WPI’s undergraduate and graduate Commencement ceremonies are filled with joy, pride, and reflection. As students anticipate all that is coming in the future, they look to the past and honor everything that has brought them to this moment. In the days leading up to Commencement, the campus is buzzing with celebrations, ceremonies, and other events before the soon-to-be alumni cross the stage. Their future is just beginning, and as we see them off to their next adventure, we thought it fitting to share a recap of their last few days on campus as members of the Class of 2023.
Crossing a Tradition Off Their List
The Commencement stage isn’t the only thing the Class of 2023 crossed—they also made their way over Earle Bridge en route to the Quad as part of a longstanding WPI tradition.
Celebrating the GOATs of the Hour at GradFest
The past few weeks have been full of sendoffs and celebrations here on Boynton Hill—because really, what’s Commencement if not one big party? We kicked off the festivities with GradFest on April 21, where the Class of 2023 got together to enjoy refreshments and reminisce (and grab a few photos with Gompei, of course) before the big day.
Lavender Commencement Honors the Achievements of LGBTQIAP+ Students at WPI
The Lavender Commencement celebrates the achievements and contributions of LGBTQIAP+ students at WPI. This year, Vanessa Cardaropoli was given the Lavender Commencement Student of Distinction Award, which honors a student who has made an outstanding effort to create an inclusive environment at WPI through programming, outreach, and leadership for the LGBTQIAP+ community.
Welcoming 23 New Army and Air Force Officers
In a ceremony both solemn and celebratory, WPI’s military science department welcomed 23 new officers into the Army and Air Force on May 12. “We are entrusting the best of our country to their leadership,” Lieutenant General Douglas A. Sims II told the audience at the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Joint Commissioning Ceremony.
A Musical Celebration During Baccalaureate
Commencement season is so busy that it can be hard for graduates to find the time to sit back and take a few minutes to reflect on their accomplishments, on the fact that after years of hard work, they did it! The baccalaureate ceremony gives them the chance to do exactly that: the slower, more reflective evening features student and guest speakers and musical performances by graduating seniors.
Graduate Student Speaker: Mahvash Jebeli
Representing her fellow 784 master’s and 88 doctoral degree graduates (a new WPI record), graduate commencement student speaker Mahvash Jebeli urged her peers to use their knowledge for the greatest benefit. “As we consider the opportunities many of us were given to earn our degrees, let us remember that those opportunities have given us the power to make the world a better, safer, more humane place.”
Undergraduate Student Speaker: Susanna Oppong
As the undergraduate commencement student speaker, Susanna Oppong commended her fellow graduates for the determination they displayed through their WPI years. “They say resilience is born through experience,” she said, “and I truly believe that the resilience of our generation has come from the situations we have endured as students and how we have gathered as a community to advocate for them. We have broken through the stereotypes given to our generation and created the definition of our destiny.”
On to the Next Adventure
Scientists, engineers, business leaders, teachers, inventors, entrepreneurs, parents ... whatever they choose to do, our students—ahem, our graduates—have one thing in common: their future is looking bright.
