[MUSIC PLAYING ]
UVA Class of 2020, congratulations.
Here's a little music for you.
[MUSIC - YO YO MA, "APPALACHIA WALTZ"]
[UPBEAT MUSIC]
Major developments-- a global health emergency.
Coronavirus is now considered a global health emergency.
This virus doesn't discriminate.
It attacks everyone.
Stay at home.
It is not a request anymore.
I am declaring a state of emergency.
The number of coronavirus cases in Virginia continues rising.
Charlottesville reported its first confirmed case
of coronavirus.
The University of Virginia announced today
it will move all classes online beginning March 19th.
UVA has developed its own COVID-19 test.
University of Virginia--
--have developed their own COVID-19 test.
--get people results within 24 hours.
Well, talk about a hero's welcome.
Construction workers even took a break
to wave, applaud, and cheer for the doctors and nurses heading
into the hospital.
Faculty and staff found a way to take 4,200 classes online
in a week--
a week.
A University of Virginia engineering professor
is creating stencils for face masks.
Another Charlottesville company is supplying face masks.
Two former UVA students wanted to see how they could--
A free grocery shopping and delivery service.
Medical researchers across the world
are racing to find an effective treatment, including at UVA.
The team there is trying to develop a--
[UPLIFTING MUSIC]
[MUSIC - EDWARD ELGAR, "POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE"]
Hi, everyone.
My name is Jim Ryan, and I am the president of UVA.
On behalf of the entire UVA community,
I'd like to welcome all of you-- graduates, colleagues, family,
and friends--
to the celebration of the Class of 2020.
This is clearly not our typical ceremony,
nor is it the one we had hoped to have.
I'm deeply sorry that we can't be together in person,
but I look forward to seeing all of you who
can make it right here on the lawn,
either this fall or next spring.
In the meantime, we will do our best to celebrate all of you,
and it's my job to officially award the degrees.
You've worked hard to get here, and it's my pleasure
to welcome you into the company of superbly educated citizen
leaders.
We'll begin with Dean Ian Baucom, who will confer degrees
on the candidates from the College and Graduate School
of Arts and Sciences.
Ian.
Mr. President, as dean of the College and Graduate School
of Arts and Sciences, I have the honor
to present 3,123 candidates who have fulfilled
the requirements for the degrees of Doctor of Philosophy,
Master of Fine Arts, Master of Arts, Master of Science,
Bachelor of Arts, and Bachelors of Science.
I confer upon you the degree of Doctor of Philosophy,
Master of Fine Arts, Master of Arts, Master of Science,
Bachelor of Arts, or Bachelor of Science,
with all the rights and privileges
there unto belonging.
I charge you to pursue truth in all your endeavors
and to apply the knowledge you have gained in ways
that advance social good.
Mr. President, as dean of the School of Medicine,
I have the honor to present 262 candidates who
have fulfilled the requirements for the degrees of Doctor
of Medicine, Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical
Sciences, Master of Public Health, or Master of Science.
I confer upon you the degree of Doctor of Medicine,
Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Sciences,
Master of Public Health, or Master of Science,
with all the rights and privileges
there unto belonging.
And I charge you to use your training, knowledge,
and research to advance clinical care, patient outcomes, health
care, and policies affecting our communities.
Mr. President, as dean of the School of Law,
I have the honor to present 376 candidates who
have fulfilled the requirements for the degrees of Doctor
of Juridical Science, Master of Laws, or Juris Doctor.
I confer upon you the degree of Doctor of Juridical Science,
Master of Laws, or Juris Doctor, with all the rights
and privileges there unto belonging.
And I charge you to use your training and knowledge
to preserve individual liberties, freedom,
and justice.
Mr. President, as dean of the School of Engineering,
I have the honor to present 978 candidates who have fulfilled
the requirements for the degrees of Doctor of Philosophy
in Engineering, Master of Engineering, Master of Science,
Master of Computer Science, Master of Materials Science
and Engineering, or Bachelor of Science.
I confer upon you the degree of Doctor of Philosophy
in Engineering and Applied Science,
Master of Computer Science, Master of Engineering,
Master of Materials Science and Engineering, Master of Science,
or Bachelor of Science, with all the rights and privileges
there unto belonging.
I encourage you to use your knowledge and skills
for the betterment of human kind and to transform
the principles of science and mathematics
into new and useful technologies.
Mr. President, as dean of the Curry School of Education
and Human Development, I have the honor
to present 674 candidates who have fulfilled
the requirements for the degrees of Doctor of Philosophy
in Education, Doctor of Education,
Education Specialist, Master of Education, Master of Science,
Master of Teaching, or Bachelor of Science in Education.
I confer upon you the degree of Doctor of Philosophy
in Education, Doctor of Education,
Education Specialist, Master of Education, Master of Science,
Master of Teaching, or Bachelor of Science in Education,
with all of the rights and privileges
there unto belonging.
And I charge you to be creative in stimulating learning
and to use your knowledge, skills, and compassion
to enrich the lives of the people whom you
will serve in your profession.
Mr. President, as dean of the Darden Graduate
School of Business Administration,
I have the honor to present 509 candidates who
have fulfilled the requirements for the degrees of Doctor
of Philosophy in Business Administration,
Master of Business Administration,
or Master of Science in Business Analytics.
I confer upon you the degree of Doctor of Philosophy
in Business Administration, Master
of Business Administration, or Master
of Science in Business Analytics,
with all the rights and privileges
there unto belonging, and charge you
to promote innovation and equity and to bring ethical integrity
to your leadership in practical affairs in this nation
and in the world.
Mr. President, as dean of the School of Architecture,
I have the honor to present 180 candidates who
have fulfilled the requirements for the degrees of Doctor
of Philosophy in the Constructed Environment,
Master of Architecture, Master of Architectural History,
Master of Landscape Architecture,
Master of Urban and Environmental Planning,
Bachelor of Architectural History,
Bachelor of Science in Architecture,
or Bachelor of Urban and Environmental Planning.
I confer upon you the degree of Doctor of Philosophy
in the Constructed Environment, Master of Architecture,
Master of Architectural History, Master
of Landscape Architecture, Master
of Urban and Environmental Planning,
Bachelor of Architectural History,
Bachelor of Science in Architecture,
or Bachelor of Urban and Environmental Planning,
with all of the rights and privileges
there unto belonging.
I charge you to encourage rigorous research of built
human spaces and to use your knowledge to preserve and shape
environments that inform and magnify the quality of life
itself.
Mr. President, as dean of the School of Nursing,
it is my honor to present 260 candidates who
have fulfilled the requirements for the degrees of Doctor
of Nursing Practice, Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing,
Master of Science in Nursing, and Bachelor of Science
in Nursing.
I confer upon you the degree of Doctor of Nursing Practice,
Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing, Master of Science in Nursing,
or Bachelor of Science in Nursing,
with all the rights and privileges
there unto belonging.
I charge you to apply your knowledge,
to shape the future of health care,
and to promote the health and well-being
of the individuals, families, and communities you serve.
Mr. President, as dean of the McIntire School of Commerce,
I have the honor to present 696 candidates who
have fulfilled the requirements for the Degree of Master
of Science in Accounting, Business Analytics, Commerce,
Global Commerce, or the Management of Information
Technology, and the degree of Bachelor of Science
in Commerce.
I confer upon you the degree of Master
of Science in Accounting, Business Analytics, Commerce,
Global Commerce, or Management of Information Technology,
or the degree of Bachelor of Science in Commerce,
with all the rights and privileges
there unto belonging.
And I encourage you to improve the world through your business
knowledge and skills and to help organizations
create value and use their resources responsibly.
Mr. President, as dean of the School of Continuing
and Professional Studies, I have the honor
to present 52 students who fulfill
the requirements for the degrees of Bachelor
of Interdisciplinary Studies or Bachelor
of Professional Studies in Health Sciences Management.
I confer upon you the degree of Bachelor of Interdisciplinary
Studies or Bachelor of Professional Studies in Health
Sciences Management, with all the rights and privileges
there unto belonging.
I commend your commitment to lifelong learning,
and I challenge you to continue in that spirit
as you further your education, pursue your career,
and strive to reach other goals.
Mr. President, as dean of the Frank Batten
School of Leadership and Public Policy,
it is my honor to present 156 candidates who
have fulfilled the requirements for the degrees
and Master in Public Policy or Bachelor of Arts
in Public Policy and Leadership.
I confer upon you the degree of Master of Public Policy
or Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy and Leadership,
with all the rights and privileges
there unto belonging.
And I charge you to use your new knowledge and skills
to provide strong leadership in the careers and communities you
enter and to use what you have learned here
to serve our nation and the world through your work
in government, education, nonprofit, and private sectors.
Mr. President, as dean of the School of Data Science,
I have the honor to present 54 candidates who
have fulfilled the requirements for the degree of Master
of Science in Data Science.
I confer upon you the degree of Master
of Science in Data Science, with all the rights and privileges
there unto belonging.
And I charge you to use your knowledge and skills
to continue exploring, analyzing, and safeguarding
data to make discoveries to advance the world,
while treating data ethically and with regard to the privacy
rights of individuals.
[MUSIC - EDWARD ELGAR - "POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE"]
[MUSIC - BASTILLE - "POMPEII"]
(SINGING) Hey, hey-oh, hey-oh.
Hey, hey-oh, hey-oh.
I was left to my own devices.
Many days fell away with nothing to show.
But the walls kept tumbling down in the city that we love.
Great clouds roll over the hills,
bringing darkness from above.
But if you close your eyes, does it almost feel
like nothing changed at all?
If you close your eyes, does it almost
feel like you've been here before?
Well, how am I gonna be an optimist about this?
We were caught up and lost in all of our voices.
In your pose as the dust settled around us.
And the walls kept tumbling down in the city that we love.
Great clouds roll over the hills bringing darkness from above.
But if you close your eyes, does it almost feel
like nothing changed at all?
And if you close your eyes, does it almost feel
like you've been here before?
How am I gonna be an optimist about this?
The rubble or our sins?
Oh, where do we begin?
The rubble or our sins?
And the walls kept tumbling down in the city that we love.
Great clouds roll over the hills bringing darkness from above.
But if you close your eyes, does it almost feel
like nothing changed at all?
And if you close your eyes, does it almost feel
like you've been here before?
Well, how am I gonna be an optimist about this?
How am I gonna be an optimist about this?
If you close your eyes, does it almost
feel like nothing's changed at all?
Oh, yeah!
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Congratulations to the Class of 2020.
Now, before I begin, I'd like to ask you to do one thing.
If you're watching this with your family and friends,
please take a moment to thank them for their support.
No one makes it to graduation alone,
and I hope you'll take this opportunity
to thank those who helped you along the way.
And I'm serious--
I'm happy to wait a few seconds.
OK, now, if this were a normal year,
and I were giving a traditional graduation speech,
I'd begin by recounting all that you've experienced
during your time here, like electrifying
national championships, for example,
or the terrifying Unite the Right rally,
or the bewildering exodus from Grounds this past March.
I'd rhapsodize about the Blue Ridge mountains and Bodo's
Bagels, the faculty and friendships, Madison House
and Mad Ball, the Range, and the Rotunda.
We probably share our laugh about streaking
the lawn and a knowing exchange about the complexity
of Jefferson.
I'd give a nod to your collective futures
and the uncertain world awaiting you,
while expressing my confidence-- which is sincere--
that you'll figure it out and make the world
a better place along the way.
But this is no normal year, and this is not a normal ceremony.
And in fact, I've been told I only
have about six to seven minutes for this speech
so as not to bore you to tears and cause you
to turn this whole program off.
Which is why I need to dispense with the traditional messages
of graduation and focus on a more pressing topic--
coffee, or at least the idea of coffee.
Let me explain.
In the summer of 1991, my now-wife,
then-girlfriend Katie, a fellow Wahoo, by the way--
Katie and I went on a three-day camping trip in Alaska
with Katie's sister and her sister's boyfriend,
a Norwegian guy named Inge, who was a bush pilot.
Inge flew us to a remote cabin miles
from any trace of civilization.
The first afternoon and evening were glorious,
and all was well until the next morning when we awoke,
and I discovered that we had forgotten to bring coffee.
Now, I won't say whose fault it was because it's just not
that important to rehash the fact that Katie assured me
she had packed the coffee before we left.
What matters is that for the next three days,
Katie and I experienced caffeine withdrawal, which
is, in a word, unpleasant.
When we returned to civilization,
Katie and I made quite different resolutions.
She resolved never to become addicted to caffeine again.
I resolved never again to be more than 100 yards away
from coffee.
You might think the moral of this story
is that Katie is a stronger and better person than I am.
That is true, but that's not my point.
My point is that I've kept my resolution,
and coffee has continued to play a crucial role in my life.
It's the main character in my morning ritual, where
I make a cup of coffee, greet our two dogs,
sit next to the window, take a look at the newspaper
and watch the birds at our feeder,
while our dogs nudge me to take them out.
Once I finish my coffee, I'm awake enough
to go on a run, which in turn makes
me ready to face the day ahead.
I tell you this story because deprivation
has a way of helping you focus on what's important.
You've all been deprived of a great deal
over these last couple of months, as have we all.
We've had to do without much of what makes up our normal lives.
My guess is that this has helped you think about
what's important to you, what you can live without,
and what you can't.
And my hope is that as you prepare
to reenter the world at some point
and to start the next chapter of your lives,
you're thinking hard about what you want to bring with you.
If it helps, you might even think about a line
from a Bruce Springsteen song, as I'm want to do myself.
The song is called "The Land of Hope and Dreams."
It's about a couple who, for unstated reasons,
quickly leave their home to board a train in search
of a better life.
And the main character says to his partner,
"We'll take what we can carry, and we'll leave the rest."
Many of you faced a similar challenge
when we asked you to quickly vacate
your dorms and apartments.
What did you carry, I wonder.
What did you leave behind?
And did you miss any of it?
More generally, what have you discovered or rediscovered
during this time of isolation that you
want to carry with you when the world reopens and your life
restarts?
And what, in particular, do you want to carry from UVA?
Now, if I had 15 more minutes or so,
I might offer some suggestions about what you should carry
with you, especially from UVA.
I might suggest that you carry forward
the values of this place, like trust, honor, integrity,
and inclusion; that you bring with you the willingness
and capacity to build bridges; that you carry forward
qualities that are the hallmarks of a great and good education,
like skepticism, so you don't believe everything you read,
even when you wrote it, and empathy,
so you can see the world through the eyes of others,
and passion, so you'll have something other
than coffee that makes you excited to get up
in the morning, and vulnerability,
because when you drill down, that's
at the heart of all true friendships.
If we had more time, I might also
tell you that there's one other thing about my coffee ritual
that I forgot to mention.
I pour my coffee every morning into a mug that says,
"I Heart Dad," which roughly translates to "I love Dad."
My daughter Phoebe gave me this mug a couple of years ago,
and as corny as it might sound, when I look at that mug,
I remind myself that there are people
in this world whom I love deeply and those
who love me in return.
And I remind myself to be grateful for both.
This gratitude, I would tell you,
is what I try to carry forward every day,
and I'm pretty sure I could leave the rest behind.
And so you would get that it's not really
about the coffee after all.
The coffee is just a conduit.
But there's not time for all of that,
and besides, I shouldn't answer the question
of what you should carry with you
and what you should leave behind.
It's far better that you answer it for yourself.
My only hope is that because of your time here,
you have the proclivity to ask the question repeatedly,
if need be, and that you have the ability to answer it;
that because of your time at UVA,
you're in a better position to know
what you should carry with you and what you should leave
behind; that you're in a better position, in other words,
to answer not just the age-old question of what
is the good life, but the more specific question of what
is my good life?
Because at the end of the day, our basic business at UVA
is to help people live their very best lives,
and I'm pretty sure that if you know what to carry with you
and what to leave behind, you will do just that.
Congratulations, and best of luck.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Hello, UVA graduating class of 2020.
I wore a tie.
What a great occasion.
I'm sure you will agree it is a strange version
of this occasion.
And so I wish you all the best in the future,
and it is now your small opportunity
to make the world a better place, as you see fit.
Thank you.
[MUSIC - DAVE MATTHEWS, "SINGING FROM THE WINDOWS"]
(SINGING) When the war is over, and we go back
to every day, every day.
Will it be the same again when you've been turned inside
out and outside in?
Singing from the windows.
Shadow on the wall, the way they dance.
Not much of nothing.
But look at this fire burning bright.
Look at how the children play.
None of us know what's to come tomorrow.
But I'm not going out today.
So dance with me like the time we've got is borrowed.
Singing from the windows.
Sirens outside, where are you going?
Pretend that it's nothing, but look
at this fire burning bright.
This is how we keep holding on, all the days, all day long.
But sometimes things just fall apart.
No matter how we tried they won't stop.
Singing from the windows.
Something outside, and I don't know.
When the storm is over, and we go back
to every day, every day.
Memories in picture frames, trying to put the inside out
and the outside in.
Singing from the windows.
Walking down the hall, nowhere to go.
Be good to see you.
But I suppose when it's all said and done,
this is how we keep holding on, all the days, all day long.
Sometimes things just come apart.
No matter how we try, they won't stop.
Singing from the windows.
Voices outside and no one knows.
Singing from the windows.
We'll get going again when the war is over.
Congratulations.
[MUSIC - YO YO MA, "THE GOOD OLD SONG"]
Wah-hoo-wa, UVA!
(SINGING) The good old song of Wah-hoo-wah,
we'll sing it o'er and o'er.
It cheers our hearts and warms our blood
to hear them shout and roar.
We come from old Virginia, where all is bright and gay.
Let's all join hands and give a yell for dear old UVA.
Wah-hoo-wah, wah-hoo-wah.
Uni-v Virginia.
Hoo-rah-ray, hoo-rah-ray, ray, ray, UVA!