TEMPE, Ariz — Arizona State University graduated its largest class in school history on Monday as thousands of undergraduate students gathered at Mountain America Stadium for commencement.
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More than 22,000 students earned degrees this spring, a 6% increase from last year’s graduating class. Graduates are entering high-demand fields including health care, engineering, sustainability, cybersecurity, and education.
The ceremony brought together family, friends, and graduates to celebrate years of hard work and look ahead to what comes next. The event also featured a special guest speaker straight out of Hollywood: actor and longtime conservation advocate Harrison Ford.
Ford, who has served on the board of Conservation International for more than three decades, received an honorary Doctor of Arts and Humane Letters degree during the ceremony for his work in conservation advocacy. Businessman and philanthropist Howard Graham Buffett also received an honorary degree and addressed graduates.
For some graduates, the path forward is already mapped out.
“I’m so excited. Four years went so fast,” Emily Scott said. “It was the best years of our lives.”
Scott and fellow graduate Alyssa Cleveland said their post-graduation plans are already taking shape.
“I’m going to be a kindergarten special education teacher,” Scott said.
“And I’ll be working in social media marketing,” Cleveland added.
They said ASU helped prepare them for what comes next.
“I feel like all of my internships through ASU definitely overprepared me for this, and I’m very excited to have my own classroom,” Scott said.
Others are still figuring things out.
“We look forward to the future and what it holds for us,” Maharshi Patel said. “It was a pleasure studying at ASU. It’s a mixed feeling for me right now. I don’t know what the next steps hold for me or what my next journey holds for me.”
This year’s graduating class included nearly 2,000 military-connected graduates, made up of veterans, active-duty service members, reservists, and dependent family members. ASU officials said the university continues to see growth in both in-person and online degree programs.
“We are No. 2 in employability among public universities, so we are thrilled about tonight,” said Veronica Sanchez, media relations director for ASU Media Relations.
As graduates enter the workforce, many are facing a competitive job market. Data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York shows the unemployment rate for recent college graduates is about 5.6%, compared with about 3.1% for all college graduates.
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Despite the uncertainty, graduates received a message of confidence and optimism from Ford, who encouraged students to embrace the future ahead.
“The potential of your entire graduation, that is what gives me hope for the future,” Ford said.
He urged graduates to fully embrace life and use their passions to make a difference.
“This is your time. Own it. Enjoy every second of it,” he said. “Because what could be worse than getting to the end of your life and realizing that you haven’t fully lived it?”
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