRONT OF ME, IT SIGNIFIES THE COMPLETION OF YOUR MASTER'S OR DOCTORAL DEGREE AND THE ACCEPTANCE OF NEW AND EVER MORE CHALLENGING HORIZONS. FOR THE FACULTY AND STAFF, THE EVENT SERVES AS A CAPSTONE FOR ALL THEY HAVE SHARED WITH YOU AND BRINGS SPECIAL JOY AT SEEING YOUR PERSONAL SUCCESS." "AND FOR THE MANY FAMILIES AND FRIENDS HERE TODAY, IT IS A MOMENT IN WHICH WE CAN ALL SHARE, ACKNOWLEDGING THE RECOGNITION THAT YOU, OUR SOON-TO-BE GRADUATES, SO RICHLY DESERVE." "FOR ME AND MANY OTHERS, IT IS A SPECIAL MOMENT DURING WHICH WE CAN WITNESS THE FRUITS OF THE MANY LABORS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND TAKE PRIDE IN THE REMARKABLE WORK THAT TAKES PLACE HERE AT UMBC." "DURING THE CEREMONY, THOSE OF YOU RECEIVING DEGREES WILL TRANSITION FROM BEING STUDENTS TO BEING ALUMNI. WHETHER YOU GO INTO CAREERS AS EDUCATORS, SCHOLARS, ARTISTS, RESEARCHERS, SCIENTISTS, ACTIVISTS, SERVICE PROFESSIONALS, OR ENGINEERS, YOU REPRESENT THE VERY BEST OF THE FUTURE. YOU HAVE EMBARKED ON ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT JOURNEYS OF YOUR LIVES -- THAT OF EARNING A DEGREE IN YOUR RESPECTIVE FIELD, PROFESSION, OR DISCIPLINE -- AND WE ARE ALL VERY, VERY PROUD OF YOU." "THE DEGREE EARNED FROM UMBC REFLECTS SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENT, OFTEN INVOLVING SUBSTANTIAL PERSONAL SACRIFICE AND STRUGGLE -- FOR THE PURSUIT OF NEW KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING INVOLVES GROWTH AND CHANGE. AS WE PAY TRIBUTE TO YOU TODAY, WE RECOGNIZE, TOO, THOSE WHO HAVE SUPPORTED YOU DURING YOUR STUDIES AT UMBC. WE KNOW HOW MUCH SUPPORT YOUR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS HAVE PROVIDED THROUGHOUT THE EXPERIENCE." "WE COME TOGETHER ALSO TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACULTY AND STAFF WHO HAVE ENCOURAGED, MENTORED, AND HELPED YOU ACHIEVE YOUR VERY BEST AT UMBC. BY HONORING YOU, OUR GRADUATES, WE PAY TRIBUTE TO THEIR ARTFUL CRAFT OF LEADING YOU TO THIS DAY." "PLEASE GIVE ALL OF THOSE WHO HAVE SUPPORTED YOU DURING THESE IMPORTANT YEARS A ROUND OF APPLAUSE." [APPLAUSE] "ALTHOUGH TODAY CELEBRATES THE CULMINATION OF YOUR DILIGENCE AND HARD WORK, IT IS ALSO THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE NEXT PHASE OF YOUR LIVES AND CAREERS. CONFERRAL OF YOUR DEGREE DOES NOT SYMBOLIZE THE END OF KNOWLEDGE GAINED, BUT OF THE SEEKING OF KNOWLEDGE YET UNKNOWN." "AS YOU GO FORTH ON THE PATHWAY OF YOUR LIFE, REMEMBER THE WORDS OF HENRY DAVID THOREAU, WHO SAID 'IF ONE ADVANCES CONFIDENTLY IN THE DIRECTION OF HIS DREAMS, AND ENDEAVORS TO LIVE THE LIFE WHICH HE HAS IMAGINED, HE WILL MEET WITH A SUCCESS UNEXPECTED IN COMMON HOURS.'" "CONGRATULATIONS FROM ALL OF US." DR. RUTLEDGE: "NOW I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE MS. DOAA RASHED, PRESIDENT OF THE GRADUATE STUDENT ASSOCIATION AND A DOCTORAL CANDIDATE IN LANGUAGE, LITERACY AND CULTURE." "DOAA..." MS. RASHED: "GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING, PRESIDENT HRABOWSKI, DEANS, FACULTY, FAMILIES AND FRIENDS, AND OF COURSE, HONORED GRADUATES. IT IS A PRIVILEGE TO ADDRESS YOU TODAY AS SUCCESSFUL STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, BALTIMORE COUNTRY, JUST BEFORE YOU RECEIVE YOUR DIPLOMAS AND BECOME THE CLASS OF 2013." "YOUR GRADUATION CEREMONY IS THE CULMINATION OF YEARS OF HARD WORK, THE ACTUALIZATION OF GOALS ATTAINED, AND THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF SUCCESSES ACHIEVED. TODAY YOU CELEBRATE THE ROAD THAT YOU HAVE TRAVELED THESE PAST FEW YEARS, OR MANY. SAVOR YOUR SUCCESS AND END THE SUFFERING OF BEING A GRADUATE STUDENT." [AUDIENCE LAUGHS] "WE ALL KNOW THAT." "NOTHING THAT COMES TODAY IS WORTH TRYING IF IT'S EASY. HARD WORK AND TRUE DEDICATION TO YOUR VALUES AND PRINCIPLES ARE WHAT MAKES TODAY A SPECIAL DAY. YOU ARE CELEBRATING YOU, YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, YOUR PERSISTENCE TO SUCCEED AND EXCEL, YOUR STRENGTH TO LIFT YOURSELF UP AND KEEP GOING." "LISTEN TO AUTHOR GEORGE SAUNDERS' ADVICE, 'DO ALL THE OTHER THINGS, THE AMBITIOUS THINGS, TRAVEL, GET RICH, GET FAMOUS, INNOVATE, FALL IN LOVE, MAKE AND LOSE FORTUNES, BUT AS YOU DO SO, AND TO THE EXTENT THAT YOU CAN, ERR IN THE DIRECTION OF KINDNESS.'" "TOMORROW, YOU SET NEW GOALS, TO STIMULATE CHANGE, LOCALLY AND GLOBALLY, OPEN SPACE FOR DIGNITY AND MUTUAL RESPECT, CREATE A BETTER WORLD, AND END CYCLES OF INJUSTICES. YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO ACT. BE AN INSPIRATION FOR CHANGE AND HELP OTHERS CREATE THEIR OWN PATH. EVERY SUCCESS STORY YOU HEAR, EVERY INSPIRATION CHANGED, WE WITNESS TO LIFE. EVERY SMILE ON A FACE IS THE RESULT OF ACTION. SO CHALLENGE YOURSELF, MAKE A DIFFERENCE, AND DO YOUR BEST TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE. CONGRATULATIONS." [APPLAUSE] DR. RUTLEDGE: "AND NOW, IT IS MY GREAT PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE TO YOU OUR PROVOST AND SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, DR. PHILIP ROUS. HE SERVES AS OUR CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICER." "DR. ROUS JOINED UMBC IN 1990. HE IS A PROFESSOR IN OUR DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS AND HAS PREVIOUSLY SERVED AS THE DEAN OF THE COLLEGE OF NATURAL AND MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES." "DR. ROUS..." DR. ROUS: "GOOD MORNING. ON BEHALF OF THE SCHOLARLY COMMUNITY WE CALL OUR UMBC I EXTEND MY CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR GRADUATES." "YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT WE ARE IMMENSELY PROUD OF YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND THE WAY IN WHICH YOUR INDIVIDUAL CURIOSITY, HARD WORK AND ENERGY HAS INVIGORATED, ENHANCED AND FOREVER CHANGED OUR COMMUNITY." "IT IS IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO KNOW THAT AS YOU LEAVE OUR CAMPUS YOU ARE NOT LEAVING THE UMBC FAMILY." "YOU WILL JOIN THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY OF UMBC ALUMNI WHO THROUGH THEIR LIFE'S WORK CONTINUE TO ADVANCE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF OUR OWN HUMANITY, OUR DEMOCRACY, THE NATURAL WORLD THAT SURROUNDS US AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY, MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF OTHERS." "WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE ARE ALL SHAPED BY THE INFLUENCE AND EXAMPLES OF COUNTLESS OTHERS." "I KNOW THAT YOU FEEL GREAT PRIDE IN OUR UNIVERSITY AND IN OUR OUTSTANDING FACULTY AND STAFF, AND SO ON YOUR BEHALF, I WOULD LIKE THANK ALL OF OUR FACULTY AND STAFF FOR EVERYTHING YOU HAVE DONE AND CONTINUE TO DO TO SUPPORT THE SUCCESS OF STUDENTS. THANK YOU SO MUCH." [AUDIENCE APPLAUDS] "TODAY, AS YOU CROSS THE COMMENCEMENT STAGE, YOU WILL STEP ACROSS BOTH A SYMBOLIC AND AN ACTUAL THRESHOLD TO ENTER INTO THE NEXT PHASE OF YOUR PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL JOURNEY." "LIKE SO MANY TRANSITIONS IN LIFE THIS MAY FEEL LIKE A STEP FROM WHAT IS KNOWN TO WHAT IS UNKNOWN. BUT BE CONFIDENT THAT YOU WILL BE SUPPORTED UPON THE SOLID FOUNDATION BUILT UPON THE PREPARATION YOU HAVE RECEIVED HERE AT UMBC." "AND SO, AS YOUR PROVOST, I HOPE YOU WILL ALLOW ME TO ASK ONE FINAL QUESTION." "WHAT PRINCIPLES AND VALUES WILL GUIDE YOU THROUGHOUT YOUR PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL LIVES?" "OF COURSE, THIS IS AN INTENSELY PERSONAL QUESTION AND THE ANSWER DOES NOT COME EASILY OR FROM A MOMENT OF THOUGHT. IT IS A QUESTION THAT REQUIRES A LIFETIME TO ANSWER." "BUT MY GREATEST HOPE IS THAT YOUR EXPERIENCE AS A MEMBER OF OUR COMMUNITY WILL HAVE PROVIDED YOU WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO REFLECT ON THE MANY VALUES WE SHARE. VALUES SUCH AS EXCELLENCE, COMMITMENT, HARD WORK, INCLUSIVENESS AND A RESPECT FOR THE DIGNITY OF OTHERS. PERHAPS THE MOST IMPORTANT OF THESE IS INTEGRITY, WHICH OF COURSE MEANS PUTTING YOUR VALUES INTO ACTION." "PERHAPS APPROPRIATELY AT THIS TIME, IN THE WORDS OF PRESIDENT NELSON MANDELA, WHO SAID, "EDUCATION IS THE MOST POWERFUL WEAPON WHICH YOU CAN USE TO CHANGE THE WORLD." "AND SO FINALLY, I'D LIKE TO SAY TO YOU: MAY YOU ENJOY A LIFE RICH IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT EACH DAY YOUR WORK AND YOUR RELATIONSHIPS HAVE TRULY MADE A DIFFERENCE." "CONGRATULATIONS." DR. RUTLEDGE: "I AM PLEASED TO INTRODUCE THE PRESIDENT OF UMBC, DR.FREEMAN HRABOWSKI." "HAVING SERVED AS PRESIDENT FOR OVER 20 YEARS, DR. HRABOWSKI HAS BROUGHT TREMENDOUS ENERGY, VISION, AND LEADERSHIP TO THIS INSTITUTION." "HE HAS HELPED CONNECT THE UNIVERSITY WITH INDIVIDUALS, COMPANIES, FOUNDATIONS, AND AGENCIES THAT HAVE BROUGHT NEW RESOURCES TO BUILD AND SUSTAIN DISTINCTIVE PROGRAMS IN BOTH UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE EDUCATION AND RESEARCH." "DR. HRABOWSKI..." HRABOWSKI: "THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING AGAIN. HOW MANY OF YOU ARE MORNING PEOPLE? YOU NOTICE THAT THE GRADS AND FACULTY RAISED THEIR HANDS. GRAD STUDENTS ARE NOT RAISING THEIR HANDS. PHD STUDENTS ARE NOT RAISING THEIR HANDS." "I'M DELIGHTED TO WELCOME TODAY. BY THE WAY, IT IS... FIRST OF ALL, THIS IS A MUCH SMALLER CEREMONY, SO IT IS MORE INTIMATE. AND IT'S SMALLER FOR MANY REASONS, THE MOST IMPORTANT OF WHICH IS, VERY FEW PEOPLE IN THE WORLD, LET ALONE IN AMERICA, ACTUALLY EARN MASTER'S AND PHDS. IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT FOR A MINUTE, MAYBE 30% OF AMERICANS TODAY HAVE COLLEGE DEGREES. A MUCH SMALLER PERCENTAGE HAVE GRADUATE DEGREES, AND SO GRADUATES, YOU'RE IN, IN MANY WAYS, RAREFIED AIR. YOU'RE IN AN ENVIRONMENT, IN A CULTURE THAT HAS TAUGHT YOU THAT YOU WILL BE LEADERS." "I WANT TO THANK DR. RUTLEDGE AND CONGRATULATE ALL OF YOU TODAY. I FOUND IT INSPIRING, FIRST OF ALL, THAT OUR PROVOST, WHO'S FROM ENGLAND AND A PHYSICIST, WOULD BE QUOTING OUR BELOVED MANDELA FROM SOUTH AFRICA. GIVE THE NOTION OF OUR CELEBRATING MANDELA A HAND, WOULD YOU PLEASE." "WE ARE DELIGHTED TO HAVE ALL THE FAMILIES AND FRIENDS HERE. GRADUATES, IT'S YOUR DAY. YOU'RE GOING TO GET PEOPLE SPEAKING, AND YET I WOULD SAY, MOST IMPORTANT, TAKE THE TIME TO THINK ABOUT ALL THE THINGS YOU'VE HAD TO DO, ALL THE PEOPLE WHO'VE HELPED YOU TO GET TO THIS POINT. IT IS, AS MANY HAVE ALREADY SAID, A TIME FOR YOU TO SAVOR THIS EXPERIENCE. "I ENCOURAGE YOU TO THINK ABOUT THE HARD WORK, AND DETERMINATION. GRADUATE STUDENTS, AND ALL GRADUATES TODAY, HOW MANY OF YOU AT ONE POINT DURING THIS JOURNEY THOUGHT MAYBE YOU'D STOP AND GIVE IT UP?" [LAUGHS] "HOW MANY OF YOU HAD SOMEBODY TO ENCOURAGE YOU ALONG THE WAY WHEN YOU GOT DISCOURAGED? HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT FRIENDS AND FAMILY REALLY MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN YOUR LIVES? GIVE THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS A HAND. FAMILY AND FRIENDS, YOU ALL STAND UP. STAND UP, FAMILY AND FRIENDS. ALL THE FAMILY MEMBERS, PLEASE STAND. STAND UP. LET'S GIVE ALL FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS WHO ARE HERE TO SUPPORT THEM, GIVE THEM A ROUND OF... ALL FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS." [APPLAUSE] "AND I KNOW THAT YOU APPRECIATE ALL THAT THE FACULTY AND STAFF HAVE DONE TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF YOU. I'M GOING TO ASK THE FACULTY AND STAFF MEMBERS TO PLEASE RISE ALSO. PLEASE." [APPLAUSE] "SOME OF YOU WILL BE CONTINUING ON WITH YOUR GRADUATE STUDIES, OTHERS ARE GOING INTO POST-DOC EXPERIENCES. OTHERS ARE GOING TO BE FACULTY MEMBERS AND WORKING FOR COMPANIES AND FOR THE GOVERNMENT." "HOW MANY OF YOU ARE PLANNING TO TEACH? IF YOU'RE PLANNING TO TEACH, STAND UP. WE WANT TO CELEBRATE OUR TEACHERS FOR A MOMENT, PLEASE." "MAKE NO MISTAKE THAT EDUCATION DOES INDEED TRANSFORM LIVES. GRADUATES, ALL OF YOU IN ALL OF YOUR DISCIPLINES ARE PREPARING TO LEAD IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, AND I'D LIKE TO TAKE THIS MOMENT TO SHARE A FEW OF THE STORIES. AS I DO, I WANT EVERYONE IN THIS SETTING TO APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT EACH PERSON HAS A STORY, AND THAT STORIES INSPIRE." "OUR FIRST GRADUATE RECEIVES HER PH.D. IN BIOCHEMISTRY TODAY. SHE ATTENDED UNDERGRAD AT BROWN AND GOT HER MASTER'S FROM EMORY AND GEORGIA TECH IN BIOENGINEERING AND THEN HAD HEARD ABOUT THE MENTORING HERE AND STRONG SCIENCE. SHE CAME AND WORKED WITH DR. SUMMERS AND RECEIVED A COMPETITIVE NSF GRADUATE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP IN HER FIRST YEAR. SHE'S COMPLETING HER PHD IN JUST FOUR YEARS. SHE IS NOW IN A POST-DOC IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING AT YALE, WHERE SHE IS WORKING ON NEW METHODS TO DEVELOP SKIN GRAFTS FOR PEDIATRIC BURN VICTIMS." "LOLA BROWN, YOUR INNOVATIVE RESEARCH WILL CHANGE LIVES. YOU WILL MAKE SUCH A DIFFERENCE. PLEASE STAND. CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU AND DR. SUMMERS." [APPLAUSE.] "YOU AND DR. SUMMERS CAN BE VERY PROUD." "OUR NEXT THREE GRADUATES ARE RECEIVING PH.D.S IN BIOLOGY, AND I'M PUTTING THEM TOGETHER FOR A REASON. IT'S AN INTERESTING STORY. IN ADDITION TO BEING REMARKABLE SCHOLARS, ALL THREE HAVE ALSO SUPPORTED OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH THEIR CAMPUS LEADERSHIP, WITH TWO SERVING AS PRESIDENT AND THE OTHER AS VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE GRADUATE STUDENT ASSOCIATION." "TWO OF THEM MET AT AN INTERNATIONAL STUDENT ORIENTATION -- ONE IS FROM CANADA AND THE OTHER IS FROM MEXICO -- AND QUICKLY BECAME GOOD FRIENDS. TOGETHER, THEY PARTICIPATED ACTIVELY IN THE GRADUATE STUDENT ASSOCIATION'S FOOD FOR THOUGHT COLLABORATION, WHICH ADDRESSES NUTRITION AND FOOD SUSTAINABILITY ISSUES IN BALTIMORE'S PIGTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD." "THEY HAVE BOTH HAVE FOCUSED ON ORIOLES IN THEIR RESEARCH -- THE BIRD, BY THE WAY, NOT THE TEAM -- USING GENETICS AND OTHER FACTORS TO EXAMINE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THESE TWO SPECIES." "ONE WILL TEACH AT NOTRE DAME OF MARYLAND BEGINNING SHORTLY, WHILE THE OTHER INTERVIEWS FOR POST-DOCTORAL POSITIONS IN THE U.S. AND MEXICO." "THE THIRD GRADUATE HAS FOCUSED HIS RESEARCH ON A MOLECULE THAT MAY NEUTRALIZE IMMUNE SUPPRESSION IN CANCER PATIENTS AND BE A USEFUL THERAPEUTIC DRUG FOR DELAYING TUMOR GROWTH. HE WILL START A POST-DOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP AT THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH, CONDUCTING IMMUNOLOGY RESEARCH FOCUSED ON PEDIATRIC TUMORS." "THE FIRST IS RACHEL STURGE, THE SECOND IS NANDA-DEVI CORTES, BOTH UNDER DR. OMLAND. AND THEN THE THIRD IS SAMUEL HAILE, UNDER THE WONDERFUL DR. ROSENBERG. WOULD THE THREE STUDENTS PLEASE STAND. RACHEL AND NANDADEVI AND SAMUEL." [APPLAUSE.] "I KNOW THAT DR. OMLAND AND DR. ROSENBERG ARE VERY PROUD." "OUR NEXT GRADUATE IS RECEIVING HER MASTER'S IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION." "SHE COMPETED AS ONE OF THE TOP PLAYERS ON UMBC'S BASKETBALL TEAM -- THE PROGRAM'S SECOND ALL-TIME LEADING SCORER -- WHILE EARNING HER UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE IN JUST THREE YEARS, AND SHE CONTINUED ON WITH THE TEAM IN HER FOURTH YEAR. SHE THEN SPENT A YEAR IN PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL, PLAYING IN FRANCE BEFORE RETURNING TO COMPLETE HER MASTER'S DEGREE." "SHE'S A NATIVE OF NEW YORK. SHE WILL BE STAYING IN BALTIMORE TO TEACH, PROBABLY TO COACH SOME TOO, I BET." "MICHELLE KUROWSKI, WE'RE SO PROUD OF YOU. PLEASE STAND. YOUR KIDS ARE GOING TO BE SO FORTUNATE. MICHELLE." [APPLAUSE.] "OUR NEXT GRADUATE IS RECEIVING THE MASTER'S IN INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION, WITH A FOCUS ON SPANISH AND POLICY STUDIES." "SHE IS A RETURNED PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEER WHO HAS CONTINUED TO WORK INTERNATIONALLY THROUGH HER GRADUATE STUDIES, EARNING A BOREN FELLOWSHIP TO COMPLETE HER THESIS RESEARCH IN BRAZIL." "SHE PLANS TO PURSUE A CAREER IN INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL, FOCUSING ON LATIN AMERICAN IMMIGRATION AND FOOD SUSTAINABILITY." "KATE WITT, WE ADMIRE YOUR PASSION AND DEDICATION TO IMPROVING QUALITY OF LIFE AROUND THE GLOBE. KATE, WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND. KATE WITT." [APPLAUSE.] "OUR NEXT TWO GRADUATES ARE RECEIVING MASTER'S DEGREES IN CYBERSECURITY." "THEY REPRESENT OUR FIRST GROUP OF GRADUATES FROM THE UMBC FEDERAL CYBERCORPS SCHOLARSHIP FOR SERVICE PROGRAM." "THE FIRST GRADUATE RECEIVED HIS B.A. IN PHILOSOPHY FROM UMBC IN 2011 AND CREDITS HIS COMBINED LIBERAL ARTS BACKGROUND, WITH THE COMPUTER SCIENCE FOR GIVING HIM THAT BALANCED APPROACH TO LOOKING AT THE INTERDISCIPLINARITY OF CYBERSECURITY. HE WILL START A POSITION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FOLLOWING GRADUATION." "THE SECOND GRADUATE MAINTAINED A 4.0 THROUGHOUT HIS TENURE AT UMBC AND TOOK ADVANTAGE OF OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH DIFFERENT GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR. HE IS CONSIDERING POSITIONS BOTH AT THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AND THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION." "BRENDEN MASIAR AND BRANDYN SCHULT, PLEASE STAND. WE'RE VERY PROUD OF BOTH OF YOU." [APPLAUSE.] "AND THERE'S ONE MORE IN THAT CATEGORY WHO'S COMING FROM CYBERSECURITY. A STUDENT WHO WENT TO UNDERGRAD HERE, AND GRAD WHO HAS A REMARKABLE STORY. AND THE STORY IS ONE THAT IS VERY TOUCHING. HE HAD A CHALLENGING HEALTH, ALL OF A SUDDEN, CONDITION. WE HAD TO FLY HIM, LITERALLY, TO SHOCK TRAUMA. HE WAS THERE WITH OUR PARTNER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND MEDICAL SYSTEM. THE PROGNOSIS WAS NOT GOOD AT ALL. WE ALL HAD SUCH FAITH AND PRAYED, QUITE FRANKLY, AND DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. TODAY, HE'S GRADUATING WITH A MASTER'S DEGREE. WE'RE SO PROUD OF HIM. STANLEY PIERRE, WHEREEVER YOU ARE. STANLEY, PLEASE STAND." [APPLAUSE.] "AND OUR FINAL GRADUATE RECEIVES HIS DOCTORATE IN LANGUAGE, LITERACY, AND CULTURE TODAY." "FASCINATING BACKGROUND. HE WAS PRESIDENT OF THE SGA AS AN UNDERGRAD AT UCLA. HE EARNED DEGREES IN LAW AND PUBLIC POLICY FROM HARVARD. HE SPENT SEVEN YEARS WORKING AT A LOS ANGELES LAW FIRM, AND THEN DECIDED THAT THAT WAS NOT FOR HIM. HE CHANGED HIS PATH, BECAME A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER, WORKED IN CITIES ACROSS AMERICA AND HELPING TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM OF CITIES AND POVERTY." "TEN YEARS AGO, HE CAME TO UMBC TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY BEGIN TO ENGAGE IN ADDITIONAL WORK IN POSITIVE CHANGE, AND WITH PARTNERS FROM ACROSS THE CAMPUS, HE ORGANIZED WHAT HAS BECOME A NATIONAL MOVEMENT FOR OUR CAMPUS CALLED BREAKINGGROUND, WHICH FOCUSES ON SUPPORTING STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND STAFF IN REALIZING THEIR ABILITY AND CAPACITY TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE COMMON GOOD. HE IS AN AMAZING YOUNG MAN. DAVID HOFFMAN, YOU ARE ONE OF OUR BEST. PLEASE STAND." "DAVID, WHEREEVER YOU ARE." [APPLAUSE.] "AND IF WE HAVE ANY UMBC STAFF MEMBERS WHO ARE RECEIVING DEGREES TODAY, IT'S ALWAYS CHALLENGING FOR PEOPLE WHEN THEY'RE WORKING. ANY STAFF MEMBERS RECEIVING DEGREES, PLEASE STAND. LET'S SEE WHO YOU ARE." [APPLAUSE] "FINALLY, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE KENNETH PITTMAN, WHO'S VICE PRESIDENT ON THE ALUMNI BOARD." "KEN REPRESENTS OUR MORE THAN 60,000 UMBC ALUMNI WORLDWIDE." "HE GRADUATED IN 1980 WITH A BACHELOR'S IN ECONOMICS. HE'S NOW A SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND SENIOR WEALTH ADVISOR FOR PNC HERE IN BALTIMORE." "HE WILL BE PRESENTING EACH GRADUATE WITH A MEMENTO ON BEHALF OF THE UMBC ALUMI ASSOCIATION, AND REMINDING YOU THAT WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING YOUR CHECKS." "GIVE KEN A HAND, WOULD YOU?" [APPLAUSE] DR. RUTLEDGE : "NOW COMES THE POINT WE'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR. WILL THE CANDIDATES FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY PLEASE RISE." DR. RUTLEDGE: "DR. HRABOWSKI..." [Tips hat.] DR. HRABOWSKI: "DR. RUTLEDGE..." [Tips hat.] DR. RUTLEDGE: "DR. HRABOWSKI, I NOW HAVE THE HONOR TO PRESENT THE CANDIDATES RECOMMENDED BY THE FACULTY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND GRADUATE SCHOOL, BALTIMORE, FOR THE DEGREES OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY, THE HIGHEST EARNED DEGREE WHICH ANY UNIVERSITY HAS THE POWER TO CONFER." DR. HRABOWSKI: "UPON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE FACULTY AND BY THE AUTHORITY OF THE STATE OF MARYLAND GIVEN TO THE CHANCELLOR OF THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM OF MARYLAND AND BOARD OF REGENTS, AND BY THEM ENTRUSTED TO ME, I HEREBY ADMIT YOU TO THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY, WHICH YOU HAVE EARNED DURING THE COURSE OF YOUR STUDIES AT UMBC IN THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND GRADUATE SCHOOL, BALTIMORE, IN TOKEN WHEREOF YOU SHALL BE GIVEN A DIPLOMA WITH ALL OF THE HONORS, PRIVILEGES, AND RESPONSIBILITIES THEREUNTO PERTAINING." DR.RUTLEDGE says: "WILL THE CANDIDATES FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY PLEASE PROCEED WITH THEIR MENTORS TO THE PLATFORM. PLEASE BE SEATED UNTIL YOUR ROW IS DIRECTED TO STAND." DR. RUTLEDGE: "AMANDA DAWN PEOPLES, BEING HOODED BY HER MENTORS, DR. J. KEVEN ECKERT AND DR. ROBERT RUBINSTEIN. DR. PEOPLES' RESEARCH EXAMINES SOCIAL STIGMA AND RELATIONSHIPS AMONG RESIDENTS, STAFF AND FAMILY MEMBERS IN A LONG TERM DEMENTIA CARE SETTING. DR. PEOPLES NOW WORKS AS A SENIOR RESEARCHER AT THE CENTER FOR AGING STUDIES, EXAMINING AUTONOMY AMONG ASSISTED LIVING RESIDENTS. SHE IS FUNDED BY THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON AGING." [APPLAUSE] "EUNJU CHUNG CHEN, BEING HOODED BY HER MENTOR, DR. JENNIFER MAHER. DR. CHEN'S RESEARCH EXPLORES HOW THE CONCEPT OF CULTURE HAS TRADITIONALLY BEEN CONSTRUCTED IN THE DISCIPLINE OF INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION, REVEALING THAT THE CURRENT IMPLICATIONS OF CULTURE TOO OFTEN OBSCURES COMPLEX SOCIAL, POLITICAL AND ETHICAL DYNAMICS. DR. CHEN HAS CALLED FOR A PARADIGM SHIFT IN INTERCULTURAL RESEARCH, TRAINING AND POLICY." [APPLAUSE.] "SARA MAE COLE, BEING HOODED BY HER MENTOR, DR. CRAIG SAPER. DR. COLE EXPLORED THE INFLUENCES OF INTERACTIVE DIGITAL MEDIA ON IDENTITY AND IDEOLOGY CONSTRUCTION, FOCUSING ON SOCIO-LINGUISTIC ANALYSES OF MASCULINE DISCOURSE. THESE THEMES INFORMED A NEW DEVELOPMENTAL PROCESS CALLED ERGODIC ONTOGENY. DR. COLE IS PURSUING POST-DOCTORAL AND ACADEMIC POSITIONS." [APPLAUSE] "DAVID BRYAN HOFFMAN, BEING HOODED BY HIS MENTORS, DR. BEVERLY BICKEL AND DR. DIANE LEE. DR. HOFFMAN WORKED WITH UMBC UNDERGRADUATES WHO HAD DISTINGUISHED THEMSELVES AS EXTRAORDINARILY CAPABLE SOCIAL CHANGE AGENTS TO EXPLORE THEIR EXPERIENCES IN MEANING MAKING. DR. HOFFMAN, WHO IS UMBC'S ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF STUDENT LIFE FOR CIVIC AGENCY, WILL CONTINUE WORKING WITH CAMPUS AND NATIONAL PARTNERS TO FOSTER DEEP CIVIC LEARNING AND ENGAGEMENT." [APPLAUSE] "ALICIA DEANNE HOWARD, BEING HOODED BY HER MENTOR, DR. STEPHEN MILLER. DR. HOWARD DEVELOPED A DNA PROTEIN INTERACTION DETECTION METHOD CALLED ChIP FOR THE GREEN ALGAE VOLVOX AND USED IT TO IDENTIFY GENES IMPORTANT FOR THE EVOLUTION OF MULTI-CELLULARITY IN THIS SPECIES. DR. HOWARD WILL CONTINUE WITH POST-DOCTORAL TRAINING IN MOLECULAR GENETICS, WHILE PURSUING VOLUNTEER WORK IN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL SCIENCE EDUCATION." [APPLAUSE] "GRETCHEN KATHLEEN HUBBARD, BEING HOODED BY HER MENTOR DR. CHARLES BIEBERICH. DR. HUBBARD USED GENETIC ENGINEERING TO GENERATE AND CHARACTERIZE A STATE OF THE ART MOUSE PROSTATE CANCER MODEL THAT CLOSELY MIMICS THE HUMAN DISEASE, AND THROUGH WHICH NEW DRUG THERAPIES CAN NOW BE TESTED. DR. HUBBARD IS CURRENTLY EXTENDING THESE STUDIES AS A POST-DOCTORAL FELLOW AT JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY." [APPLAUSE.] "NOHEMI CATH ALTINEL VOGLOZIN, WHOSE MENTORS ARE DR. SANDY PARKER AND LAURA LEWIS, BEING HOODED BY DR. PARKER. DR. VOGLOZIN USED ETHNOGRAPHIC SURVEYS, MOLECULAR ANALYSIS AND GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SCIENCE TECHNIQUES TO INVESTIGATE THE GENETIC DIVERSITY OF AFRICAN RICE IN DIFFERENT GEOGRAPHIC REGIONS OF BENIN, WEST AFRICA, TO DEVELOP IN SITU CONSERVATION STRATEGIES. DR. VOGLOZIN WILL CONTINUE HER RESEARCH AT UMBC WITH THE SUPPORT OF BIOVERSITY INTERNATIONAL'S VAVILOV-FRANKEL FELLOWSHIP." [APPLAUSE.] "AMBER ELAINE QUIGLEY NORWOOD, BEING HOODED BY HER MENTOR, DR. CHRISTOPHER MURPHY. DR. NORWOOD EXAMINED CONDITIONAL RELEASE FROM PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITALS FOR INSANITY DEFENSE CASES IN MARYLAND AND FOUND THAT FEWER THAN SEVEN PERCENT FAILED DUE TO NEW CRIMINAL CHARGES DURING A FIVE YEAR FOLLOW-UP. SUCCESSFUL FUNCTIONING IN THE COMMUNITY WAS ASSOCIATED WITH MORE FREQUENT TREATMENT AND GREATER INVOLVEMENT IN STRUCTURED DAILY ACTIVITIES. DR. NORWOOD IS A POST-DOCTORAL FELLOW IN THE FORENSICS DEPARTMENT AT THE SPRINGFIELD HOSPITAL CENTER IN SYKESVILLE, MARYLAND." [APPLAUSE.] "HOLLY MICHELE VANDERWALDE, BEING HOODED BY HER MENTOR, DR. DAVID SCHULTZ. DR. VANDERWALDE STUDIED THE EFFECTS OF TEACHER IMPLEMENTATION OF THE GOALS PROGRAM, A SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL LEARNING PROGRAM WITHIN BALTIMORE CITY PRESCHOOL HEAD START CENTERS. DR. VANDERWALDE CONTINUES TO INTEGRATE RESEARCH AND CLINICAL SKILLS AQUIRED FROM THE PROGRAM TO CONDUCT THERAPY AND PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATIONS AS A POST-DOCTORAL FELLOW AT MOUNT WASHINGTON PEDIATRIC HOSPITAL." [APPLAUSE] "ANDREA MARIE SISKO, BEING HOODED BY HER MENTOR DR. MARSHA GOLDFARB. DR. SISKO EXAMINED THE IMPACT OF PROGRAM GENEROSITY ON PER ENROLLEE MEDICAID SPENDING BY STATE THROUGH A COMBINATION OF DESCRIPTIVE AND ECONOMETRIC ANALYSES. DR. SISKO IS AN ECONOMIST IN THE OFFICE OF THE ACTUARY AT THE CENTERS FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SERVICES." [APPLAUSE] "NICOLE PATRICE BARKLEY, BEING HOODED BY HER MENTOR DR. CHARLES BIEBERICH. DR. BARKLEY STUDIED THE OPTOGENETIC PROTEIN ENZYME PIM-1 IN PROSTATE CANCER. SHE DISCOVERED THAT RIBOSOMAL PROTEIN 7 IS A MAJOR PIM-1 SUBSTRATE AND DETERMINED HOW PIM-1 AFFECTS THE PROTEIN IN THIS CANCER. DR. BARKLEY IS STUDYING PIM ENZYMES IN PANCREATIC CANCER AS A POST-DOC AT NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY." [APPLAUSE] "MARIA NANDADEVI CORTES RODRIQUEZ, BEING HOODED BY HER MENTOR, DR. KEVIN OMLAND. DR. CORTES USED GENETICS MORPHOMETRY AND CLIMATE DATA TO EXAMINE DIVERGENCE BETWEEN TWO SPECIES OF TROPICAL ORIOLES IN SOUTHERN MEXICO. HER WORK HELPS US UNDERSTAND GENETIC PATTERNS THAT OCCUR IN THE EARLIEST STAGES OF FOLLOWING SPECIATION. DR. CORTES IS INTERVIEWING FOR POST-DOCTORAL POSITIONS IN THE US AND IN MEXICO." [APPLAUSE.] "RACHEL JANE STURGE, BEING HOODED BY HER MENTOR, DR. KEVIN OMLAND. DR. STURGE USED MOLECULAR GENETICS AND COMPARISONS OF VOCALIZATIONS TO EXAMINE SPECIES BOUNDARIES BETWEEN TWO CLOSELY RELATED BIRDS, ORCHARD ORIOLE AND FUERTES'S ORIOLE. DR. STURGE IS CURRENTLY TEACHING AS AN ADJUNCT PROFESSOR AT NOTRE DAME OF MARYLAND UNIVERSITY." [APPLAUSE] "MARY F.K. DURHAM, BEING HOODED BY HER MENTOR, DR. JEFFERY LEIPS. DR. DURHAM CARRIED OUT GENOME WIDE MAPPING STUDIES TO IDENTIFY GENES THAT REGULATE LIFE SPAN AND AGE RELATED DECLINES IN REPRODUCTION, AND TO UNDERSTAND HOW HIGH AND LOW PROTEIN DIETS MODULATE THE INFLUENCE OF THESE GENES ON THE AGING PROCESS. DR. DURHAM IS INTERVIEWING FOR POST-DOCS IN GENETIC RESEARCH AND BIOLOGY EDUCATION." [APPLAUSE.] "SAMUEL TESFA HAILE, BEING HOODED BY HIS MENTOR, DR. SUZANNE ROSENBERG. DR. HAILE DETERMINED THAT CO-STIMULATORY MOLECULES, CD80, MAY NEUTRALIZE IMMUNE SUPPRESSION IN CANCER PATIENTS AND BE A USEFUL THERAPEUTIC DRUG FOR DELAYING TUMOR GROWTH IN INDIVIDUALS WITH CANCER. DR. HAILE WILL CONTINUE HIS TRAINING AS A POST-DOC IN TUMOR IMMUNOLOGY AT THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES FOR HEALTH." [APPLAUSE] "LOLA ALICIA BROWN, BEING HOODED BY HER MENTOR, DR. MICHAEL SUMMERS. DR. BROWN USED NUCLEAR MAGNETIC RESONANCE AND OTHER BIOPHYSICAL METHODS TO DETERMINE THE THREE DIMENSIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE FELINE IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS MATRIX PROTEIN. HER FINDINGS SHED NEW LIGHT ON THE MECHANISMS THAT RETROVIRUSES USE TO ASSEMBLE INSIDE INFECTED CELLS. DR. BROWN IS A POST-DOCTORAL FELLOW AT YALE UNIVERSITY." [APPLAUSE.] "JARED NYABUTO ORWENYO, BEING HOODED BY HIS MENTORS, DR. LAI-XI WANG AND DR. ALLEN BUSH. DR. ORWENYO DEVELOPED EFFICIENT CHEMICAL AND ENZYMATIC METHODS FOR THE SYNTHESIS OF BIOLOGICALLY IMPORTANT GLYCOPEPTIDES AND GLYCOPROTEINS, WHICH FACILTATES FUNCTIONAL STUDIES AND BIOMEDICAL APPLICATIONS OF GLYCOPROTEINS. DR. ORWENYO IS EXTENDING THESE STUDIES AS A POST-DOCTORAL FELLOW WITH DR. WANG AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF MEDICINE." [APPLAUSE] "MALACHI M. TATUM, BEING HOODED BY HIS MENTOR, DR. TRACEY TURNER. DR. TATUM USED X-RAY SATELLITE DATA TO STUDY THE ACCRETING GAS FEEDING BLACK HOLES IN GALAXY NUCLEI. DR. TATUM IDENTIFIED A SIGNIFICANT COMPONENT OF CIRCUMNUCLEAR GAS THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY UNKNOWN AND HAS IMPORTANT IMPLICATIONS FOR COSMOLOGY. DR. TATUM IS EXTENDING THESE STUDIES AS A POST-DOCTORAL FELLOW AT NASA-GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER." [APPLAUSE.] "PATRICIA SAWAMURA, BEING HOODED BY HER MENTOR, DR. RAYMOND HOFF. DR. SAWAMURA DEMONSTRATED FOR THE FIRST TIME THAT NASA AIRCRAFT DATA COULD BE COMBINED WITH UMBC LASER REMOTE SENSING TECHNIQUES ABOVE THE UMBC PHYSICS BUILDING TO BETTER DESCRIBE THE IMPORTANCE OF HAZE ON BALTIMORE'S AIR POLLUTION LOAD. DR. SAWAMURA IS A NASA POST-DOCTORAL FELLOW AT THE LANGLEY RESEARCH CENTER IN HAMPTON, VIRGINIA." [APPLAUSE.] "BILL JASON MOSS, BEING HOODED BY HIS MENTOR, DR. MARK MARTEN. DR. MOSS USED PRTEOMIC ANALYSIS APPROACH, ALONG WITH A MODEL MICROBE, TO STUDY A FUNDAMENTAL CELLULAR PROCESS CALLED AUTOPHAGY. HE MADE SIGNIFICANT INNOVATIONS REGARDING HIS EXPERIMENTAL TOOLS AND GAINED A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF THIS IMPORTANT CELLULAR PROCESS. HIS FINDINGS HAVE APPLICATION IN THE HEALTHCARE AND BIOTECHNOLOGY INDUSTRIES. DR. MOSS RECENTLY ACCEPTED A POSITION AS A DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION AT MICRO INNOVATION, A LOCAL BIO-TECH START UP FIRM." [APPLAUSE.] "ADITI SETH BHASKAR, BEING HOODED BY HER MENTOR, DR. CLAIRE WELTY. DR. BHASKAR QUATIFIED THE IMPACT OF URBAN DEVELOPMENT ON CHANGES IN THE WATER BALANCE, GROUNDWATER STORAGE AND STREAMFLOW GENERATION IN THE BALTIMORE REGION. DR. BHASKAR IS EXTENDING THESE STUDIES AS A POST-DOCTORAL RESEARCHER WITH DR. CLAIRE WELTY AND HAS BEEN AWARDED AN NSF EARTH SCIENCES POST-DOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP TO WORK AT THE US GEOLOGICAL SURVEY." [APPLAUSE] "LLOYD ERHUNMWUNSE EMOKPAE, BEING HOODED BY HIS MENTOR, DR. MOHAMED YOUNIS. DR. EMOKPAE DEVELOPED A NOVEL TECHNIQUE FOR USING WATER SURFACE TO ESTABLISH NON LINE OF SIGHT ACOUSTIC COMMUNICATION LINKS AND DEVELOPED PROTOCOLS FOR NETWORKING OF NODES IN AN UNDERWATER ENVIRONMENT. DR. EMOKPAE IS A CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE AT THE US ARMY ABERDEEN TEST CENTER AND HAS BEEN OFFERED A POSITION AT THE NAVAL RESEARCH LAB." [APPLAUSE.] "TIMOTHY RAYMOND JOHN LESCHKE, BEING HOODED BY HIS MENTOR, DR. CHARLES NICHOLAS. DR. LESCHKE DEVELOPED A COMPUTER SOFTWARE TOO THAT USES ORIGINAL DATA VISUALIZATION TECHNIQUES TO SUPPORT BETTER ANLAYSIS OF DIGITAL FORENSIC DATA. DR. LESCHKE WORKS AS A SENIOR FORENSIC ENGINEER PROJECT MANAGER AND THE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT LEAD FOR THE US DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE CYBER CRIME CENTER." [APPLAUSE.] "TYLER SIMON, WHOSE MENTOR IS DR. YAACOV YESHA, BEING HOODED BY DR. CHARLES NICHOLAS. DR. SIMON DESIGNED AND IMPLEMENTED A NOVEL METHOD FOR TASK SCHEDULING ON PARALLEL COMPUTERS AND A NOVEL ONE TIME ENVIRONMENT THAT RESULT IN IMPROVED EFFICIENCY. DR. SIMON IS A FACULTY RESEARCH ASSISTANT, WORKING FOR THE CENTER FOR HYBRID MULTCORP PRODUCTIVITY RESEARCH IN THE COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ELETRICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT AT UMBC." [APPLAUSE] "RORY G. MULVANEY, BEING HOODED BY HIS MENTOR DR. DHANANJAY PHATAK. DR. MULVANEY'S DISSERTATION SHOWS A METHOD TO EFFICIENTLY CLASSIFY DATA WHERE THE INPUTS ARE NUMERICAL AND OUTPUTS ARE CATEGORICAL, SUCH AS COLOR OR SHAPE. THIS METHOD REVEALS A NEW WAY TO REBALANCE DECISION TREES. DR. MULVANEY IS SEEKING A POST-DOCTORAL OR ACADEMIC POSITION." [APPLAUSE] "MICHAEL JOHN OEHLER, BEING HOODED BY HIS MENTORS, DR. DHANANJAY PHATAK AND DR. ALAN SHERMAN. DR. OEHLER ADAPTED THE CONCEPTS OF PRIVATE STREAM SEARCHING TO FILTER NETWORK PACKETS. THE RESULTING SYSTEM, CALLED PRIVATE PACKET FILTERING SEARCHES FOR SENSITIVE ATTACK INDICATORS WITHOUT REVEALING THE INDICATORS OR THE MATCHING PACKET. DR. OEHLER'S RESEARCH IMPROVES CYBER SITUATIONAL AWARENESS AND IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO HIS PROFESSION WITH THE US GOVERNMENT." [APPLAUSE.] "SHIMING YANG, BEING HOODED BY HIS MENTOR DR. KONSTANTIN KALPAKIS. DR. YANG RESEARCHED COMPUTATIONAL METHODS FOR DETECTING AND FORECASTING EXTREME EVENTS IN MULTI MODAL, SPATIOTEMPORAL ROAD TRAFFIC AND BIOMEDICAL TIME SERIES DATA. DR. YANG CONTINUES HIS RESEARCH AS A DATA ANALYST AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF MEDICINE." [APPLAUSE] "DUNGKAI GUO, BEING HOODED BY HIS MENTOR, DR. FOW-SEN CHOA. DR. GUO USES METAL ORGANIC CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION TECHNIQUES TO GROW AND FABRICATE HIGH POWER, WIDELY TUNABLE, MID-INFRARED QUANTUM CASCADE LASERS AND MID-INFRARED PHOTONIC INTEGRATED CIRCUITS FOR CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL DETECTIONS. DR. GUO WORKS AS A SENIOR SCIENTIST AT ATMI, A SEMI CONDUCTOR COMPANY." [APPLAUSE.] "GANESH SAIPRASAD, BEING HOODED BY HIS MENTOR, DR. CHEIN-I CHANG. THE CURRENT STANDARD TO DETECT ADRENAL GLAND ABNORMALITY IS VERY SUBJECTIVE AND OPERATOR DEPENDENT, WHICH MAY LEAD TO WRONG DIAGNOSIS. DR. SAIPRASAD DESIGNED AN AUTOMATED SYSTEM TO DETECT ADRENAL GLAND ABNORMALITIES USING IMAGE PROCESSING TECHNIQUES, ELIMINATING HUMAN ERRORS AND THUS IMPROVING THE OVERALL PATIENT CARE. DR. SAIPRASAD IS CURRENTLY WORKING AS A RESEARCHER AT THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY FOCUSING ON REDUCING RADIATION INDUCED CANCER RISKS TO PATIENTS." [APPLAUSE] "CELESTE LYN PAUL, BEING HOODED BY HER MENTOR, DR. ANITA KOMLADI. DR. PAUL USED ETHNOGRAPHIC METHODS TO EXPLORE HOW INTERRUPTED NOTIFICATIONS, SUCH AS ALERTS FOR NEW EMAIL OR DISCONNECTED NETWORK AFFECT THE USER EXPERIENCE FOR THE DESIGN OF IMPROVED INTERRUPTIVE COMPUTER SYSTEMS. THE RESULTS OF THIS RESEARCH HAVE PROVIDED INSIGHTS AND GUIDELINES ON HOW TO PROVIDE BETTER INTERRUPTIVE NOTIFICATION SYSTEMS. DR. PAUL IS THE FIRST GRADUATE FROM THE UMBC HUMAN CENTERED COMPUTING PHD PROGRAM AND IS EMPLOYED AS A RESEARCHER AT THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE." [APPLAUSE.] "KELLEY M. ENGLE, BEING HOODED BY HER MENTOR, DR. ROY RADA. DR. ENGLE EMPLOYED DATA MINING AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE METHODS TO ADDRESS RESEARCH ISSUES IN HEALTH INFORMATICS AND IN PARTICULAR, INVESTIGATED HOW TO INCORPORATE AUTISM DOMAIN KNOWLEDGE IN DATA MINING. DR. ENGLE IS THE ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS AT THE HARRISBURG AREA COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN YORK, PENNSYLVANIA." [APPLAUSE.] "HUIJUAN WU, WHOSE MENTORS ARE DR. ASIM OZOK AND DR. AYSE GURSES, BEING HOODED BY DR. OZOK. DR. WU APPLIED BOTH QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE METHODS TO IDENTIFY THE FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE PATIENTS' ACCEPTANCE OF WEB BASED HEALTHCARE RECORDS, AND GENERATED USER INTERFACE DESIGN GUIDELINES, ALLOWING PEOPLE TO EASILY AND SECURELY ACCESS ONLINE HEALTH INFORMATION. DR. WU IS CURRENTLY A SENIOR USABILITY RESEARCHER AT A CONSULTING COMPANY, COMMUNICATE HEALTH, INCORPORATED." [APPLAUSE.] "XIAOMIN FANG, BEING HOODED BY HIS MENTOR, DR. PANOS CHARALAMBIDES. DR. FANG DEVELOPED NEW METHODS AND METHODOLOGIES THAT ENABLED HIM TO STUDY THE MECHANICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS CONTAINING CRACKS. DR. FANG'S STUDIES OPENED NEW PATHWAYS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF ROBUST, NON MODEL METHODS FOR DAMAGE DETECTION AND HELPED MONITORING OF STRUCTURES. DR. FANG IS CURRENTLY EXPLORING VARIOUS EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN THE US." [APPLAUSE.] "HESSAM MAJD, BEING HOODED BY DR. PANOS CHARALAMBIDES. DR. MAJD EVALUATED THE FATIGUE AND FRACTURE BEHAVIOR OF CORONAL DENTIN FROM HUMAN TEETH AND CHARACTERIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF AGING. HE ALSO DISTINGUISHED THE INFLUENCE OF MATERIAL REMOVAL TECHNIQUES USED IN RESTORATIVE DENTISTY ON TOOTH FRACTURES. DR. MAJD ACCEPTED A POSITION AS A RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ENGINEER AT BREKFORD CORPORATION." [APPLAUSE.] "PLEASE GIVE ALL OUR PHD GRADUATES A ROUND OF APPLAUSE. [APPLAUSE.] DR. RUTLEDGE: "AND NOW, WILL THE CANDIDATES FOR MASTER'S DEGREES PLEASE RISE." [APPLAUSE.] "DR. HRABOWSKI..." [Tips hat.] DR. HRABOWSKI: "DR. RUTLEDGE..." [Tips hat.] DR. RUTLEDGE: "DR. HRABOWSKI, I NOW HAVE THE HONOR TO PRESENT THE CANDIDATES RECOMMENDED BY THE FACULTY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND GRADUATE SCHOOL, BALTIMORE, FOR THE DEGREES, MASTER OF ARTS, MASTER OF PUBLIC POLICY, MASTERS IN PROFESSIONAL STUDIES AND MASTER OF SCIENCE." DR. HRABOWSKI: "UPON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE FACULTY..." "AND BY THE AUTHORITY OF THE STATE OF MARYLAND GIVEN TO THE CHANCELLOR OF THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM OF MARYLAND AND BOARD OF REGENTS, AND BY THEM ENTRUSTED TO ME..." "I HEREBY ADMIT YOU TO THE MASTER'S DEGREE, WHICH YOU HAVE EARNED DURING THE COURSE OF YOUR STUDIES AT UMBC, IN THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND GRADUATE SCHOOL, BALTIMORE..." "IN TOKEN WHEREOF YOU SHALL BE GIVEN A DIPLOMA WITH ALL THE HONORS, PRIVILEGES, AND RESPONSIBILITIES THEREUNTO PERTAINING." DR. RUTLEDGE: "WILL THE MASTER'S DEGREE CANDIDATES PLEASE PROCEED TO RECEIVE THEIR DIPLOMAS. PLEASE BE SEATED UNTIL YOUR ROW IS DIRECTED TO STAND." "DR. ROBERT DELUTY, ASSOCIATE DEAN OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL, WILL READ THE NAMES OF THE MASTER OF ARTS, MASTER OF PUBLIC POLICY, MASTER IN PROFESSIONAL STUDIES, AND MASTER OF SCIENCE DEGREE CANDIDATES." DR. DELUTY: "IN THE COLLEGE OF ARTS, HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES, CANDIDATES FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN THE PROGRAM OF ECONOMIC POLICY ANALYSIS, Atinderjit Toor." "IN THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, IN THE PROGRAM OF EDUCATION, Arin Indrani Bonner, Jessica Megan Maletto, Monica Savoy Halloran, Laura Aileen Jewell, Shayna Lynn Pounds, Jennifer Alicia Davis, Caitlin Marie Shea, JaMarr Edward Jackson, Sherry Marie Holmes, Lisa Christine Donelan, Bethany Lynn Kidd, Kaitlin Elizabeth Skirven, Allison Dudek White, Corri Lee Brown, Whitney Laura Reynolds, Patricia Danielle Carey, Erin Marie Green, Lynn Johnson Miskovic, Michael Christopher McMillion. "IN THE PROGRAM OF INSTRUCTIONAL SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT, Alice Marie Stafford, Levietta D. Hayes, Scott Marvin Burt, Courtney Patricia Jacobs." "IN THE PROGRAM OF ENGLISH FOR SPEAKERS OF OTHER LANGUAGES, Melanie Ann Bent, Ada Maria Downing, Marissa Leigh Mosk, Veridiana Bueno Alves, Matthew Craig Atkins, Diane Hope Dunlap, Sora Kim, Lauren Elizabeth Remenyi." "IN THE PROGRAM OF TEACHING, Melissa Helen Duvald, Kathryn Elizabeth Robey, Michelle Kurowski, Alyssa Ashley Gazarek, Laine Richardson Angle, Charisma Joy Denise Hilliard, Emily Ryan Edelenbos, Ann Marie Wigman." "IN THE DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY, IN THE PROGRAM OF HISTORICAL STUDIES, Gary Andrew McMullin, Shae Ann Adams, Dorothy Beyer Alexander, Theresa L. Donnelly, William John Carol." "IN THE DEPARTMENT OF MODERN LANGUAGES, LINGUISTICS AND INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION, IN THE PROGRAM OF INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION, Katherine Jennifer Kohler, Arideng A. Ngon Wang, Katie Marie Witt." "IN THE DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY, IN THE PROGRAM OF HUMAN SERVICES PSYCHOLOGY, Jessica Lynn Hoehn." "IN THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY AND ANTHROPOLOGY, IN THE PROGRAM OF APPLIED SOCIOLOGY, Sharon Denise Boddie, Danielle Marie Chestang, Kristin Alycia Coles, Janna Lorie Krizman, Stephanie Marissa Layne, Alicia J. McClelland, Supatut Adam Utapat." "IN THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC POLICY, IN THE PROGRAM OF PUBLIC POLICY, Jason Scott Bladen, Katherine Marie Jones, Gretchen C. Shaub, Luke Eli Menefee, Daniil Yablochnikov." "IN THE PROGRAM OF INDUSTRIAL/ORGANIZATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY, Prianka Alam, Vishka Christina Correya, Simone Maria Bolton, Aubrey Roderic Moore, Leatitia Kamou Tchokouani, Feliks Yefimovich Goldin." "IN THE DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY HEALTH SERVICES, IN THE PROGRAM OF EMERGENCY HEALTH SERVICES, Zaben Alhumedi Alotaibi, Saad Saleem Aljohani, Sadia Azmat." "IN THE COLLEGE OF NATURAL AND MATHMATICAL SCIENCES, CANDIDATES FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE. IN THE DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY AND BIOCHEMISTRY, IN THE PROGRAM OF CHEMISTRY, Nithya Santhanam, Mohd Mohsin Raza Kahn." "CANDIDATES FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER IN PROFESSIONAL STUDIES, IN THE PROGRAM OF BIOTECHNOLOGY, Daniel Jerome Waclawski." "IN THE COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, CANDIDATES FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE, IN THE DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL, BIOCHEMICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINERRING, IN THE PROGRAM OF CHEMICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING, Najat Mubarak Albarakati." "IN THE DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, IN THE PROGRAM OF COMPUTER ENGINEERING, Kweku Obeng Amoah." "IN THE PROGRAM OF COMPUTER SCIENCE, Christopher Dinh Nguyen, Lawrence John Sebald." "IN THE PROGRAM OF ENGINEERING MANAGMENT, Jordan Scott Wilkerson, Chinyelu Ifeoma Offodile, Brittney Yvonne Carr, Amanda Ariella Wild." "IN THE DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS, IN THE PROGRAM OF HUMAN CENTERED COMPUTING, Bryan Travis Frey, Shannon Nicole Hosmer, Euna Kim." "IN THE PROGRAM OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS, Aboubakar Daouda Kone, Irina Belyaeva, Ramanujam Ramakrishnan, Jamuna Devi Ramesh, Jennifer Lauren Hanna, Jason John Peitsch, Brandon Michael Pfeifer, Michael Thomas Borkoski, Lesosa Kiwa, Wesley Kenneth Smith, Chermaine Angcao Valdez, Shafiah Priti Firoz, Thomas Rasmussen Ciecka, Kundala Krishna Das, Elvis K. Teah, Wajanat Rayes, Arrej ahmad Alshaafee, Adam William Ringold." "CANDIDATES FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER IN PROFESSIONAL STUDIES, IN THE PROGRAM OF CYBER SECURITY, Bounyasith Mitthivong, Brandyn Glen Schult, Brendan George Masiar, Charles Travis Gregory, Ruth M. Limberg, John Refah Seniz, Stanley David Pierre, Albeth Toussaint, Tania Sade Jacobs." "IN THE DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING, Antonio Clovis Thomas." DR. HRABOWSKI: "LET'S GIVE THEM ALL A ROUND OF APPLAUSE." [APPLAUSE.] DR. HRABOWSKI: "WE'RE ALMOST THERE, GRADUATES. I WANT YOU TO TAKE THIS LAST MOMENT AS I FIRST QUOTE FROM THE WORDS OF OUR FIRST UMBC PRESIDENT, THE LATE ALBIN KUHN, WHO SPOKE TO THE GRADUATING CLASS IN 1970." "AND HE SAID THIS, 'IF YOU BRING TO THE FUTURE THE SAME PERSONAL QUALITIES AND PERSONAL COMMITMENT YOU HAVE BROUGHT TO THIS CAMPUS AS STUDENTS, GOOD AND IMPORTANT THINGS WILL HAPPEN TO EACH OF YOU, AND TO THOSE AROUND YOU ... AND THE UNIVERSITY WILL BE SO PROUD TO HAVE PLAYED A PART IN YOUR LIVES.' " "AND I LEAVE YOU WITH THESE THOUGHTS." "GRADUATES, BE CONFIDENT, KNOWING THAT THE EDUCATION YOU RECEIVED HERE GIVES YOU A SOLID FOUNDATION FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIVES." "KNOW THAT IF YOU PERSEVERE, YOU WILL REACH YOUR GOALS -- THOUGH YOU'LL BE CHALLENGED AND TESTED ALONG THE WAY, AS YOU'VE ALREADY BEEN, YET YOUR SUCCESS SHOWS WHAT'S POSSIBLE." [BABY CRIES] "AND THAT BABY'S GOING TO BE A GREAT PHD ONE DAY, I CAN TELL. SHE REALLY IS. GREAT LUNGS." "REMEMBER THAT YOUR DREAMS, AND MOST IMPORTANT, YOUR CHARACTER, WILL DETERMINE WHO YOU WILL BECOME. "YOUR CHARACTER WILL BE REFLECTED MOST CLEARLY IN THE COURAGE YOU POSSESS, AND IN THE COMPASSION YOU SHOW TO OTHERS." "BE TRUE TO YOURSELVES, AND BE TRUE IN YOUR RELATIONSHIPS, AND ALWAYS REACH OUT TO INSPIRE AND TO ELEVATE. GRADUATES, I AM SO PROUD OF YOU. WE ALL ARE. I AM DELIGHTED TO TELL YOU THAT YOU ARE NOW OFFICIALLY ALUMNI OF UMBC. YOU WILL ALWAYS BE CONNECTED TO US AND WE WILL BE CONNECTED TO YOU. THIS IS YOUR HOME. LET'S GIVE THEM ALL A ROUND OF APPLAUSE." [APPLAUSE] "AUDIENCE, CONTINUE TO STAND PLEASE, AND I'LL ASK EVERYONE TO STAND AND JOIN US IN SINGING OF THE ALMA MATER." "THE WORDS CAN BE FOUND ON THE INSIDE BACK COVER OF THE PROGRAM." "WE WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF EVERYONE COULD REMAIN STANDING UNTIL THE COMPLETION OF THE SINGING OF THE ALMA MATER AND THE COMPLETION OF THE RECESSIONAL. OUR GRAND MARSHAL WILL HAVE FINAL REMARKS AND THEN LEAD US OUT. GRADUATES, IT DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS. SAVOR THIS DAY. THANK YOU ALL." [SINGING] "HAIL ALMA MATER! OUR UMBC, BOLDLY BEARING YOUR COLORS, THE WHOLE WORLD TO SEE, STRIVING TOGETHER IN TRUE UNITY, BLACK, GOLD FOREVER WE'RE REMINDED OF THEE, PROUDLY WE HAIL TO THEE, OUR UMBC! THROUGHOUT THE AGES, OUR UMBC, SONGS AND MEMORIES STILL ECHO WITH TRUE CLARITY, KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM AND TRUTH WE FOUND HERE, FRIENDSHIPS WE TREASURE THAT WILL LAST THROUGH THE YEARS. PROUDLY, WE HAIL TO THEE, OUR UMBC. [APPLAUSE.] DR. CARROLL: "WILL EVERYONE KINDLY REMAIN STANDING UNTIL THE PLATFORM PARTY, FACULTY AND STAFF, AND GRADUATES HAVE RECESSED." "FAMILIES AND FRIENDS ARE ASKED TO MEET THE GRADUATES OUTSIDE OF THIS ARENA." "CONGRATULATIONS, GRADUATES, AND ENJOY THIS FINE DAY!" [The Chesapeake Brass Quintet plays Trumpet Tune, Henry Purcell.]