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NAVEEN SHARMA: Welcome, everyone, to the convocation pre-show. My name is Naveen, and I'm the VP of the events planning subcommittee.
FAITH SHOTE: Hello. I'm Faith Shote, the VP of the speaker selection subcommittee. Since August, we've been working hard to prepare for this day, and we are so excited to finally share it all with you.
NAVEEN SHARMA: This has been a remarkable year, and we are excited to celebrate all our accomplishments as Cornell's graduating class of 2024.
FAITH SHOTE: Now it's time for our first performance from Pole Posse. Pole Posse strives to teach their members pole dancing and help them become more confident. They encourage self-acceptance and neutrality in a world where bodies are often judged. The goal is to create a community for any who seek to join and offer support to one another in all ventures on and off the pole. Please join us in welcoming Pole Posse to the stage.
[HUGH JACKMAN & THE GREATEST SHOWMAN ENSEMBLE, "THE GREATEST SHOW"]
(SINGING) Ladies and gents, this is the moment you've waited for
Whoa!
You've been searching in the dark, your sweat soaking through the floor
Whoa!
And buried in your bones, there's an ache that you can't ignore
Taking your breath, stealing your mind, and all that was real is left behind
Don't fight it, it's coming for you, running at you
It's only this moment, don't care what comes after
Your fever dream, can't you see it getting closer?
Just surrender, because you feel the feeling taking over
It's fire, it's freedom, it's flooding open
It's the preacher in the pulpit and your blind devotion
There's something breaking at the brick of every wall, it's holding all that you know
So tell me, do you want to go
Where it's covered in all the colored lights
Where the runaway are running the night
Impossible comes true, it's taking over you
Oh, this is the greatest show
We light it up, we won't come down
And the sun can't stop us now
Watching it come true, it's taking over you
Oh, this is the greatest show Whoa!
Colossal we come, these renegades in the ring
Whoa!
Where the lost get found, and we crown them the circus kings
Don't fight it, it's coming for you, running at ya
It's only this moment, don't care what comes after
It's blinding, outshining anything that you know
Just surrender 'cause you're calling and you want to go where it's covered in all the colored lights
Where the runaways are running the night
Impossible comes true, intoxicating you
Oh, this is the greatest show
We light it up, we won't come down
And the sun can't stop us now
Watching it come true, it's taking over you
Oh, this is the greatest show
It's everything you ever want
It's everything you ever need
It's there, right in front of you
This is where you want to be
It's everything you ever want
It's everything you ever need
And it's here right in front of you
This is where you want to be
This is where you want to be
It's covered in all the colored lights where the runaways are running the night
Impossible comes true, it's taking over you
Oh, this is the greatest show
We light it up, we won't come down
And the sun can't stop us now
Watching it come through, it's taking over you
This is the greatest show
Where it's covered in all the colored lights
Where the runaways are running the night
Impossible comes true, it's taking over you
This is the greatest show
We light it up, we won't come down, and the walls can't stop us now
Watching it come true, it's taking over you
Oh, this is the greatest show
Everything you want is right in front of you
See, the impossible is coming true
And the walls can't stop us now
[KEALA SETTLE & THE GREATEST SHOWMAN ENSEMBLE, "THIS IS ME"] When the sharpest words want to cut me down, I'm going to send a flood, gonna drown them out
I am brave, I am bruised, I am who I'm meant to be
This is me
Look out, 'cause here I come
And I'm marching on to the beat I drum
I'm not scared to be seen
I make no apologies
This is me
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Another round of bullets hits my skin
Well, fire away 'cause today I won't let the shame sink in
We are bursting through the barricades and reaching for the sun
We are warriors
Yeah, that's what we've become
That's what we've become
I won't let them break me down to dust
I know that there's a place for us
For we are glorious
When the sharpest words wanna cut me down
I'm gonna send a flood, gonna drown them out
I am brave, I am bruised, I am who I'm meant to be
This is me
Look out 'cause here I come
And I'm marching on to the beat I drum
I'm not scared to be seen
I make no apologies
This is me
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, this is me
Oh,
And I know that I deserve your love
There's nothing I'm not worthy of
Oh, oh, oh,
When the sharpest words want to cut me down
I'm going to send a flood, going to drown them out
This is brave, this is bruised, this is who I'm meant to be
This is me
Look out, 'cause here I come
Look out, 'cause here I come
And I'm marching on to the beat I drum
Marching on, marching on
I'm not scared to be seen
I make no apologies
This is me
Oh, oh, oh,
This is me
[APPLAUSE]
[APPLAUSE]
[TINASHE, "ALL HANDS ON DECK"] You took the last bit of love I've ever had
You took a good girl and you turned me oh so bad
Kiss the old me goodbye, she's dead and gone, dead and gone, oh
All hands on deck
All in the front, all in the back, just like that, like that
I'ma blow your mind, take it out on the floor like that, like that
All in the front, all in the back, just like that, like that
I'ma blow your mind like that
All hands on deck
All in the front, all in the back, just like that, like that
I'ma blow your mind, take it out on the floor like that, like that
All in the front, all in the back, just like that, like that
I'ma blow your mind like that
Wasted heart
Done, here's to death do us apart
I watch you fold like a house of cards
Kiss the old me goodbye, she's dead and gone, dead and gone, dead and gone, oh
One by one, I watch you fall down, watch you fall like dominoes
Take no prisoners, search and destroy
Baby, look at what you've done
One by one, I watch 'em go down, watch 'em fall like dominoes
Watch 'em go down
NAVEEN SHARMA: Thank you, Pole Posse. Next up, we have Illuminations. Illuminations is Cornell's co-ed undergraduate Chinese dance troupe dedicated to sharing Chinese culture by teaching and performing various styles of dance and original choreography. The troupe performs numerous times throughout the year at a range of cultural events which culminate into an annual showcase each spring semester. Illuminations, we welcome you to the stage.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[NON-ENGLISH SINGING]
[MUSIC CONTINUES]
[APPLAUSE]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
FAITH SHOTE: Hello. That was amazing from the Illuminations. Another round of applause.
[APPLAUSE]
OK. Next up, we have Proyos. Proyos cultivates a character-- yes, Proyos cultivates a caring and inclusive community where members are dedicated to learning and performing the Diabolo-- sorry-- also known as the Chinese yo-yo. Proyos, come on out.
[CHEERS, APPLAUSE]
[(G)I-DLE, "WIFE"] I cook cream soup, taste is Coco Loco
Want me your wife but she is mm, mm, mm
I clean your room, it's so twinkle twinkle
Want me your wife but she is mm, mm, mm
[RAPPING IN KOREAN]
I cook cream soup, taste is Coco Loco
Want me your wife but she is mm, mm, mm
I clean your room, it's so twinkle twinkle
Want me your wife but she is mm, mm, mm
Mm, mm, mm
[RAPPING IN KOREAN]
I cook cream soup, taste is Coco Loco
Want me your wife but she is mm, mm, mm
I clean your room, it's so twinkle twinkle
Want me your wife but she is mm, mm, mm
Why I make you feel so high
I make you feel like lie
But I don't wanna wife, wife, wife, wife
Wife, I make you feel so high
I make you feel like lie
But I don't wanna wife, wife, wife, wife
[MADEON AND PORTER ROBINSON, "SHELTER"]
(SINGING) I could never find the right way to tell you
Have you noticed I've been gone?
'Cause I left behind the home that you made me
But I will carry it along
And it's a long way forward, so trust in me
I'll give them shelter like you've done for me
And I know I'm not alone, you'll be watching over us until you're gone
When I'm older, I'll be silent beside you
I know words won't be enough
And they won't need to know the names or our faces
But they will carry on for us
And it's a long way forward, so trust in me
I'll give them shelter like you've done for me
And I know I'm not alone, you'll be watching over us until you're gone
[VOCALIZING]
And it's a long way forward so trust in me
I'll give them shelter like you've done for me
And I know I'm not alone, you'll be watching over us until
[APPLAUSE]
[SLAUGHTER BEACH, DOG, "ACOLYTE"]
(SINGING) You won't leave the table
She won't leave your mind
Gotta get out of Ohio
Feeling short on time
Eyeball your inheritance
Dead stare at the bar
Put back one more
Stumble under the stars
We could fly to Ireland
You know I'm good for the ticket
Try to smirk, but you're smiling
Know I'll stick with it
Annie, I want you to marry me
We'll wait a few years
I don't mean to frighten you
I just want to be clear
[WHISTLING]
She's a drink behind you
Wander off to the stairs
Ten bucks for the last game
Suck smoke from the air
Man, it cuts like a dull knife
When you're young and you're told
"Makes sense when you're older"
Darling, let's get old
[MUSIC CONTINUES]
I'd say you look tired
Sing, my secret choir
Soak my scrapes and sleep tight
Sing, my brave acolyte
[MUSIC CONTINUES]
[THE HAPPY FITS, "DANCE ALONE"]
(SINGING) I don't wanna say goodbye
I just wanna spend my night with you
How am I gonna catch your eye?
I don't know if I can do this
I will never understand
How no one was there to hold your hand
Now, I'm gonna lose a chance
I just wanna ask you for this dance
'Cause I don't wanna dance alone tonight
I don't wanna dance alone tonight
Hands are shaking, I'm OK
Got this feeling I'm just miles away
Heart is racing, you're to blame
I can't seem to find the words to say
I will never understand
How no one was there to hold your hand
Now, I'm gonna lose a chance
I just wanna ask you for this dance
'Cause I don't wanna dance alone tonight
No, I don't wanna dance alone tonight
I don't wanna, I don't wanna, I don't wanna dance alone tonight
I don't wanna, I don't wanna, I don't wanna dance alone tonight
Now tell me if you're scared, dear
We can be the same
Tell me all your stories
Let me know your name
Don't walk out that door, dear
It will be OK
Your heart is all I ask for
Let's dance the night away
'Cause I don't wanna dance alone I don't wanna dance alone tonight
I don't wanna dance alone
I don't wanna dance alone tonight
I don't wanna dance alone
I don't wanna dance alone tonight
I don't wanna dance alone
I don't wanna dance alone tonight
No, I don't wanna dance alone tonight
I don't wanna dance alone
'Cause I don't wanna dance alone tonight
I don't wanna dance alone
I don't wanna dance alone tonight
I don't wanna, I don't wanna
I don't wanna dance alone tonight
I don't wanna, I don't wanna
I don't wanna dance alone tonight
[WEEZER, "HOLIDAY"] Hey, hey
Hey, hey
Hey, hey
Hey, hey
When you're on a holiday, you can't find the words to say all the things that come to you, and I want to feel it too
On an island in the sun, we'll be playing and having fun
And it makes me feel so fine, I can't control my brain
Hey, hey Hey, hey
When you're on a golden sea, you don't need no memory
Just a place to call your own as we drift into the zone
On an island in the sun, we'll be playing and having fun
And it makes me feel so fine, I can't control my brain
We'll run away together
We'll spend some time, forever
We'll never feel bad anymore
Hey, hey
Hey, hey
Hey, hey
On an island in the sun, we'll be playing and having fun
And it makes me feel so fine, I can't control my brain
We'll run away together
We'll spend some time, forever
We'll never feel bad anymore
Hey, hey
We'll never feel bad anymore
Hey, hey
We'll never feel bad anymore
[PAVEMENT, "HARNESS YOUR HOPES"]
(SINGING) Harness your hopes on just one person because you know, a harness was only made for one
Don't telegraph your passes, you'll end up with molasses cauterized in syrup, and syrup's not molasses
And I'm checking out the asses, the asses that attract us
To anything that moves, we've deep inside the groove
And it's time to shake the rations 'cause someone's gonna cash in
The plot, it turns again, the reference starts at ten
Show me a word that rhymes with pavement and I won't kill your parents and roast them on a spit
And don't you try to etch it or permanently sketch it
Or you're going to catch a bad, bad cold
And the freaks have stormed the White House
I moved into a lighthouse
It's on a scenic quay, it's oh so far away
Far away from the beginning, the shroud is made of linen
The yearling took your purse
The goth kid has a hearse
Heartbreaking, earthquaking, kiwis, they are home baking
My heart's open true
Leisure, a leisure suit is nothing
It's nothing to be proud of in this late century
And I'm asking you to hold me just like the morning paper
Pinched between your pointer, your index, and your thumb
It's a semi-automatic, believers are ecstatic
You see the way they cling, the cold metallic sting
And I'm living in a coma for Donna de Varona
The harness made of hopes, the lovers on the ropes
Nun is to church as the parrot is to perch
And my heart's wide open, truly
[MUSIC CONTINUES]
[THE SMITHS, "THIS CHARMING MAN"]
(SINGING) Punctured bicycle on a hillside desolate
Will nature make a man of me yet?
When in this charming car
This charming man
Why pamper life's complexity when the leather runs smooth on the passenger seat?
I would go out tonight
But I haven't got a stitch to wear
This man said, "It's gruesome that someone so handsome should care"
Ah, a jumped-up pantry boy who never knew his place
He said, "Return the ring"
He know so much about these things
He knows so much about these things
I would go out tonight but I haven't got a stitch to wear
This man said, "It's gruesome that someone so handsome should care"
Na na na na na na na, this charming man
Oh, na na na na na, this charming man
Ah, a jumped-up pantry boy who never knew his place
He said, "Return the ring"
He knows so much about these things
He knows so much about these things
He knows so much about these things
[BILLY JOEL, "VIENNA"]
(SINGING) Slow down, you crazy child
You're so ambitious for a juvenile
But then if you're so smart, tell me, why are you still so afraid? Mm
Where's the fire, what's the hurry about?
You better cool it off before you burn it out
You got so much to do and only so many hours in a day
But you know that when the truth is told that you can get what you want or you can just get old
You're going to kick off before you even get halfway through, ooh
When will you realize, Vienna waits for you?
Slow down, you're doing fine
You can't be everything you want to be before your time
Although it's so romantic on the borderline tonight, tonight
Too bad, but it's the life you lead
You're so ahead of yourself that you forgot what you need
Though you can see when you're wrong, you know you can't always see when you're right, you're right
You've got your passion, you've got your pride
But don't you know that only fools are satisfied?
Dream on, but don't imagine they'll all come true, ooh
When will you realize, Vienna waits for you?
Slow down, you crazy child and take the phone off the hook and disappear for a while
It's all right, you can afford to lose a day or two, ooh
When will you realize Vienna waits for you?
And you know that when the truth is told
That you can get what you want or you can just get old
You're gonna kick off before you even get halfway through, ooh
Why don't you realize Vienna waits for you?
When will you realize Vienna waits for you
[PIANO SOLO]
[FATHER JOHN MISTY, "REAL LOVE BABY"]
Our hearts are free
So tell me, what's wrong with the feeling
I'm a flower, you're the bee
It's much older than you and me
I'm in love, I'm alive
I belong to the stars and sky
Let's forget who we are for one night
We're not animals baby, it's the people who lie to themselves
I want real love, baby
Ooh, don't leave me waiting
I've got real love maybe
Wait until you taste me
I want real love, baby
There's a world inside me
Got the preacher's music
Just if for a minute and gone
Our hearts are free
So tell me, what's wrong with the feeling
I'm a flower, you're my bee
It's much older than you and me
I'm in love, I'm alive
I belong to the stars and sky
Let's forget who we are for one night
We're not animals, baby
It's the people who lie to themselves
I want real love, baby
Ooh, don't leave me waiting
I've got real love, baby
Wait until you taste me
I want real love, baby
There's a world inside me
Got the preacher's music
Just if for a minute and gone
I want real love, baby
Ooh, don't leave me waiting
I've got real love, baby
Wait until you taste me
I want real love, baby
There's a world inside me
Got the preacher's music
Just if for a minute and gone
Our hearts are free
So tell me, what's with this feeling?
Wait until you taste me
I'm a flower, you're my bee
It's much older than you and me
Just if for a minute and gone
I want real love, baby
[THE CRANBERRIES, "LINGER"]
(SINGING) If you, if you could return
Don't let it burn
Don't let it fade
I'm sure I'm not being rude
But it's just your attitude
It's tearing me apart
It's ruining every day
I swore, I swore I would be true
And honey, so did you
So why were you holding her hand?
Is that the way we stand?
Were you lying all the time?
Was it just a game to you?
But I'm in so deep
You know I'm such a fool for you
You've got me wrapped around your finger
Do you have to let it linger?
Do you have to? Do you have to? Do you have to let it linger?
Oh, I thought the world of you
I thought nothing could go wrong
But I was wrong, I was wrong
If you, if you could get by
Trying not to lie
Things wouldn't be so confused
And I wouldn't feel so used
But you always really knew
I just want to be with you
And I'm in so deep
You know I'm such a fool for you
You've got me wrapped around your finger
Do you have to let it linger?
Do you have to? Do you have to? Do you have to let it linger?
And I'm in so deep
You know I'm such a fool for you
You've got me wrapped around your finger
Do you have to let it linger?
Do you have to? Do you have to? Do you have to let it linger?
You know I'm such a fool for you
You've got me wrapped around your finger
Do you have to let it linger?
Do you have to? Do you have to? Do you have to let it linger?
[CLAIRO, "BAGS"]
(SINGING) Every second counts
I don't wanna talk to you anymore
All these little games
You can call me by the name I gave you
Yesterday, yeah
Every minute counts
I don't wanna watch TV anymore, yeah
Can you figure me out?
Just doing to waste more time on the couch
Can you see me? I'm waiting for the right time
I can't read you, but if you want, the pleasure's all mine
Can you see me using everything to hold back?
I guess this could be worse
Walking out the door with your bags
Walking out the door with your bags
Walking out the door with your bags
Walking out the door with your bags
NAVEEN SHARMA: Before we conclude our convocation pre-show, we will have one more performance by BreakFree.
[APPLAUSE]
The BreakFree crew is a family of dancers who share creativity and encourage to one another to be true to themselves while honing the dancing skills of their current team members. They choreograph their dances to share with others who they are. The desire to dance is universal, and BreakFree wants to spread and share the love of dance with the entire Cornell community. BreakFree, please enter the stage.
[APPLAUSE]
[MAGOO AND TIMBALAND, "DROP"] Fatman Scoop, Crooklyn Clan, Timbaland, Timbaland
Fatman Scoop, Crooklyn Clan, Timbaland, Timbaland
Whatever I say, y'all gotta do
Whatever I say, y'all gotta do
Whatever I say, y'all gotta do, y'all do, y'all do, y'all do
Oh Lord, guess who's coming? Timbaland, A.K.A. freaky feel drumming
Who can get it crunk like me? Timbaland
Or my nigga Scoop, A.K.A. fat man
Weed guaranteed to make the party people bounce
Fellas say, oh, girl, say, ah
Looking at the cornrows up in the club
Girl, don't be bashful
Girl, back it up
Throw it, girl, like it's poking man
Shake that ass as fast as you can
White girl, shake it like you're burning from a suntan
My dog grip it, grab it like it was a soda can
What you talking about, holding back?
When you get on the dance floor, drop it like it was a Cadillac
What you talking about, cutting nigga slack?
Girl, girl, you better bend that back
12 my girls roll deep in the club
Can't wait to hit the bar and get that thug
Where my dogs that got more than 100 bucks
Can't wait to freak one of the big old butts
Before we start to turn it out, you must learn to crunk out
Before we start to turn it out, you must first begin to
Breathe in, breathe out
Breathe in, breathe out
Breathe in, breathe out
Now drop, now drop, now drop
Breathe in, breathe out
Breathe in, breathe out
Breathe in, breathe out
Now drop, now drop, now drop, now drop
If you got the fattest ass on the block, now drop
Let the nigga see the coochie pop, now drop
Do the snake, do the freak, do the worm, now dro
Yo, don't stop, don't stop
Show me what you're working with
Show me what you're working with
Show me what you're working with
What? What? What?
[KAT DELUNA, "WHINE UP"]
[NON-ENGLISH RAPPING]
Boy keep doing what you're doing
Get me hot
Winding up your body
You don't have to stop
My temperature is rising
Want you more than before
It's an animal attraction, whine your body up
It's the magic on the floor
I don't want to wait no more
'Cause I'm feeling your vibing
I'm riding high, it's exotic
And I want you
And I want you here
Pull me closer and closer and hold me tight to your body
I wanna feel you
I wanna feel you near
Whine up, whine up, whine up, oh yeah
Whine up, whine up, whine up, oh yeah
Whine up, whine up, whine up, oh yeah
Whine up, whine up, whine up
[BAMBII, "TWITCH"]
Mek a bodgyal wine it
Bruk dung the beat and rewind it
Yuh mon ah ring dun mi phone
Dutty boy cyan lef mi alone
Chat to mi back
Chat to mi back
Beep beep cyan sleep
Mi wan di action
Nuh mon eva act right
Dem ah distraction
Sim simma
Gyal ah ride in mi bimma
Bun bwoy dem
Bodmon slide pon di riddim a
Nitevision mode
Shotta stay cold
Keep mi hand pon mi phone
And mi wheel pon road
DJ
Replay
Now wuk the place
Hot gyal
Bend down and bruk up the place
Mek a bodgyal wine it
If you wan chat mi ah decline it
Mi body stay hot in any climate
Bruk dung the beat and rewind, rewind it
Yuh mon ah ring dun mi phone
Dutty bwoy cyan lef mi alone
Chat to mi back
Chat to mi back
Bodmind gyal try
[APPLAUSE]
[PRITAM, ARIJIT SINGH & SUNIDHI CHAUHAN, "DILLIWAALI GIRLFRIEND"]
[NON-ENGLISH RAPPING]
[NON-ENGLISH SINGING]
[APPLAUSE]
[APPLAUSE]
[BIG THIEF, "SIMULATION SWARM"]
(SINGING) I tried to tell you I didn't know how to stay
You believe she can see through cutting at the silent clay
A relief, beckon deep blue
Fettered in the magnet sun
Eat the gun as it feeds you
Spitting up the oxygen
Once again
Once again
Once again, empty horses gallop through the violet door
Follow red, crooked courses
Shadows on the moonlit floor
Oh my stars, winged creatures
Gathering in silken height
Like the last human teachers
Once again, we must bleed new
Even as the hours shake
Crystal blood like a dream true
A ripple in the wound and wake
You believe
I believe, too, that you are a river of light
Who I love, that I cling to
In the belly of the empty night
From the 31st floor of the simulation swarm
With the drone of fluorescence
Flicker, fever, fill the form
With a warm gush, now I wanna touch like we never could before
I'd fly to you tomorrow
I'm not fighting in this war
I wanna drop my arms and take your arms and walk you to the shore
I remember building an energy shield
In your room, like a temple
Swallows in the windless field
Very thin, with your mother
Tall as a pale green tree
Very wild, bright as winter
Rising with a prism key
And a child to deliver
Taken with the blood and vine
As the first little angel
[MUSIC CONTINUES]
Little Andy, soft in your newborn skin
Only one, little Andy, will you return again?
I believe we can renew and you could be my brother once again
Fall asleep with our backs against each other
You believe
I believe, too
That you are the river of light who I love
That I sing to in the belly of the empty night
From the 31st floor of the simulation swarm
With the drone of fluorescence
Flicker, fever, fill the form
With a warm gush, now I wanna touch
Like we never could before
I'd fly to you tomorrow, I'm not fighting in this war
I wanna drop my arms and take your arms
And walk you to the shore
I'd fly to you tomorrow, I'm not fighting in this war
I wanna drop my arms and take your arms
[MUSIC CONTINUES]
[MODEST MOUSE, "FLOAT ON"]
(SINGING) I backed my car into a cop car the other day
Well, he just drove off, sometimes life's OK
I ran my mouth off a bit too much
Oh, what did I say?
Well, you just laughed it off, it was all OK
And we'll all float on OK
And we'll all float on, OK
And we'll all float on OK
And we'll all float on anyway, well
A fake Jamaican took every last dime with that scam
It was worth it just to learn some sleight of hand
Bad news comes, don't you worry even when it lands
Good news will work its way to all them plans
We both fired on exactly the same day
Well, we'll float on, good news is on the way
And we'll all float on OK
And we'll all float on OK
And we'll all float on OK
And we'll all float on, all right
Already, we'll all float on
No, don't you worry, we'll all float on all right
Already, we'll all float on all right
Don't worry, we'll all float on
all right, all ready, we'll all float on all right
All ready, we'll all float on all right
Don't worry, even if things end up a bit too heavy
We'll all the float on all right
All ready, we'll all float on all right
All ready, we'll all float on OK
Don't worry, we'll all float on
Even if things get heavy, we'll all float on all right
All ready, we'll all float on all right
Don't you worry, we'll all float on all right
All float on
[BLUR, "BEETLEBUM"]
(SINGING) Beetlebum
What you've done
She's a gun
Now what you've done
Beetlebum
Get nothing done
You Beetlebum
Just get numb
Now what you've done, Beetlebum
And when she lets me slip away
She turns me on then all my violence is gone
Nothing is wrong
I just slip away and I am gone
Nothing is wrong
She turns me on
I just slip away and I am gone
Beetlebum
Because you're young
She's a gun
Now what you've done
Beetlebum
She'll suck your thumb
She'll make you come
'Cause she's your gun
Now what you've done
Beetlebum
And when she lets me slip away
She turns me on then all my violence is gone
Nothing is wrong
I just slip away and I am gone
There's nothing wrong
She turns me on
I just slip away and I am gone
He's on, he's on, he's on it
He's on, he's on, he's on it
He's on, he's on, he's on it
He's on, he's on, he's on it
He's on, he's on, he's on it
He's on, he's on, he's on it
He's on, he's on, he's on it
He's on, he's on, he's on it
[MUSIC CONTINUES]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
NAVEEN SHARMA: Thank you all for attending our pre-show for convocation. Before we begin our main events, I would like to welcome the drummings of Yamatai to the stage.
[APPLAUSE]
[DRUMMING]
[APPLAUSE]
[APPLAUSE CONTINUES]
[HOZIER, "TOO SWEET"] It can't be said I'm an early bird
It's 10 o'clock before I say a word
Baby, I can never tell
How do you sleep so well?
You keep telling me to live right
To go to bed before the daylight
But then you wake up for the sunrise
You know you don't gotta pretend, baby, now and then
Don't you just wanna wake up, dark as a lake?
Smelling like a bonfire, lost in a haze
If you're drunk on life, babe, I think it's great
But while in this world I think I'll take my whiskey neat
My coffee black and my bed at three
You're too sweet for me
You're too sweet for me
I take my whiskey neat
My coffee black and my bed at three
You're too sweet for me
You're too sweet for me
I aim low
I aim true and the ground's where I go
I work late where I'm free from the phone
And the job gets done
But you worry some, I know
But who wants to live forever, babe?
You treat your mouth as if it's Heaven's gate
The rest of you like you're the TSA
I wish I could go along, babe, don't get me wrong
You know you're bright as the morning, as soft as the rain
Pretty as a vine, sweet as a grape
If you can sit in a barrel, maybe I'll wait until that day
I'd rather take my whiskey neat
My coffee black and my bed at three
You're too sweet for me
You're too sweet for me
I take my whiskey neat
My coffee black and I my bed at three
You're too sweet for me
You're too sweet for me
I take my whiskey neat
My coffee black and my bed at three
You're too sweet for me
You're too sweet for me
[SABRINA CARPENTER, "ESPRESSO"]
(SINGING) Now he's thinking about me every night, oh
Isn't that sweet? I guess so
Say you can't sleep, baby, I know
That's that me, espresso
Move it up, down, left, right, oh,
Switch it up like Nintendo
Say you can't sleep, baby, I know
That's that me, espresso
I can't relate to desperation
My give a fucks are on vacation
And I got this one boy
And he won't stop calling
[APPLAUSE]
ASHA PRABHAT: Hi.
[APPLAUSE]
Welcome to 2024 convocation.
[APPLAUSE]
My name is Asha Prabhat. I'm the 2024 convocation chair.
AUDIENCE: Woo!
ASHA PRABHAT: Thank you.
[LAUGHS]
I have served as the leader of the convocation committee that has helped put this entire event together for you. We have an incredible show with incredible acts and incredible speeches that are going to be coming up on stage today. But before we do that, I would like to introduce Yanenowi Logan to perform a land acknowledgment.
[APPLAUSE]
[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
YANENOWI LOGAN: Hi, I'm Yanenowi Logan. I'm Deer clan from the Seneca Nation. Cornell University acknowledges that the United States is on stolen Indigenous lands, and that America was built on the backs of enslaved people. We recognize that Indigenous peoples first lived here and continue to live here, and remind everyone that the systemic racism that drives our country was built into our modern society from the arrival of settler colonialists.
In doing so, we acknowledge Indigenous sovereignty and Indigenous peoples' long standing presence on this land, which precedes the establishment of the United States of America. Cornell University is located on the traditional homelands of the Guyohkohnyoh, the Cayuga people. The Guyohkohnyoh are members of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, an alliance of six sovereign nations with a historic and contemporary presence on this land. The Confederacy precedes the establishment of Cornell University, New York state, and the United States of America.
We acknowledge the painful history of the Guyohkohnyoh dispossession and honor the ongoing connection of Guyohkohnyoh people, past and present. To these lands and waters, Cornell's founding was enabled by the dispossession of more than 250 tribes and the sale of almost 1 million acres of stolen Indian land under the Morrill Act of 1862. To date, hundreds of native communities continue to be impacted. This land acknowledgment has been reviewed and approved by the traditional Guyohkohnyoh leadership. Thank you.
[APPLAUSE]
ASHA PRABHAT: Thank you, Yanenowi. Today marks the last big event of senior days and the opening event to commencement weekend, which is really the last time we can all be together as a senior class and celebrate our achievements with one another. The convocation committee is responsible for all the event logistics, in collaboration with the campus activities office, for planning convocation.
You might have received many emails from me over the year. Sorry about that. But the committee held really cool events all year, including holding auditions for performance groups that would perform at convocation, in which you saw them at both the pre, and you'll see them during this show. And we also held an amazing event in April with free merchandise to announce Kumail as our wonderful celebrity speaker.
[APPLAUSE]
Today is a really important day, and I want to note that recognizing that in 2020, many of us were deprived a normal graduation and instead, attended virtual graduations, or drive-by car graduations. Knowing that, my committee and campus activities worked really hard and put a little extra love to make this day, one to remember and to include even more student performances, and to showcase even more diverse talent, in both the pre-show and the show that you're about to see today.
So at this time, I'd like to do just a few thank yous. First, I'd like to give a huge Thank you to all of the staff and administration who are volunteering today. I can tell you that they have been working tirelessly behind the scenes to make this event possible, so an incredible thank you to them.
[APPLAUSE]
I have to give a special thank you to the campus activities office, Carly, and especially, just a huge thank you to our advisor, Kyle, for their unwavering support, guidance and mentorship for this year. Kyle hurt his ankle yesterday and has been running around with a tourniquet made out of a tote bag for the last 24 hours, making this event possible, and has not slept. So please, let's give him round of applause.
[APPLAUSE]
And lastly, I have to give a thank you to our keynote speaker, Kumail, for taking your time to be with us today. As a little Brown girl and a theater kid, seeing you here, I can't tell you how much your presence means to me, so thank you.
[APPLAUSE]
We ask that you take a moment to locate exits close to your location, which may very well be behind you. Also, please take a moment to please silence your cell phones. This event is also live streamed, so please remain in your seats during the event to avoid blocking the cameras by the video staff, and also the professional photographers. The video can be viewed at Cornell Cast. Next, I would like to give a huge thank you to Yamatai for that lively and energetic opening performance.
[APPLAUSE]
We are so happy to hear that energy right before we graduate, coming into commencement weekend. It's just the pump up that we needed. For those who don't know, Yamatai is dedicated to spreading the art and joy of Japanese taiko drumming. Since its founding in 2006, the group has performed at many different venues on the Cornell campus and also around Ithaca with the purpose of spreading this art form. Yamatai aims to inspire and entertain audiences from all walks of life while exploring the nexus between contemporary and the traditional. So one more round of applause for them.
[APPLAUSE]
And finally, it is with great pleasure that I introduce Dr. Marla Love. Dr. Marla love serves as the Robert W. And Elizabeth C. Staley Dean of students within the Division of Student and campus life. You may be familiar with her donuts with a dean event, or her Instagram short stories, Dean Does New Things, in which she figuratively and literally models falling forward by trying new things with Cornell students, like hockey skills for the women's hockey team, or pulling a hamstring while dancing with the Cornell dance team, and plunging in frigid waters with Cornell veterans. In her spare time, she enjoys a good Louie episode, or maybe three, and attending Major League Baseball games with her dad. So without further ado,
ANNOUNCER: Let's hear it for your dean, Dr. Marla Love.
[APPLAUSE]
DR. MARLA LOVE: Thank you, Yanenowi and Asha, for kicking off the official ceremony and for your introduction. You'll hear from Asha more formally later in the program. But for right now, class of 2024, let me hear you.
[APPLAUSE]
Come on.
[APPLAUSE]
A little more, like you graduate in two days.
[APPLAUSE]
No more tests, maybe an apartment on your own in the city, grad school. I'm excited for you. It's my distinct privilege to welcome you to the Cornell class of 2024 to your convocation ceremony. We want to send you off to life after Cornell with love and appreciation for all you have given to the big red family.
You deserve this celebration after joining this community during a pandemic. Who remembers that year? Yeah, like sometimes, I like to forget it too, right? But you conquered one of the hardest times in our lives to make it to this room today. So do me a favor. Turn to your neighbor and say-- turn to your neighbor. Come on. You did good. You look good. Congratulations.
[APPLAUSE]
Now, give yourselves a big round of applause.
[APPLAUSE]
As your dean of students, I am in awe of this class' transformation. Thank you for helping me to continue to grow and learn. I'm excited to celebrate your next chapters as you continue to grow and learn, and to celebrate you on commencement day. And I hope that I get the chance to welcome you back as Cornell alumni in the future. Again, congratulations, class of 2024.
[APPLAUSE]
And now, I get the distinct privilege and honor to introduce Vice President of student and campus life, Ryan Lombardi.
[APPLAUSE]
I hear some fans out there. OK. OK. Since 2015, Ryan has been about the business and passion of curating a transformational student experience. You met him on Zoom, but he loves to be a man about campus, talking with students about their latest accomplishments or bounce backs, and gladly taking selfies with those who are eager to take a photo. So let's keep this party rolling with my boss, the Clint Barton, to my Kate Bishop, and your guy, without further ado.
ANNOUNCER: Give it up for the big man on campus, Ryan Lombardi.
[APPLAUSE]
RYAN LOMBARDI: Thank you, Dean Love, and good afternoon, class of 2024. I hear we're feeling pretty good today.
[APPLAUSE]
I am so, so very happy to be with you here today, and I do want to add my sincere thanks and appreciation to the senior convocation committee for your amazing work, everything that you've done, and all the time and effort you've dedicated to making this day so special for your fellow students. Thank you. And to everyone who has had a part in making this event special, thank you. Thank you so much. Let's keep giving it up for them.
[APPLAUSE]
OK. True story, I didn't need these when I met you on Zoom four years ago. So that's what it's been like the last four years. I also want to Thank Mr. Nanjiani for joining us on this occasion. We're really grateful for you making the time, and look forward to hearing you this afternoon. And before I launch into what I want to share with you today-- and I'll be brief-- I have really one very important job to do, and it's maybe the only thing you really need or in this case, want to hear. Congratulations. You did it! Yeah!
[APPLAUSE]
Maybe like you, I have been thinking about today for the last four years. Class of 2024, you have and always will be a special class to me. For those that came in as new first year students, as was mentioned, we met via Zoom, you in your homes, or wherever you were doing that, me in my home up in Ithaca. You probably know the background.
Many of you have commented to me over the years how those weekly updates on Zoom became like a family affair, right? You'd put on the Zooms. You said your parents are big fans now. I'm a little mortified by all of that, frankly. My kids would tell you, most of the times in those Zooms, I looked like this up top, but down below, all shorts. My kids would laugh at me. But look, I am so glad we could pull that off. When most schools closed down, we invited you back. And it wasn't normal, but it was better than the alternative.
[APPLAUSE]
And we succeeded. That's right. We succeeded because of you, because you wanted to be back here, and you wanted to do it right. So thank you for taking that leap of faith, even if it only meant you could bring two suitcases and a backpack. I know, right? Tell me about it. I can't go to the city with less than that.
So look, I recently went back and watched the welcome I made for you that fall at new student convocation. It was a welcome I had to do via pre-recorded video instead of being in person, and I wanted to remind myself of the advice I provided at that time. I'm totally guessing you don't remember it at all, which is fine, so I'll refresh your memory.
Now, broadly speaking, it was about making connections. It was a challenge to you to find community, even in the most difficult of circumstances, which we were certainly in at that moment, a global pandemic. I encourage you to make connections with your faculty, the many brilliant scholars that would support your education, and I hope today, you can take stock of those connections, and that they have been impactful and meaningful for you.
And I also encourage you to make connections with your classmates. Because of the circumstances, I emphasized that those would have to be smaller moments, since we wouldn't be having a lot of large events like this. And I hope you did that, whether they were late night chats in your residence hall, or maybe waiting in line late night at Louie's. And there were a few of those moments, too, right?
Now, over time, we've been able to return to more large events, so I know you've made some pretty good connections at those, too. I think slope day this year seemed to make up for lost time. It's our house, right?
[CHEERING]
I mean, I've got to give it to Flo.
[LAUGHTER]
I feel like we're about the same age, and I can't hang with that. Like-- now, looking back, I hope you still see the importance and the impact of that advice. I hope you made those connections. I hope you took advantage of the knowledge of your professors and their willingness to share it, And I hope you made dear and lifelong friends. Maybe you're sitting next to him today.
And I really hope that through the resiliency, the determination, flexibility and all the other words you didn't want to hear anymore, you became tired of hearing during the pandemic, that you learned, and you kept learning, and you learned some more. And not just in the classroom-- yes, that's important. That's why we're here-- but through the lessons that will stay with you, and hopefully provide great benefit of life, like in the line at Louie's.
So now I'm supposed to give you some new advice, words of wisdom, if you will, as you get ready to go on to your next chapter. But I'm not going to do that. I know. Instead, I simply want to say thank you. Thank you for your impact on this community. And on a personal note, thank you for your impact on me. I will never, ever forget you, class of 2024, and I wish each and every one of you every success and opportunity in the future. And please remember, you always have a home here at Cornell. Today, tomorrow, and forever. Congratulations.
[APPLAUSE]
All right. It is now my pleasure to introduce our next performance, the amazing, incomparable dance group, Sabor Latino.
[APPLAUSE]
[NON-ENGLISH RAPPING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[NON-ENGLISH SINGING]
[MUSIC CONTINUES]
[APPLAUSE]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
[NON-ENGLISH SINGING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[TOKISCHA, HARACA KIKO, EL CHERRY SCOM, "TUKUNTAZO"]
[NON-ENGLISH RAPPING]
[VYBZ KARTEL, "YARDMAN STYLE"]
Yeah, it's summer 2016. You in the backyard of an NYC party, and they go like this.
[NON-ENGLISH RAPPING]
(RAPPING) She's an African-American
Big bumpa, come from the project
Wa gwan, baby? Yuh look flawless
Mi wah pop off dah G-string draws deh
Bomboclaat
Bloodclaat
Smile so pretty, hey gyal yuh cyan pass
Stand up right yah suh when badmana ah talk
Mi wan' breed yuh, pickney mi want
Yardman Style can love off wi flex
Wicked inna bed, rated as di best
No more burger, no more wings
[MACHEL MONTANO, "DOH PLAY DAT"] Yeah, yeah
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Hand up, hand up
Gyal
When yuh come out, yuh come out proper
Gyal, yuh looking good, I like yuh structure
When yuh dance upon de stage, when you come up on display
Doh play dat, gyal uh
Doh play dat, gyal uh
Doh play dat, if yuh winin, wine back on me
Properly, doh play dat, play dat
Doh play dat
Gyal say, doh play dat
When ya push back, when ya push back
Ey gyal, me wha see yuh
Bumper, bumper, bumper
Shine up wit yuh
Bumper, bumper, bumper
Shake up wit yuh
Bumper, bumper, bumper
Show me all yuh
Bumper, gyal bumper,
Gyal when yuh
Back on meh
Back on meh
Back on meh
[CHEERS, APPLAUSE]
[PHOEBE BRIDGERS, "KYOTO"]
(SINGING) Day off in Kyoto
Got bored at the temple
Looked around at the 7-Eleven
The band took the speed train
Went to the arcade
I wanted to go, but I didn't
You called me from a payphone
They still have payphones
It cost a dollar a minute
To tell me you're getting sober
And you wrote me a letter
But don't have to read it
I'm gonna kill you
If you don't beat me to it
Dreaming through Tokyo skies
I wanted to see the world
Then I flew over the ocean
And I changed my mind
Sunset's been a freak show
On the weekend, so--
[APPLAUSE]
[MUSIC CONTINUES]
He said you called on his birthday
You were off by like ten days
But you get a few points for trying
Remember getting the trucked fixed when you let us drive it
25 felt like flying
I don't forgive you
But please don't hold me to it
Born under Scorpio skies
I wanted to see the world
Through your eyes until it happened
Then I changed my mind
Guess I lied
I'm a liar
Who lies
'Cause I'm a liar
[THE BEATLES, "HERE COMES THE SUN"]
(SINGING) Here comes the sun
Here comes the sun and I say,
ASHA PRABHAT: [LAUGHS]
How amazing was Sabor?
[APPLAUSE]
Let's keep this show going. I am beyond elated to introduce Mariachi Regional. Mariachi is Cornell's first and only mariachi band. They'll be doing-- yeah.
[APPLAUSE]
Yeah.
[APPLAUSE]
I went to their concert a couple of weeks ago, and it was honest to God, one of the best things I've ever seen in my life. So I'm so excited. They're going to be doing a set of two songs, including Frank Sinatra's My Way. So without further ado, Mariachi.
[APPLAUSE]
[MARIACHI MUSIC]
[NON-ENGLISH SINGING]
[MUSIC CONTINUES]
Si, senor.
[APPLAUSE]
How's everybody doing?
[APPLAUSE]
All right. So up next is going to be a Frank Sinatra song, My Way, but Mariachi version, our way.
[APPLAUSE]
Viva Mexico!
["MY WAY" PLAYING]
[NON-ENGLISH SINGING]
[CHEERING]
[MUSIC CONTINUES]
[NON-ENGLISH SINGING]
[APPLAUSE]
[APPLAUSE CONTINUES]
[ROLLING STONES, "BEAST OF BURDEN"]
(SINGING) I'll never be your beast of burden
My back is broke, my hands are hurting
All I want is for you to make love to me
I'll never be your beast of burden
I've walked for miles, my feet are hurting
All I want is for you to make love to me
Am I hard enough?
Am I rough enough?
Am I rich enough?
I'm not too blind to see
I'll never be your beast of burden
So let's go home and draw the curtains
Music on the radio, come on baby, sweet love to me
Am I hard enough?
Am I rough enough?
Am I rich enough?
I'm not too blind to see
Oh, sister
Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, girls
Ooh, you're a pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty girl
Pretty, pretty, such a pretty, pretty, pretty girl
DR. MARLA LOVE: All right, let's give it up one more time for Mariachi.
[APPLAUSE]
They were amazing. If you're from California, that might take you back to a backyard birthday party. I was vibing. I loved it. I'm pleased to introduce formally, the senior convocation chair, Asha Prabhat.
[APPLAUSE]
Give it up for her. She'll be coming up here to give a few remarks. Asha will graduate with a bachelor's degree in government, feminist, gender, and sexuality studies, and college scholars major with an English minor. As the senior convocation chair, Asha led a committee of 15 seniors in selecting today's speaker, Kumail Nanjiani, and the details of all of today's events.
In her time at Cornell, Asha was active in the campus political advocacy space as the CEO and founding member of The Advocacy Project on campus, which is a non-profit dedicated to teaching skills of advocacy, conducting over 40 workshops and spearheading dozens of in-person and virtual events.
Asha is also a competitive public speaker. Clearly, I'm not right now. After actively competing in speech and debate in high school and gaining many state and national titles, Asha continued her speech career here at Cornell, becoming the senior captain of the speech and debate club. This year, she and the team won the national champion and world champion titles in persuasive speaking.
[APPLAUSE]
She was recently featured for their national championship in the Cornell Chronicle. After graduation, Asha will move to New York City and begin her career as a rotational legal and business service associate at Latham and Watkins. Please join me in welcoming Asha back to the stage.
[APPLAUSE]
ASHA PRABHAT: Hi, again. Thank you, Dean Love. We are matching pink. What can I say? Powerful women in pink, am I right?
[APPLAUSE]
So recently, I made a huge mistake. I took a phone call from my father. It's not that I don't love him or anything, it's just that I didn't have five hours to spare. But during this painfully long, some might say excruciatingly long conversation, we reflected on my Cornell journey. And he asked me, do you think you made a mark on Cornell's community? And that question sent me into a spiral.
[LAUGHS]
Out of a class of nearly 3,500 students, 1,000 clubs, with 200 new clubs founded at just the four years we were here, and 80 majors, I'm just one 4'11" little Brown girl. I told my dad, no. I'm just one person. To which he said, well, doesn't anything meaningful start with just one person? His question was interesting. I don't know. Does impact start with just one person, or is real impact made in the company of others?
So I thought we could think about this question together. First, let's take a step back to 2020, when we first got here. I know we all hate hearing about COVID, but I have to briefly mention it. Because while COVID definitely did not define our time here, for many of us, it was the start of our journey. In the fall of 2020, we missed out on the formative experiences that normal freshmen get, from O week, to club fest on the arts quad, to eating in a dining hall with our friends.
Instead, we were forced to build connections with each other against all odds. I mean, we made friends with mostly only people on the same floor of our dorms. We found clever ways to break the four people per dorm room rule. But in terms of finding a community of people who share the same passions as us, we had to search for that online.
For me, I helped found an organization called The Advocacy Project on a Zoom call in which eight strangers, wouldn't even meet in person until the fall of 2021. And when we did meet, they were tall as hell, and I didn't like it. But other groups found cool ways to keep their community going. For example, a cappella groups held virtual auditions in which people had to harmonize over pre-recorded videos. Elections for clubs took place on the poll function of Zoom. I even took an early morning virtual yoga class in famously, the most zen place on campus, Donlan Hall.
[APPLAUSE]
Yeah! But unfortunately, some groups had to halt their work all together, like the dance groups that you were seeing on stage today, who had to cancel their concert that year because they couldn't practice. But patiently, we waited, even when it was incredibly frustrating and even devastating at times. We endured, plotting the work that we would do when we return to campus normally. That time forced us to be brave enough to seek out our passions in the most unconventional ways, and we did. When campus resumed normally in 2021, we came back to one another with ideas and a purpose. We were energized, and could not be stopped.
For me, my experience has been defined by my love for storytelling. As a competitive public speaker and performer, my life's work has been dedicated to finding out how our stories are rooted in movement building, in law and policy, and even academia. I've tried to root my story in everything that I've done here. And I'd like to say that I have.
As a South Asian woman, my voice was taken from me at a young age. But once I discovered out how to wield it, I vowed to never let someone who looked like me live life without one. So during my time here, I taught workshops on advocacy. I competed on Cornell speech team. I partnered with political advocacy groups on campus, like Planned Parenthood and Consent Ed, to host events.
[APPLAUSE]
I committed myself to working hard at projects that were important to me and my communities, and along the way, met some incredibly talented, driven, and smart people who shared the same passions as me. This was my story, but you all have your own. So at this time, I would like to recognize your stories. If you bear with me, I would like to try a little exercise. If you're able, stand and stay standing if you were a part of the founding class of a club, or if you served on an executive board in your time at Cornell. Stay standing.
[APPLAUSE]
Stand. Stand, if you studied here as a first generation student.
[APPLAUSE]
Stay standing.
[APPLAUSE]
Stand if you are a part of a multicultural organization, Greek life, or a sports team.
[APPLAUSE]
Stand if you are a part of a project team, or did research on Cornell's campus.
[APPLAUSE]
Stand if you're a performer, and you've ever put on a performance for Cornell's community.
[APPLAUSE]
Stand if you've ever mentored an underclassman, or served as a TA or an RA.
[APPLAUSE]
And finally, stand if after overcoming all of this class' obstacles, you are proud of yourself for graduating today.
[APPLAUSE]
For all of you who are standing, which is, I think, all of the seniors in the room, thank you. Thank you for sharing your stories and being brave enough to do it. You can sit.
[APPLAUSE]
The truth is, is that the class of 2024 is loud. We are bold. We are empowered, we are leaders. But we're also kind and empathetic. We care for one another in ways that I did not see of classes above or below us. Our stories have driven our community, and I'm excited to say that I don't believe that we ever had to tell these stories alone.
Coming to Cornell, I was intimidated. Being such a huge class, I didn't think that it was possible for our community to rally together. But it was a shock for me to learn that I was wrong. In fact, my favorite part about Cornell's community is our desire to coalition build. There was always someone, usually a peer of mine in this graduating class, who was so willing to work with me in some way. Perhaps they, too, had the same story as me that they also wanted to share. I never had to storytell alone.
So returning to my dad's question, doesn't anything meaningful begin with just one person? My dad was wrong. He's right there. Boo him.
[BOOING]
[LAUGHS]
No, but part of making an impact is finding a community of people who want to be a part of your story and want you to be a part of theirs. And it's even OK if we've been a part of many communities in our time here, because that just means more of our stories have been represented.
Because when I think of the class of 2024's collective story, I think of the fact that despite all of the odds, despite all of the challenges, despite all of the adversity that was consistently thrown at us time and time again, we never stopped fighting to create meaning out of everything we did here. And for that, I am immensely proud of the class of 2024 for our spirit, our grit, and our dedication. So congratulations, class of 2024, because your story doesn't end here. It's only just beginning.
[APPLAUSE]
Thank you. So before bringing Kumail to give his keynote address, I would like to give a couple of quick notes. After his address, we'll have a final performance from The Class Notes, which I'm so excited for. That will conclude with the class of 2024 singalong of the Alma mater. There's also additional free merch that we'll be giving out at the very end of the event when you left. And I know all of you really like free merch, hence why you got here early for the pre-show. So everyone's going to stay through to the end to get the merch on the way out, obviously.
And so to welcome Kumail to the stage, I'm elated to invite to the stage one of my closest friends and also my VP of speaker selections, Faith Shote, to introduce Kumail.
[APPLAUSE]
Faith is an environmental and sustainability major with a minor in law and society. After graduation, she plans to work on environmental policy, implementation and enforcement. Faith come on out, queen.
[APPLAUSE]
FAITH SHOTE: Hello. Can I get another round of applause for Asha? That was beautiful.
[APPLAUSE]
It's an honor to follow up after her. Hi, all. So as Asha mentioned, my name is Faith Shote and I am so excited to introduce our guest speaker today. Kumail Nanjiani is an actor, comedian, producer and Oscar nominated screenwriter. Nanjiani spent his childhood in Karachi, Pakistan before moving to the US at age 18.
After college, he moved to Chicago, where he performed stand up comedy at open mic events. He later moved to New York city, where he continued to perform stand up and made appearances on television, including on The Colbert Report with Stephen Colbert. One of his first film roles was the Kings of Summer in 2013. In 2017, Nanjiani starred in the semi-autobiographical romantic comedy The Big Sick, which he wrote with his wife, Emily V. Gordon.
[CHEERING]
Their work on that movie earned them an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay. Kumail has continued to leave a positive impact on the entertainment industry. He starred most notably in his roles as Kingo in Marvel's The Eternals. Real. Yes. Showman Steve Banerjee in the Hulu miniseries, Welcome to Chippendales, Haja Estree in Disney Plus' Obi-wan Kenobi, and most recently, joined the star studded cast of season four of Only Murders in the Building, which stars Martin Short-- yes I know, so excited.
[LAUGHS]
One of my favorite shows. I'm not even kidding. OK-- which stars Martin Short, Steve Martin, and Selena Gomez, which he took a break from filming just to be here with us today. So without further ado,
[APPLAUSE]
ANNOUNCER: Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome to the stage the man with the best abs, Kumail Nanjiani.
[APPLAUSE]
KUMAIL NANJIANI: Wow, Hi. Thank you so much for having me. I don't know if I can follow all of these wonderful acts. It was beautiful. First of all, I want to thank the senior convocation committee and campus activities, specifically student convocation chair Asha Prabhat, who you heard speak, VP Faith Shote, who you also just heard speak, the administration, faculty, and the graduating class of 2024.
[APPLAUSE]
Yeah. Congratulations. You did it. All those classes, tests, late night study sessions, papers, homework, all done. And what did you get for all that work? You got to wait for two hours on the slope for Flo Rida to show up.
[APPLAUSE]
Which is great. The only thing worse than having to wait two hours and Flo Rida showing up is waiting for two hours and having anyone else show up. Flo Rida is awesome. And pay no heed to the fact that the person that-- you know, that a person of a certain age thinks that Flo Rida is awesome. It either means there was some miscommunication and it was meant to have been booked as your parents' entertainment, or that he continues to be awesome. So did he sing Low, by the way? Did he sing Low? Yeah, he did? Great. Loved that song when it came out, right around when you guys were born.
[LAUGHTER]
So as has been stated, you guys started college during a global pandemic, a fractured nation, and the death of truth. And you finished it at a time when the world is healed, peace reigns, and common sense and intellectual curiosity rule the day. I should mention, I have not read the news in months.
[LAUGHTER]
So at these things, I think, you know, I'm supposed to give you advice, and tell you guys how to live in the real world. The problem is I have no idea what I'm doing in the real world. I really don't. So I don't know what advice to give you. The other problem is that nobody ever listens to advice. I could be up here telling you the ultimate secrets of the universe and you wouldn't remember any of it, because you're all probably hung over right now.
[LAUGHTER]
Because yesterday was fishbowl Wednesdays.
[APPLAUSE]
[LAUGHS]
By the way, I just heard what fishbowl Wednesdays is, and it sounds like a nightmare. It sounds like a big mistake. It's a whole-- it's a fishbowl full of alcohol? Yeah, don't do that once you leave here. People-- so you're not going to remember what I said. I don't even remember who my graduation speaker was. I don't, let alone what advice they gave me. But this is my job right now, to give you some advice. So I'll tell you some stuff I've learned since I graduated, and you can forget what I said either by later this afternoon, or by tomorrow at the latest.
Also, like I said, I don't know-- I don't know what-- I don't know how to be in the real world. I really don't. I graduated with little real world experience from a small liberal arts school called Grinnell College in Iowa in 2000 and-- well, I'm not going to tell you. It was this millennium, so I'm not that old. It was before Flo Rida released Low, though.
So I went to Grinnell College, and I have spent the better part of the last couple of decades correcting people who think I went here. This is how conversations go-- "Where did you go to school? I went to Cornell." "Oh, Cornell, good school." "Ivy league." "Yes, Cornell is a good school. I did not go there. I went to Grinnell in Iowa. Grinnell College." "Oh, Cornell College in Iowa?" By the way, I don't know if you know, there is a Cornell College in Iowa. It sucks to be them.
[LAUGHTER]
"No, I did not go to Cornell College, Grinnell College in Iowa. Not in Ithaca." "Oh, Ithaca College?" "Yes, I went to Ithaca College." The good news for you is that nobody hears Grinnell College when you say Cornell University, so you won't have to correct people all the time. So you are-- you are the first class as, as Asha was talking about, who started and completed your college education during a global pandemic.
Now, Ken Jeong was here last year, and he spoke. He did this last year. You guys weren't here, but he said last year that that class was the first class that had their whole education during a global pandemic. And I just want to say on the record, that his math is wrong. Yeah, his math is wrong, because they started in 2019 before the global pandemic. You guys started in 2020. So you are the first class to complete all four years of college in a pandemic. So Ken Jeong, stick to medicine and hosting The Masked Singer.
[APPLAUSE]
You know, when I was asked to speak here, I looked at some of the past speakers-- Bill Clinton, president. Joe Biden, President. Maya Angelou, poet. Gabrielle Giffords, hero. Mark Kelly, astronaut. Bill Nye, science guy.
[LAUGHTER]
An impressive list. Luminaries in the arts, politics, science, engineering. There's only one person on the list of past speakers that I can confidently say I am better than at anything, and that's math, and it's Ken Jeong.
[LAUGHTER]
So you have all had anything but a normal college experience. The good news is, whatever your major, this class, more than any other, has had the most relevant education and experience for the real world. I'll explain. People used to graduate with no real world experience, and we had to learn how to adjust to life out there.
You know how here, you could just wake up a couple of minutes before class and stroll in wearing pajamas, barely awake? What myself and everyone else before me learned is that you cannot do that in the real world. You had to learn to wake up early, put on real clothes, and commute on public transportation, and talk to our co-workers about their weekends. Sometimes, they'd invite you to their DJ sets. It was hell.
But now, with work from home becoming the norm out there, the real world has finally become exactly like your college experience. You have unwittingly learned every real world skill you need already. You took virtual classes. You how virtual backgrounds work. You know exactly how to roll into your first Zoom meeting half asleep in pajamas, talking about a bad internet connection, so you're going to be camera off today. Your excuses will still work. Sorry, Zoom decided to do an update, so I'm late. Not because I tried to recreate fishbowl Wednesdays in the real world.
You're more prepared for the real world than you know, which is good, because there's a lot of stuff out there that needs to get done, OK? Because, you, you know, I'll be honest. You're graduating into a tough world. You are. A world with wars, a roller coaster of an economy, and a political discourse that defies description. It is a world that seems to thrive on negativity and conflict, whether in comments on social media, in reporting on cable news, even in sports commentary.
Why do we need to have multiple debate shows every morning on last night's games? Why do you need debate shows about sports at all? There's a score. We know who won. "I think the Indiana Pacers won." "I agree." That should be the whole show.
[BOOING]
Sorry, sorry, I know. I know. I hate them, too. I don't. The point is, there is a lot of negativity, OK? And in the face of all this negativity, it can be tempting to jump into the fray, build a thick skin, dish it out, and attack, and try to win the argument. I should tell you, nobody has ever changed their mind because of an online debate. They've only ever gotten angry, thought about what they should have said all night, and then tried to start a similar debate with someone else so they can deploy the perfect comeback that they have now crafted over the last two weeks.
But even so, there is a temptation to metaphorically and literally thump your chest to assert dominance and strength. And that strength is defined through a very specific and narrow lens, a lens of defeating and winning. I grew up in a time and place that glorified a certain kind of grit. Boys had to be strong. Boys don't cry. Boys don't show any emotion-- well, other than anger.
You didn't talk about your feelings. You worked your way through them by gritting your teeth and bearing the weight of your sadness or fears, pushing them down, and turning them into anger. I grew up internalizing these norms. I always wanted to be the biggest, the fastest, the strongest. I was never any of those things, and that made me feel inadequate. The only thing I knew how to do was get angry.
But the thing is, expressing anger isn't always cathartic. Anger begets anger. Nobody has yelled at someone who cut them off in traffic and thought, now I feel better. They only ever feel worse. And the person who got yelled at is now angry, and they'll go yell at another person, and they'll go yell at another person, and now everyone's angry.
One time, I remember I spent a whole day-- I was just having an angry day. I was just yelling at people, yelling at cars cutting me off. And then I got home and had a sip of water and I was like, oh, that's what it was. I was thirsty. I was so cut off from my own emotions at what my body wanted that my body was like, you're thirsty. And I was like, yes, for vengeance.
[LAUGHTER]
When you are out of touch with your emotions and not paying attention to what you or your body needs, it often manifests as anger. And taking a moment to reflect inward might give you the opportunity to say, oh, I just need to drink some water. So that's my big piece of advice to you today. Just drink water.
But what if we redefine strength through a softer lens? Redefine real strength as not about dominating, or defeating, or being bound by muscles and aggression. I think real strength lies in being able to be in touch with yourself, sit with your uncomfortable feelings, communicate them, and in having empathy for others, feeling the same way. And using that empathy to provide kindness and sensitivity, especially when it is unexpected.
The good news is that it doesn't take years of training, a specific gender identity, or hundreds of thousands of dollars to be good at it. I'm not saying you wasted your money going here. I'm not saying that. I'm saying your parents did. I'm joking. That's a joke. I'm just jealous that I didn't get to go here. I did apply here. And their response was, what the F are you talking about?
[LAUGHTER]
Which I felt was very unprofessional. But back to empathy. Anybody can do empathy. Anybody can do it. It's magical, and it can transform lives. You can actually change someone's life with a moment of kindness. You can affect the trajectory of someone's journey with a well-placed word of encouragement. It's free to dole out, and the ROI is huge. That's for you econ nerds out there.
So that's my first piece of advice, OK? Whenever you're able, to lead with kindness and sensitivity. And leading with kindness and sensitivity doesn't make you a sucker. It doesn't mean you allow people to mistreat you. It does not mean that. It simply means that you don't let an ugly world make you ugly. You keep yourself and the things that make you a good person whole, even in the face of ugliness.
Second piece of advice I can give you, don't feel like you're stuck working in the field that you majored in, OK? You can always start over. This is, you know, majors don't really matter that much, ultimately. I probably-- this might be in the too soon category for many of you. You're like, I spent four years learning a thing and now you're telling me it doesn't matter? It does matter. What I'm saying is, you don't have to stick to it. It's freeing to just decide what you want to do as you're living your life.
For instance, in college, I majored in philosophy because I loved attempting to make sense of the world through understanding the nature of truth and morality, and I also thought I could get good grades just by arguing with people. But I also majored in computer science because I needed a job. But I was bad at computer science and programming, and that's where I'm breaking racial stereotypes.
[LAUGHTER]
During my time in college, I had a professor. Her name is Professor Johanna Meehan, and she was the reason I became a philosophy major because I like arguing and thinking about big things. But mostly, I became a philosophy major because I wanted to spend time with her. You know, back then, I didn't feel like I was good at anything, but being with her made me feel like I could be good at anything. She believed in me a way that nobody else ever did. She's the one who told me that I needed to pursue a career in comedy. She did, which is kind of funny, you know? She looked at it the other students, and thought, you're a great thinker. You should pursue a career in philosophy. She looked at me and said, you should tell jokes.
[LAUGHTER]
And it honestly meant the world to me. You know, I'm a kid from Karachi, Pakistan. Pursuing a career in entertainment wasn't something realistic, but the fact that she thought I could do it made me think maybe I could. One time, I remember I came into her office hours and she handed me this piece of paper with a bunch of names on it. And she said, these are all people who work in technology in Hollywood, and you're a Comp SCI major. Use that to get your foot in the door.
So I looked down this list of names, and I didn't recognize any of the names. Turns out my professor had watched the Oscars the night before and written down the names of all the people who had been nominated for special effects. And she said to me-- she gave me this piece of paper and said, take this. Follow your dreams. And it worked. It made me take a career in entertainment seriously, not because I called the people on that list. I didn't call the people on that list. But because for the first time, someone I looked up to, someone I trusted, someone way smarter than me, believed in me.
And she passed away earlier this year, and I never got to tell her directly what she meant to me, you know? I never got to tell her that I get to do what I get to do today because of her. I know she knew, and her family and friends told me she knew, but I wish I had said it to her directly.
So my third piece of advice is this-- if you are the recipient of kindness and sensitivity, acknowledge it. Tell the people who mean something to you that they mean something to you. Do it now. Do it with unabashed and embarrassing sincerity. Think about it right now, the professor who encouraged you at just the right time, the kid in your study group who lent you their notes, the one friend who said, hey, maybe don't post that on TikTok. Find them. Tell them. Thank them. You will never regret thanking someone, but you may regret waiting too long.
I want to end by saying this. You know, I know some of you may feel intimidated about going out into the world. You've been designated as adults who need to go out there, and you may feel ill prepared to function in the real world. And that is because you aren't prepared for the real world, because nobody is ever prepared for the real world. Have you seen the real world? The real world sucks. It does. Spoiler alert.
All you can do is try and deal with it the best you can because you are not fully baked. You're going to keep learning and changing. The most important three words for you are going to be, I don't know. Scary words to say out loud, but so important. There will be times when you feel like you have to fake it, to pretend, to be inauthentic. Try not to be that. As scary as it seems, be vulnerable. Be open to learning, to growing. Being true to yourself is tremendously freeing.
I graduated with degrees in computer science and philosophy, but the words of a professor changed the course of my life. I've been a programmer, a web designer, tech support, a mover, a stand-up, an actor, a writer, a husband, a cat dad. And at every step of the way, I had to relearn how to say I don't know, and challenge myself to try to learn and continue to grow while being true to who I am, while acknowledging that who I am constantly changes.
I should clarify one thing. This is important. The phrase "I don't know" is indeed very powerful, but not in a job interview setting. Be honest and truthful in life, but in a job interview, lie your ass off. Just say, yeah, I know how to do that. My first job interview, they asked me, do you know how to make websites? And I was like, yes, I do. dot com, dot org, dot gov, I know. I know how to do all the dots. I got the job, and I didn't get fired for six years. So follow my example. Say whatever you got to say to get the gig and then when you get the gig, that's when you start saying, I don't know. You made a huge mistake by hiring me. I'm going to be off camera today.
[LAUGHTER]
So those are my pieces of advice. Be OK with not knowing, because admitting that fact is what leads to learning. Let the people who mean something to that they mean something to you. Always check in with yourself and make sure you're doing what you want to be doing. And lie in interviews. But ultimately, try to lead with kindness and empathy.
In a world with negativity and conflict, it can seem like a Sisyphean task to lead with kindness and generosity, but it's the best weapon we have in our fight to make the world better, and I do think it's the responsibility of all of us to try to make the world slightly better. And kindness is not an easy weapon to wield. It can be awkward, clunky, sometimes ineffective, but it's free, and it will make you feel good. So that's what I got, OK?
Again, you probably won't remember this because I'm sure some of you snuck flasks into this thing, and you're getting a head start on tomorrow's hangover. So, you know, go out there. F things up. Try to be nice to others. Try to be nice to yourself. Oh, if you do remember one piece of advice, do remember this one. Just drink a lot of water, OK? Especially those of you who snuck in flasks. Thank you for having me.
[APPLAUSE]
ASHA PRABHAT: Amazing. Thank you, Kumail, for your kind, inspirational, and humorous notes to our class. I do have to tell you, The Big Sick has been one of my favorite movies since I was a kid, so seeing you on stage right now is so surreal.
KUMAIL NANJIANI: Thank you. That makes me feel very old.
ASHA PRABHAT: [LAUGHS]
As part of Cornell tradition, we wanted to extend you a Cornell medallion. This gift has been presented to our convocation speakers for the last few decades, so you're joining the ranks of some pretty cool people, as you mentioned.
KUMAIL NANJIANI: Thank you.
[APPLAUSE]
ASHA PRABHAT: OK. Before I announce the final performance of the event, I would just like to give a couple of quick notes. I know we're running just a few minutes behind, but as I want to say again, that we're giving out free merch on the way out. We also have saved an incredible performance for last, The Class Notes. But as you were leaving the event after The Class Notes and the Alma mater, if you need an accessible exit, please exit through the Teagle side or the side in which you entered out of there, or you can use any exit.
And again, please stay tuned as we're giving out free merch on your walk out of the event. And immediately following convocation, The Alumni Affairs and Development is doing a class of 2024 photo at Lynah Rink. Given that we didn't get the opportunity to ever get a full in-person picture because of the pandemic in 2020, this is our moment. So everyone, we should all go together after the event ends.
OK, so that brings us to our final performance. The Class Notes are Cornell's oldest existing all gender a cappella group. They perform on campus, the greater New York area, and also go on tour every year to various parts of the world. Previous tours have been to Jamaica, Canada, Miami, Boston, New York City, Virginia, et cetera.
The Class Notes have been featured on best of a cappella compilation albums, and are ICCCAs finalists, and also have won multiple awards. They recently released a studio album, Duality, which is currently available on all streaming platforms. And please stay in your seats until after their set because they'll conclude with the Alma mater, and you may see some surprising familiar faces. So please stay tuned. So without further ado, let's welcome The Class Notes.
[APPLAUSE]
[CHEERING]
- One, two, three, four.
[A CAPPELLA SINGING - LEROY SANCHEZ, "OUT MY WAY"]
Don't mind
Don't mind, just move out my way
Don't mind, just move out my way
Running away
Don't mind, just move out my way
Ha
Head underwater
You push me down
Said I look thirsty, then you held me till I drowned
Begging for worship
You said "bow down"
Still taste your silver plated ring in my mouth
Can't stop the water in the river from running away
Can't stop the fire, it'll burn if you pick up the flame
And like a ghost, I can't let go
I still remember the pain
I still remember the pain
But now it's turned to rhythm running through my veins
I've got a clearer vision since you've been way
And I can't help this feeling
It's going to take me there
Don't mind, just move out my way
Move out my way
My hands were shaking
Heart's beating fast
I turned the heat up trying to detox from the past
Well, I thought you should know it's about time you let go
Can't stop the water from running away
Can't stop the fire, it'll burn if you pick up the flame
And like a ghost, I can't let go
I still remember the pain
I still remember the pain
But now it's turned to rhythm running through my veins
I've got a clearer vision since you've been away
And I can't help this feeling
It's gonna take me there
Don't mind, just move out my way
Don't mind, just move out my way
Out my way
Oh,
Whoa, ah
Dum, dum, dum, dum, dum, dum, dum, dum
It's running away
And like a ghost, I can't let go
I still remember the pain
But now it's turned to rhythm running through my veins
I've got a clearer vision since you've been away
I can't help this feeling, it's going to take me there
Don't mind, just move out me way
Move out my way
[APPLAUSE]
[A CAPPELLA SINGING] I don't know if I can wait anymore
You treat my feelings like the dirt on the floor
My heart goes
Baby, my heart goes, oh
Walked out the door, left me alone
Thinking that I was missing
No way to call, no songs at all
It's been a week, eternity since you and I've been kissing
No one to blame, though
It's a shame, yeah
I give my all, you still need attention
I tell you I love you, but you don't listen
Say I'll wait, do your thing
I'm sorry that me being me is not what you pictured
I think you expect something straight out of fiction
I'm really here, not on television, yeah
I confess my love
If you don't believe me, scared that it's too easy
My love,
You will never stop my love
Even if you hate me, I will be there, baby
'Cause you're a part of me
Hey, hey, yeah
I'll wait for yo, just like I do
No matter how much wasted
Just promise me you'll try to see, yeah
I [INAUDIBLE] high altitude
This is a climb worth taking
[INAUDIBLE] follow me, yeah
I give my all, you still need attention
Tell you I love you, but you don't listen
Say how it goes, without supervision
I'm sorry that me being me is not what you pictured
I think you expect something straight out of fiction
I'm really here, not on television, yeah
I confess my love
If you don't believe me, scared that it's too easy, yeah
You will ever stop my love
Even if you hate me, I will be there, baby
Because you're part of me
Whoa,
Now, I think I really know the truth
I can tell just what you put me through
Even throw back your love around, just to tear me back down
So don't you dare go and play victim again
If you can, you try to introspect
See, I've been begging to prove that I'm worth loving you
But the more that I grow,
More that I need to let this shit go
I can not confess my love
If you don't believe me
Scared that it's too easy
You will never stop my love
Even if you hate me, I will be there, baby
I'll forgive you
But I got to let this shit go
The lying, dirty shit, I'll forgive you
But I got to let this shit go
[APPLAUSE]
SPEAKER: We'll now welcome the platform party and touchdown to help us sing the Alma mater. Everyone, please rise. Everyone, please rise.
[CHATTER]
["FAR BEYOND CAYUGA'S WATERS" PLAYING]
- (SINGING) Far above Cayuga's waters with its waves of blue
Stands our noble Alma Mater, glorious to view
Lift the chorus, speed it onward
Loud her praises tell
Hail to thee, our Alma Mater
Hail, all hail, Cornell
Far above the busy humming of the bustling town
Reared against the arch of heaven
Looks she proudly down
Lift the chorus, speed it onward
Loud her praises tell
Hail to thee, our Alma Mater
Hail, all hail, Cornell
[STREAMERS SHOOTING]
[APPLAUSE]
[FLO RIDA, "MY HOUSE"] We can't even slow down
We don't like to go out
Welcome to my house
Play that music too loud
Show me what you do now
We don't have to go out
Welcome to my house
Welcome to my house
Morning comes and you know that you want to stay
The Senior Convocation Ceremony is a Cornell tradition that takes place during the Senior Days leading up to Commencement Weekend. Convocation is a student-led event that celebrates the accomplishments of the undergraduate graduating class. Highlights of the event include a student speaker, a student poet, student organization performances, University leadership, and an invited guest speaker.
