The University of Georgia welcomed its newest alumni to its ranks on Friday, December 13, as more than 3,200 students received their diplomas during fall commencement ceremonies.
Lisa Godbey Wood, a U.S. District Court judge for the Southern District of Georgia and double UGA alumna, delivered the undergraduate address.
Wood highlighted the Class of 2024’s achievements, saying “This class is one of the most academically talented, one of the most exquisitely educated, one of the most service-oriented classes to ever graduate in the 240-year history of our beloved alma mater.”
Wood encouraged graduates to find their passion and hold onto it, using her experience climbing Mount Kilimanjaro to illustrate the importance of preparation and perseverance.
“So, Class of 2024, it’s only proper that we take a moment to savor your accomplishments and peek ahead,” she said. “I know this about every one of you: I know it’s not your destiny to squander your miracle. I know it’s not your destiny to settle, having come this far.”
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Dribble, pass, and rebound
Hunter Fankhauser, a bachelor’s degree recipient in accounting and the student speaker at the undergraduate ceremony, shared three life lessons he learned from coaching basketball to first- and second-graders.
First, he tells them to just start dribbling.
“We are much more effective in motion than we are stationary,” Fankhauser said. “You don’t have to be fast or make a beeline either, but when you don’t know what to do or where to go, listen for where your heart is beating, and start by taking that first step toward it. You will know where the basket is, but the ball will never get there if you don’t start moving it.”
Second, it’s important to pass the ball.
“In other words, life is better shared. Our successes and joys are best experienced and amplified within camaraderie. And the things that weigh us down are lifted when we invite others into our lives,” Fankhauser said.
And third: learn to rebound. Each missed shot is a chance to bounce back and perform better.
“So now, UGA fall Class of 2024, it’s our turn to take the court. We’ve done the practice, and we know what to do, now go forth with confidence and know that we will always have a home court here under the Arch,” Fankhauser said.
Be curious and fearless
John Maltese, Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professor, University Professor, and associate dean of the School of Public and International Affairs, gave the graduate address.
Maltese shared two lessons he learned from his father: to be curious and observant and to not let fear hinder one’s pursuit of goals.
During the ceremonies, UGA President Jere W. Morehead conferred degrees upon 3,187 students, including 1,773 undergraduates and 1,414 graduate students.
Morehead encouraged graduates to make a positive impact on the world.
“The late Dr. Louise McBee, a revered UGA administrator and state representative, once said, ‘We are born obligated to pour back into the stream that nourished us — to replenish it for others. To the extent that we do that, we have lived a good and full life,’ he said.
Moorehead continued, saying, “Class of 2024, I hope that all of you will go forward from today and live good and full lives — creating opportunities for others to succeed, just as you have.”
