Message from the President

Congratulations, Classes of 2021 and 2020!

On behalf of the entire University of New Mexico community, we are proud to honor you and your achievements today. We call this celebration a “commencement” because the word means “a beginning or start.” This new beginning signals the end of one path, but it is also the start of lifelong opportunities for adventure and success.

Commencement is a tradition that marks the intersection of the past and the future. In New Mexico, we live daily with the value of traditions. Our vibrant culture is founded on the wisdom that has been handed down from our elders and is part of a colorful legacy inherited from all those who have shaped the past, present, and future of this rugged, beautiful land. Our traditions keep us connected to the lessons of the past, and we embrace them as inspiration for forging our future.

Today, as we honor your accomplishments as graduates of the University of New Mexico, we are celebrating your part in our ongoing story, and sharing in the mutual excitement of a future filled with endless possibilities. Great universities foster discovery in every discipline. At UNM, we strive to give our graduates the courage and wisdom to ask challenging questions and the perseverance and skill to discover the answers. As you look ahead, I hope you will apply that spirit of inquiry in all aspects of your life.

In times of uncertainty and turmoil, remember that your education and experiences as a Lobo has prepared you to meet life’s challenges head on. I hope you will build on all that our University has given you as you take knowledge to new heights, imagine the impossible, then work to make your dreams a reality.

You can make a better world, a better community, a better family, and a better self through the power of your education.

Always remember that you have a home here at the University of New Mexico. You are part of the pack. Congratulations, and Go Lobos!

 
Garnett S. Stokes
President of The University of New Mexico