 Good morning. I would like to welcome you on behalf of the graduating class of 2015. There are a number of dignitaries here today for NCSSM's 34th Commencement, whom I would like to briefly introduce. Please hold your applause until all have been recognized. NCSSM Chancellor, Tom Roberts, Commencement Speaker, Tom Ross, Chair, NCSSM Board of Trustees, Brian Bailey, UNC Board of Governors, members Ed Mackmahan and Alex Mitchell, Vice Chancellor for Academic Programs, Steve Warshaw, Dean of Counseling Services, Gail Hudson, Director of Admissions, Latita Mason, NCSSM Executive Director of Materettes, John Frederick, and Phil Nelson, Board of Trustees, members Livonia Allison, Marjorie Bembo, Shirley Fry, Steve Griffin, Henry Quo, Tom Looney, Alyssa McDonald, Division Administrators, Richard Alston, Melissa Tebow, Brock Winslow, Legal Counsel, Mike Delfield, Register, Kathleen Allen, Director of the Library, Robin Bolts, Director of Athletics, Greg Jarvis, Academic Deans, Elizabeth Moose, Denita Robinson, Amy Scheck, Ursula Sims, Faculty Senate President Ashton Powell, Staff Council President Crystal Woods, Alumni Board Vice President Tina Burleson. And again, good morning and welcome to everyone, to families, friends, faculty, staff, students, members of our Board of Trustees, Board of Governors, Alumni Board, Foundation Board, Parent Council, and President Ross, and honored guests, and most of all, the members of the Class of 2015. Before I continue, I'd like to take just a moment to recognize all of the members of our facility staff for transforming this lawn into this beautiful setting for commencement this morning. So let's give our facilities team a round of applause. And to all of our faculty and staff who've worked so hard to plan this event to honor the Class of 2015, we thank you for your hard work. I'd also like to take a moment of personal privilege to thank President Ross for speaking today. He has, as Armado goes, really accepted the greater challenge to be here with us today, given his recent shoulder surgery and having to fly in this morning to be here. But more importantly, I want to say thank you to him for his outstanding leadership of the University of North Carolina and for being such an advocate and friend to NCSSM. Thank you. Class of 2015, in a short while, you'll leave Watts Lawn with your high school diplomas, the 34th class to do so. As you prepare to receive your diploma, I hope you're reflecting on what it took you for you to achieve this milestone in your life. I'm sure that you can remember times that were wonderful and times that have been challenging. Today, we're all here with a feeling of great pride. I know our faculty and staff are proud to have had an opportunity to get to know you and work with you, and it's been a great honor and pleasure for me. Parents and families, I know you're filled with a great sense of pride in your daughter, son, brother, sister who will graduate from the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics on this beautiful morning. Graduated from high school marks one of the major milestones in your young lives. I hope you'll take some time to reflect back on how far you've come since you started your school career some 13 years ago, and also take a little bit of time to remember those who've helped you along the way. I hope you have or will take time to reflect back on the two years ago in August when you moved in to campus here at NCSSM. You came to Durham from all over the state from more than 70 different counties, and some of you couldn't wait to get here. It's what you dreamed about since sixth grade or before. Some of you could not wait to be on your own. In that second week some of you might have been a little homesick, and after the first month of classes some of you might have been wondering, what have I gotten myself into? But here we are two years later and you sit here in your cap and gown waiting to walk across the stage a graduate of NCSSM how time flies. I hope you're very proud of how much you've accomplished in these two years and better yet to this point in your life. Today is the time to celebrate your achievements and accomplishments thus far. Whether the accomplishments were in the classroom, in academic competitions, in research, in athletics, or in serving the community and helping others, the class of 2015 has accomplished so much. Honors at major academic competitions, Justice Siemens, Intel, Conrad, Nesby, National Science Bowl, iGEM, ISEP, HOSEP, DECA, International Science Challenge, Moody's Mega Math Challenge, just to name a few. State championships in a variety of different sports. Over 25,000 hours of community service the class of 2015 has done, and more than 17 million dollars of scholarships have been offered to you. This is certainly not an exhaustive list of all the class of 2015 has achieved, but just a sampling. However, accomplishments are not those that can just be measured by medals and trophies and records, but those things that will take you will take with you wherever you go. Things like learning to pick yourself up and dust yourself off after making the first B of your life. Like caring for collaborating with and supporting each other, it's these things you have learned and lived that will continue to serve you well the rest of your life. While I've marveled many times at the quality of work you've produced, many more times I've enjoyed who you are day in and day out on this campus. The support you've provided for one another helping create an environment that allows you to be who you are, whether that's getting up in front of your classmates and reciting a poem or singing a song at coffee house or acting in your first play or swing dancing for the first time on stage in front of 600 of your closest friends or taking 14 math classes. Your acceptance of each other has helped you be your best. When people ask me what's special about NCSSM, one of the things I always mention is the campus community. That's the special sauce I say. The NCSSM community is a place you've helped make. A place where you feel you belong. A place where you make others feel they belong. In a place where you all have collectively made each other better than you might have been on your own. That's the lasting memory I will have about the class of 2015. Each graduate here today also owes a great deal not only to your classmates but to the many others who are here with you celebrating your accomplishment. I'd like to recognize those who've helped you along the way. To your parents, guardians, family members, and friends who've nurtured and supported you, thank you for the love and support you've shown them. I know it's not easy to let your son or daughter leave home to go to school. In some cases several hours away, but I know you're so proud of them today, so thank you parents and families. To our teachers, counselors, administrators, and staff who've contributed in so many ways to the success of each graduate here today, thank you for your tremendous work and caring. Along with the student's support of one another, it's your support, your caring, and your mentorship that helps create the type of environment where they can grow and succeed in many different ways, so thank you all. And I'd also like to take just a minute to recognize and say thanks to a couple of special members of the NCSSM community who are retiring this year, Drs. John Miller and Steve Warshaw. Legends who've made a significant impact on NCSSM and who leave a legacy of challenging and teaching students how to realize they can achieve more than they thought. Between these two, they have 65 years of service to NCSSM. Now having just said that, I can hear Dr. Miller saying as only he can, well what you're really saying is we're old. Well, no, what I'm really saying is thank you for all the two of you have done to help shape NCSSM and positively impact the lives of so many students over the years. You'll be greatly missed. So again, I'd like to welcome all of you to this gorgeous morning as we celebrate the class of 2015, including all of our family and friends from across the country and world who are watching this event on live stream. It's a great day and I'm so honored to be here with you. Congratulations, class of 2015. At this time, I would like to bring to the podium and welcome UNC Board of Governors member, Mr. Ed McMahan. Mr. McMahan will bring greetings from the Board of Governors and award the Excellence in Teaching Award from the Board of Governors. Mr. McMahan has been an outstanding member of the Board of Governors and a wonderful supporter of NCSSM and I'm so pleased he is here today to present this award. Good morning. What a gorgeous setting. I, on behalf of the entire University of North Carolina Board of Governors and UNC President Tom Ross, it is my great pleasure to bring greetings to today's graduates, their families, and to this university's distinguished faculty, staff, alumni, Board of Trustees, Chancellor Roberts, and members of the platform party. Graduates, congratulations. We are here to celebrate you and your accomplishments. The experiences learned during your time at this fine institution will resonate with you for the rest of your life. Your education at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics has provided you the knowledge and skills you will need to achieve success in these ever-changing, complex times. And wherever and whatever your future endeavor may be, we encourage you to stay connected to this wonderful institution. You deserve to celebrate, but it is also important to acknowledge the contribution of your family, the faculty, and the staff at NCSSM, especially those teachers who have helped, encouraged, and provided you with the proper guidance to succeed. There are a number of faculty members on this campus which exemplify outstanding teaching. Today, I want to recognize one of them. It is my privilege to present this year's Board of Governors Award Excellence for teaching to one of your most outstanding faculty members. Established by the Board of Governors in 1994 to underscore the importance of teaching and to reward great teachers across the university, the awards are given annually to a tenured faculty member from each UNC campus. Recipients are nominated by a special committee on their home campuses and selected by the Board of Governors Committee on Personnel and Tenure. This year's recipient from the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics is Dr. Noreen Naiman. If I could ask Chancellor Robertson, please come forward. Mentor, innovator, master teacher. Dr. Naiman is an instructor of both biology and chemistry. She has stimulated the exceptional development of her students and motivated the instructional excellence of her faculty colleagues for over 20 years. Her commitment that students experience what science is has led to a teaching methodology focused on hands-on activities emphasizing real world applications and requiring her students to both think and communicate service. Dr. Naiman earned her bachelor's degree in chemistry at James Madison University and her PhD in chemistry at the Medical School of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University. She served as a postdoctoral research associate in the Department of Chemistry at VPI and as a research associate in the Department of Pathology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In the multiple courses that Dr. Naiman has developed at NCSSM, such as classical and modular genetics, chemistry by inquiry, research experience in biology, she has modeled her philosophy that science is cross disciplinary, should be done, not described, and must incorporate current advances in her field. She utilizes extensive visualization and computer simulations allowing her students to see and manipulate the 3D structures of molecules and cells, leading a recent student to characterize her teaching style as extremely fluent. There are teachers who recognize who you recognize as scholars but not necessarily good teachers. Dr. Naiman is both a genius and a wonderful teacher. National Board certified since 2002. Dr. Naiman has led a variety of teacher workshops in both introductory and marine biotechnology as well as genetics for the North Carolina Biotechnology Center. She co-developed a Howard Hughes sponsored workshop integrating mathematics and biological sciences at Duke University. She regularly serves as a grant reviewer for the North Carolina Biotechnology Center and on Duke University's Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee and was recently appointed to the North Carolina Governor's McCrory Teacher Advisory Committee. Dr. Naiman has been a leader in the development of our two most successful summer outreach programs for underprepared students, labs for learning, and step up to STEM. Known for her ready availability and support for students, Dr. Naiman has repeatedly coached the School of Science and Mass Highly Competitive Science Olympiad team, served as hall parent, taking an active role in hall activities and even baking cookies for every birthday for 15 years and currently sponsors the iGEM seminar, mentoring several top research students in preparation for the annual competition. She has twice served her colleagues as president of the faculty council and vice president of the faculty senate and has taken an active role in the school's calendar schedule working group and a strategic planning action committee team. Dr. Noreen Naiman we celebrate your outstanding professional achievement and salute your demonstrated commitment to great teaching and inspiring a new generation of learners. In honoring you we also acknowledge the more than 14,000 dedicated faculty members who teach over 220,000 students throughout our entire University of North Carolina system. Thank you very much and congratulations. As we consider each of our graduates an honor student and do not rank or determine a valedictorian the student speaker for every NCSSM commencement is chosen in an essay competition open to all seniors and judged anonymously by a school-wide committee under the sponsorship of academic programs. This year's student is Thomas Andrews. Thomas's parents are Cathy and Rick Andrews. His hometown high school was Haysville High School five hours and 59 minutes away from here by car. He figures he came the second farthest of any member of this class to get to NCSSM and the one who came the farthest was somebody who lives 10 minutes farther away in his hometown. He began his career at Science and Math in the summer bridge program. He has been a residential life assistant a student government senator participated in cross-country track economics and business competitions served as president of the lyrical expression club and the no one likes a bully club. He plans to double major in economics and business administration at UNC Chapel Hill. This summer he is going to work at his father's company visit friends I'm sure many of you across North Carolina and read lots of books please welcome Thomas Andrews. Good morning. Thank you for those words Dr. Warsaw and thank you all for coming out today. When questioned about his unsuccessful attempts to create the proper fulfillment for the incandescent lipo Thomas Edison replied I have not failed 10,000 times I have not failed once I have succeeded improving that those 10,000 ways will not work. When I've eliminated the ways that will not work I will find the way that will work. Now think about what Edison said for a minute 10,000 times how many of you would consider yourself a failure after the first 100 times it didn't work a thousand you see in the world that we live in life is not defined by the number of times that we may lose a battle but rather it is defined by whether or not we won the war or succeeded in the end what do we know Edison for his successes another successful man Arnold Schwarzenegger once gave his six rules to success in his speech and I find that they are very relevant to smithers now and forever we're here to be commenced to acknowledge our success but to realize that this is just the beginning and we still have a long way to go so while we followed Arnold six rules already we must keep them in mind as we move forward his first rule is this trust yourself our parents friends and the faculty all have visions of who they believe we should be from the first time we slept through our first or second or third class of the day to our first failed test we already disrupted that vision more important than what anybody wants us to be we must first ask ourselves not what but who do we want to be from there we must trust in ourselves and know that the grade which shall not be named will be a learning lesson and we will thrive upon that one of 10 000 ways that wouldn't work and work to better ourselves trust in ourselves and know that as long as we're happy nothing else really matters his second rule break the rules there are too many rules in life that bind us to the normal way of thinking we must break these norms and create our own path a path that leads to self-discovery and can be a light towards others in the future i mean we're unicorns from the very being of the school we're different we must continue that entrepreneurial spirit in life if we want to succeed in anything the third rule don't be afraid to fail we cannot always win and our time at science and math has made that very evident failed tests performances at coffee house sports games irons lab reports research projects college rejections getting caught sketching in the art room um parents i'm talking about drawing of course and the list goes on we're all here today because we weren't afraid of those failures they don't define us but shape us so we cannot be afraid to fail and this leads to the fourth rule don't listen to the naysayers how many times that ncs is him has someone said that you cannot do something you cannot walk off campus at 415 and make it back by sundown what's happened to be at 430 because its second trimester you can't overload and can't fizz at the same time and keep good grades you cannot have too many extracurricular activities at one time you cannot play check roulette and leave happy half to sign check a minute before it goes down 30 seconds is my record by the way the great thing about when someone tells us that we can't do something is when we do it inspires others to push their limits and break barriers that they never thought that they could break before ignore the naysayers because the further in life we go the more there will be never listen to someone who says you can't because you can unless it's 2am and you're trying to make popcorn you'll set off a fire alarm the fifth rule to success is something that we're all too familiar with work your butt off this school has humbled us and given us all the knowledge that there are those who are naturally smarter or more talented than us that is a fact of life however nothing loses to pure hard and smart work those all nighters try amstod essays or study for tests and long hours grinding on the sports field or preparing for the school play or the dance ensemble all we're done to better ourselves and those around us we must always remember that whenever we're not doing work someone else is and they're getting ahead there's no getting around hard work science and math has given us a mentality that no other school could and we must continue to have that mindset and our future endeavors whatever they may be it doesn't get easier you just get better at it this leads to rule number six give something back science and math is home to all of us we're all a family without the communities that we are raised in this school and each other we would be nothing we must give back so that we can better the lives of those before and after us there's nothing more rewarding than this so remember these six rules trust yourself break some rules don't be afraid to fail ignore the naysayers work your butt off and give something back we made it and after all the experiences we've had together the everlasting memories that we have made and the unbreakable bonds that we have formed we will make it and know that we'll have each other along the way so we're here to be commenced today to acknowledge our success but to realize that we still have a long way to go so let's today be the first day of the rest of our lives as graduates from the prestigious north carolina school of science and math go unis thanks thomas for those very inspiring words and i'm sure it embodies a bunch of what all of us are thinking about the lessons that we've learned here and that what we're going to take forward as we move on so good morning ncssm and another warm welcome to all of our distinguished faculty guests and students it's been a long hard fought and absolutely incredible experience for all of us after so many trials so many triumphs and so many memories we have finally made it we have grown from the days of junior year scrambling around campus trying to find the right classrooms or waking up in the morning with crease marks left by that nap on the heath anthology and and we've arrived at the pinnacle of our secondary education today we have gathered in front of watts to celebrate these wonderful memories and more as we prepare to be commenced from ncssm and to all that the future holds in store for us but in these final hours before the sun sets on our time at ncssm we must pause and ask where do we go from here where can we go from here perhaps the best person to answer this is someone who has seen and done it all a man who has been serving our state since before we were even born and who led her school system through one of the worst economic crises in recent history so without further delay i'm proud to introduce unc president tom ross as today's keynote speaker of our 34th commencement born and raised in greensboro north carolina mr ross graduated close by from unc chapel hill school of law since then he has an he has had an incredibly diverse career in law north carolina government and education before becoming president of the 17 campus university of north carolina this is included as short stint as an assistant professor of public law and government at chapel hills school government serving as chief of staff in dc for us a u.s congressman and 17 years on the north carolina superior court in 2001 he began his term as executive director of the z smith reynolds foundation a philanthropic organization devoted to improving the lives of the people of north carolina in 2007 mr ross returned to davidson as its president serving in that role until becoming president of unc in 2011 his many honors include the ryan quest award for judicial excellence distinguished alumni awards from both davidson and the unc chapel hill school of law and the unc chapel hill alumni associations a distinguished service award needless to say president ross has been a dedicated servant of the north carolina educational system but things definitely weren't always easy with within just nine months of president ross's inauguration north carolina faced over 400 million dollars in permanent budget cuts experienced a hurricane and continued to face several more controversial and contentious issues some of this was to be expected even before he accepted the job with north carolina embroiled in one of the greatest financial downturns in decades and yet president ross embraced the adversity and took it as an opportunity to make a difference since then the system has as a whole has taken major strides to make it to where it is today so for all his service to the unc system the north carolina educational system and nc system please join me in welcoming president thomas ross glasses chancellor roberts mr. mcmahine members of the board of trustees faculty staff families friends and most importantly members of the class of 2015 good morning and thank you chancellor for allowing me to be a part of this very special celebration today someone in chancellor roberts office called my office in chapel hill several weeks ago to say they were looking for a really good speaker for today's ceremony they told me about that call and of course was very flattered the person went on then to remind my assistant that the north carolina school of science and mathematics is a public high school and therefore was not in a position to pay a speaker's fee or honorarium that's when i knew chancellor roberts wanted someone good for nothing and that's what you've got somebody who's good for nothing actually when the person called what they wanted to know was the title of my remarks and of course as most all of the students here can identify with and a test to when one is asked about a task the question is when do you start it and of course i hadn't started my remarks i didn't know what the title was going to be why do something today that you can put off until tomorrow or what the heck until the exact deadline right truthfully even though i had not yet begun to write i had been thinking about this ceremony and what i might say today that could be helpful on this extraordinary occasion for those of you in the class of 2015 it's an extraordinary day because it's the beginning of new adventures in your lives this is a day filled with emotions sadness that partings about to happen pride and joy over accomplishments and anticipation and excitement and in some cases uncertainty about next steps it's also an extraordinary day for your parents and families because i'm sure there were times they had anxiety and doubts about letting you leave home to attend this very special place or at times they worried that this day might never come so before we talk about your futures i urge you to remember today that you're like a turtle on a fence post you didn't get there by yourself it takes a while to sink in you'll get there takes the faculty a little longer but they're going to get it it's only with the help of your parents siblings grandparents and teachers your s li's counselors the horn coaches and the fabulous staff here at ncs sm that you are where you sit today those are the people that made it possible for you to be here be thankful for all that others have done for you and show your appreciation i mean now show them your appreciation stand up stand up and thank them yeah thank them actually i put that party and you can sit down now because they tell me that one of the traditions here is that when they finish exams they try to stay awake for a couple of days until they're here today so my job today is to keep you awake long enough to get across the stage and get your diploma so there may be other occasions you have to stand up here so just stay pay attention stay alert i also want to join chancellor roberts in thanking the staff for the work they have done to make today possible as i look out at this incredible crowd most people are seated that means you're in a chair and somebody had to put all those chairs up somebody had to put these tents up somebody had to put this platform here these beautiful plants arrange the flags the microphones the the tv recording everything that's the staff of this great institution they make it work so join me in thanking them as well so now back to what i might say today i did finally get around to that i first thought well maybe i should give you some hints about how to navigate college life since that's where virtually all of you are headed i thought i could talk about the academic rigors ahead the social adjustments that you will face the relationships you will develop the pain of the relationships that will fail the challenges of time management that will present themselves then it occurred to me that you couldn't have survived to graduation day at nc ssm without becoming the master of all of those and anyway somebody's gonna talk to you about that in orientation speeches this fall so instead i want to talk to you briefly about leadership each of you here has been given a rare opportunity to receive an unusually strong pre-collegiate education wherever you go from here wherever you go from here people are going to expect you to be a leader because you attended nc ssm one of america's premier high schools those expectations will follow you not just to college but throughout your lives so first allow me to say that all of you here today make all of us enormously proud you care about each other and the world your minds are sharp and filled with bright ideas you can right speak and think with the best of them you're well prepared for the many adventures opportunities and challenges life will bring to you as you leave this place we know how well you will represent nc ssm and the ideals and values that make this place so special we also know that your lives will matter that you will make a difference in specific ways neither you nor we can know today during your two years here you've undoubtedly heard a great deal about leadership as stated clearly in its mission statement nc ssm exists to educate academically talented students to become state national and global leaders in science technology engineering and mathematics and to inspire innovation for the betterment of humankind just a little bit of pressure there just a little bit but you can have now some people say that leaders are born and not developed i simply don't buy that i believe there are some natural born leaders but most leaders are developed over time and i believe any of us can become strong effective leaders and this has already been proven for so many of you here at nc ssm over the years i've learned starting back before you were born i learned today over the years i've learned priceless lessons from remarkable men and women with whom i've had the privilege to work this morning i want to share with you seven of these lessons so that you will at least hear them before you embark on your lives of leadership and service and i know it's getting hot but the second hour of the speech is much better here's the first lesson know yourself be an effective be an effective leader you must first understand who you are and what you bring to the table evaluate your strengths and weaknesses identify your abilities and interests discern your passions reflect on your behavior seek feedback from others accept guidance and supervision and learn from experiences your self evaluation must be constant and ongoing and you must be open to changing and improving yourself as a result of what you discover second strive to communicate even more effectively nc ssm has helped you learn to write logically and forcefully and to articulate your views clearly effective leaders also listen constantly intently and respectfully perhaps the most important communication skill of all and can understand and adapt to different context and audiences as they find them these are abilities on which we can all improve but it takes an intentional commitment third care for yourself effective leaders understand the need for balance in their lives they know that physical exercise and good health encourage mental agility and alertness that serving others enhances emotional health that learning and leisure are both vital to success and that effective time management is perhaps the most important and challenging lifestyle issue to be faced they understand that they must be able to manage themselves before they can manage others to be an effective leader you must care for yourself fourth clarify your values the most effective leaders i have known have a personal belief system that requires them to care about more than just themselves they challenge the unfair the unjust and the uncivil behavior of others leading with integrity and honor is at the center of successful leadership you cannot command the respect necessary to lead unless you maintain your own credibility and nothing is more important to your credibility than trust trust others until they give you a reason not to and never give others a reason not to trust you fifth this puts us over halfway fifth appreciate and embrace differences everyone is different the best leaders are those who not only understand and respect but cherish and celebrate the differences that exist among those they lead as they try to steer them toward common goals and directions to prepare for this task the best leaders i've known intentionally spend time with a variety of people working in a variety of endeavors it is this time that teaches and informs their understanding of others sixth involve others and seek out talent great leaders surround themselves with talented people leaders who are confident in their own ability to lead and who want the best outcome relish the opportunity to consult with talented people who may challenge their thinking and offer contrary opinions such leaders are inclusive in their approach and able to share power and credit as long as the best result is obtained they seek ideas and input about actions priorities and choices from others including those you lead in the formulation include those you lead in the formulation of strategies directions and goals that will invite shared responsibility for the direction you develop together this approach will enhance the likelihood of your success and the success of the organization you are leading and finally here's the seventh idea about leadership that i've picked up over the years take risk don't be afraid to challenge the norm thoughtful well calculated risk often produce more significant and important results the diploma you receive today represents a level of significant intellectual growth and achievement already as you sit here today you are better prepared for the diverse changing global workplace of tomorrow than most other people in the world you have what it takes to be competitive and you are in a position to succeed but from those to whom much is given much is expected because of the exceptional education you have received at ncs sm you will have opportunities open to you that others can only imagine but with that privilege comes a responsibility to lead lives of leadership and service to do all you can to make life better for others now you simply must decide whether you will do more than just live your life you must decide if you will be a leader you will have many opportunities to lead in your new university in your new community place of worship or among friends ncs sm has prepared you well now you must decide whether to continue to prepare yourself to be a leader as you leave this remarkable place you have called home for the last two years to begin the next phase of your life seize opportunities to serve seize opportunities to serve make a positive difference in the lives of others and contribute to the common good i urge you to remember these words if you remember no others today don't just live lead don't just live lead the world needs leaders and you are ready best of luck to each of you and congratulations thank you again president ross for being here today and as a gift from the school you'll have an original print of ncs sm from our original art teacher joe liles that you'll be able to to take with you and continue to remember ncs sm as you have been a great friend at the school for so many years so thank you very much thank you chairman bailey i present to you the class of 2015 they have completed all requirements for graduation as set forth by the ncs sm board of trustees dr roberts on behalf of the board of trustees in this school which serves the people of north carolina i accept your recommendation and authorize the presentation of these diplomas and as we would begin to hand out the diplomas as we would like to appropriately and respectfully honor all of these extraordinary graduates as they accept their diplomas please hold your applause and any individual display of support however unique and exuberant uh until the last diploma has been presented thank you galen jackson evale eric danielle aguilar noah bowen altman bina hey moon amin michael on thomas marshal andrews bethant aurora pranav vikata arapu jesus ayala laura christian lamar bailey burke braxton charles baird thomas michael baraldi parker griffin barth patricia ann beekman quadasia monique belfield matthew franklin bent margaret maude burtoni cody edward beaterman victoria ruth bishop daniel frank blackie avagail avagail culvered blaine guy blonk bailey alexander blankenship nikolas henrique bukshotan kayla claire bowling jacob ramsey gotros larry vencent void jr dru sebastian boyette kate laracy branch connor anthony brazinski kennedy charlaine bridges kora lucinda bright james cliford brinsfield the fourth henry sedarth bristol christina jeong brown michael david brown zackery brian brown sequoia lanae brown thomas joseph burns amy christine burton daniel sebastian cantwell maranda renae carnes david chang komal amin tyrannia charles nefis chima alicia he chen constance chen dina chen franklin sohan chen kevin bell chen kevin lee chen saumin chen shingyi chen jiyu chion harry christina chatilla ebu bay william shala chuba dylan mark clayton colton james codie rachel margaret cone sydney rose cull lushen samuel cook robert linton cooper tessa elizabeth coltree davinport anthony arthur corville zackery michael crawford blake anthony quayton kevin tuniel dahania alika kardaka dalon tayla taylor chevon dailey kasey michael domato rohit vj dos sarah page dockerty keela chantel davis abhimanyu kumar thera sumveg arpan desai stephanie ding serum priscilla dordor niasia keona douglas lori abigael drake kary elizabeth dunn sierra k dun christopher anthony doran jacob westley einstein robert parker elwanger ethan kohl hightower evans feishio ronal ovej feishope reginal ovej aravan eshile eshilar usson john fang brian andrew finnell evette diana finandez timothy michael figgins john aldwin fits henley the second john craig fits patrick henry isaac flint emily alina mals i'm sorry emily alina false tyler christopher fox gabriel yaw frimpong elizabeth gibson fryer zane laran fuller noa galen gavanas andrew suder gavin christian raymond lafiel gaylord aliza reeve gursing ashwin gaudiarum james robert gilki amanda kathryn glenn jared asher glover vishnu teja gutter parthy fate turner galen tucker andrew green samon marguerite griffith ian harrison hall micah eliet halter devon anthony halverson walter thomas hambrick eliza valentine hamon ryan michael herridine ethan michael harrell ronald harris jr Naomi carina harvey jackwell and marie twyford houseley madison lee hindrick nolan jean hopkins devon alexander howard amanda joy shall arena nan nan huang jesse lufan huang garner hudson heather nicole hudson otito the rich chuchu otito the rich chuchu ozichi ahabusa aditya vera raga faun ayingar jay anon eiler ire suab najib jabber philip long jackson hannah may john dakota ryan johnson noa landon johnson trinton bradford joiner joshua yung su ju christian tay joseph maranda louise keeler pranav kim buru yakatorina andre nav plestova dana kim heiyong kim kelly and kimble taylor mckinsey kirch angelique onika night stefan eric nor margaret ann nostiman sachinas colvinas sachreas colvinu sorry nicholas andre vye kowalski philip joseph cremer vene garg shashir ma shashagar abhishek raju kulgad kaylee louise lad shon scanlon lafada emily park lambas kirsten nicole leary ester yujin lee harrison gong lee yalan isabel lee elinora hill leidner alexander hugh lee austin lee howard lee michael jai lee little interlude there mitchell lee evan jing yi liang william tayhong lim lee lou betty lou caroline lou rebecca yian yin lou brina kathleen loondorf charlotte ann love emily lauren elizabeth laury erin carl kineth lucander alexander sheldon ludwig ma darby elizabeth nadewell harry matthew jack andrew william mcgill daniel louis magley atif shaheek maude heather lily mailin jacob leon malkin ananda manochi graden daniels martin margo cecile mastin mabel susanne mathew nicholas mathews amy elizabeth moray adrian michelle mcdonald realiza james mcginnis age mcgworked carleen alexandra mckinna ting shu ming savannah mary margaret michaud conrad miller niles moffitt masha victoria malahid claire sandra nambudri logan patrick nixon jarrett richard richard noble daria ajoa sirwa nonamaker justice asesa oba sohan oba oba sohan i'm sorry justice asesa oba sohan samuel scott australine peter olawatoba loba ojoe richard richard dentin ang adrian marie orbita mary tess overton perrush pants britney marie parham mirah bendish parikh ashlyn elizabeth parson's graham thomas pash duru amish patelle quesad vavish patelle visua patelle sanayna sayum pateel mayura putwarden madeline ryan poly jasmine paveslansky cameron westley far gwyneth america felps nataja rene phillips brett david pinkos petrilo taylor elizabeth pitman andrew david hoe sarie elizabeth poofy senata moshay portlock emily ann poditt michael parter florist price jordan elizabeth probes piley ann daniel wren aliana janelle readerman gaven lane riley alexander riley judith ann revera john brint robison janay chanette chantel robinson timothy matthew rogers rice matthew rolls richard wenshing romano madeline marie sabo lisa small nina diana diane sanis andres joseph santos sartan katlyn gene scowl pwildan scott jacob ryan sebastian shoshana rose seagull miller olivia christine seabold rebecca jeah shing sandep babu silwal stefan william stefan william simons charlie marie smith callie ann smith timothy logan smith henry swatterman edwin wewin song sierra sparks alexandra nicole sprouts ashlyn elizabeth ann stackhouse pardew connor patrick steward row arnav ashatvam subramanya j klare sudwix alexander beckman suggs niraj v sarash savannah hains swinney tyler leet tea seth taylor teague subarish the negavison madeline synclare tilly marcus isaya tisdale garima tomar grace tully cayman thomas flor tombs gabrielle townsen matthew alexander turn elizabeth troutman xiaoming see steven mark tulavik jr rasko turk the fifth upol nicole marie kathryn van buren ashoma varma ashuk kumar viragundum latoria daniel vic alexander nicholas begara fami cliola selito villamar nicolas r walker shayan henu wall jenny lin wang kathryn yuxin wang kevin honey wang shui wang nabria vishan ware steven michael wither weather spoon joice way madison kinsey west rachel quarry white quarry elijah witsit miles avarie williams justin lee williford thomas winslow samantha taylor winter road jared james wang madison or you are wu clark worthington shillier kong shy jinxing shiya grace xiang shu rachel jin shu shin emma shu janet yon justin yang jenna yon jennifer denily york chase yin yon lydia danie yon rachel yon david sun yun samantha myra zharnik anli zang kimberley kiyoi zang susanna zao shianti zu alea shioban zugger well congratulations again class of 2015 i want to again thank president ross and members of the board of governors and board of trustees our faculty and staff and the family and friends of our graduates for being here today to honor this year's graduating class class of 2015 it's about that time to leave watts lawn as ncssm alumni but before you go i want to share one last uh word of advice and it comes from a favorite proverb of mine and i hope that you as you move on in the years to come might remember this the proverb says that you should plant trees under who shade you do not expect to sit it's my hope that you will take time to consider all who have made all those who've made possible where you are today including those over the past two years and i hope that you'll continue to seek out and explore new interests pursue excellence innovate and embrace and lead change while living lives of integrity and as you've done at ncssm play a major role in creating the environment where you and others can live learn and thrive and finally i asked that you again to remember in the years to come the opportunities you've been given and plant shade trees wherever you go so congratulations north carolina school of science and mathematics class of 2015 go units so before we recess i want to make sure that everyone knows that you're invited to the commencement reception hosted by the ncssm parents council uh the junior parents uh so please everyone stand and honor our new graduates of the north carolina school of science and math class of 2015