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[AUDIO LOGO] MANOJ THOMAS: Good afternoon, everybody. It's my pleasure to welcome you to Cornell University.
AUDIENCE: Whoo.
MANOJ THOMAS: My name is Manoj Thomas. I'm the associate dean for NYC Initiatives and the senior director of the executive MBA programs. In just a few minutes, the procession of our executive MBA graduates and the faculty will begin. The procession will include graduates from four Cornell executive MBA programs, executive MBA and MS in healthcare leadership, Cornell-Tsinghua finance MBA, Executive MBA Metro New York Program, and Executive MBA Americas Program.
I now invite everybody to take their seats. Please silence your cell phones at this point. Thank you. And also, please keep the aisles clear. Family and friends of our graduates--
[MUSIC PLAYING]
The academic procession is ready to begin. Please stand now, and remain standing as our graduates enter the arena. Please welcome and congratulate the executive MBA Metro New York class of 2024--
AUDIENCE: [CHEERING]
MANOJ THOMAS: Led by Professor Theomary Karamanis.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Next, please welcome and congratulate the Cornell-Tsinghua finance MBA class of 2024, along with graduates from recent years who could not travel to Ithaca led by Professor Mike Waldman.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Next, please welcome and congratulate the executive MBA, MS in healthcare leadership class, led by Professor Vrinda Kadiyali.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Next, please welcome and congratulate the Cornell Executive MBA Americas class of 2024, led by Professor Brian White.
AUDIENCE: [CHEERING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
MANOJ THOMAS: Students and guests, please remain standing. Please stand up or remain standing and welcome Johnson's faculty, led by the Dean of Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, Andrew Karolyi, and the Johnson Dean, Vishal Gaur.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Welcome to Johnson Executive MBA Commencement Ceremony in honor of the class of 2024.
AUDIENCE: [CHEERING]
MANOJ THOMAS: Before we begin the formal portion of the program, I would like to introduce those on stage with me who have roles in the ceremony. Sara Lynn Ianni, executive director of EMBA programs and the program director for EMBA Metro.
AUDIENCE: [CHEERING]
MANOJ THOMAS: Christina Sun, executive director of dual degree programs.
AUDIENCE: [CHEERING]
MANOJ THOMAS: Christine Cortalano, director of the executive MBA, MS, and Health Care Leadership Program.
AUDIENCE: [CHEERING]
MANOJ THOMAS: Todd McCarthy, director of the EMBA Americas Program.
AUDIENCE: [CHEERING]
MANOJ THOMAS: Vishal Gaur, dean of the Johnson School.
AUDIENCE: [CHEERING]
MANOJ THOMAS: Also present on the stage are Andrew Karolyi, dean of the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business. And Ya-Ru Chen, academic dean of China initiatives.
AUDIENCE: Whoo.
MANOJ THOMAS: I would now like to introduce Dean Vishal Gaur. Vishal Gaur is the Anne and Elmer Lindseth Dean and Emerson professor of manufacturing management at the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management in the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business. Dean Gaur earned his PhD from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, and B. Tech in computer science and engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi.
Dean Gaur teaches and conducts research in areas related to digital operations, supply chain management, and e-commerce. He has received eight teaching awards, including the class of 1992 Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching, and the Johnson School's Core Faculty Award, and the Stephen Russell Distinguished Teaching Award. Please join me now in welcoming Dean Gaur to the podium to deliver the commencement address.
VISHAL GAUR: Thank you, Manoj, Members of the class of 2024, families, and friends, on behalf of the Johnson faculty, I am honored to welcome you to the graduation ceremonies for the 77th graduating class of the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management in the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business. This weekend, we are thrilled to celebrate the accomplishments of the degree candidates from our four executive MBA programs, 63 from the Cornell Executive MBA in Metro New York--
AUDIENCE: [CHEERING]
VISHAL GAUR: 129 from the Cornell Executive MBA Americas.
AUDIENCE: [CHEERING]
VISHAL GAUR: 42 from the EMBA MS in Healthcare Leadership.
AUDIENCE: [CHEERING]
VISHAL GAUR: Of course. And 100 from the Cornell-Tsinghua MBA FMBA program, plus additional--
AUDIENCE: [CHEERING]
VISHAL GAUR: Plus additional FMBA graduates from the classes of 2020 to 2023 who had suffered during COVID with incomplete study trips to Ithaca. The FMBA class of 2024 also completed their two Cornell residential sessions back to back in one year. We gather today to honor all of your achievements. We celebrate you.
AUDIENCE: [CHEERING]
VISHAL GAUR: Your effort and dedication have been remarkable. You pursued your careers while simultaneously pursuing your education. You've lost sleep and you gained frequent flyer miles by dedicating your vacation time to trips to Ithaca and to other residential locations. And for most of you, this dedication and hard work have been shown by others as well as yourselves. So let's take a moment to thank those who have provided support along the path to this achievement. Families, friends, and members of this community, we thank you.
I also want to thank my faculty and staff colleagues who are here with us today, including Professor Manoj Thomas, the senior director for EMBA programs, professor Ya-Ru Chen, and Professor Eric Yeung for the FMBA program. And our esteemed faculty who are not only dedicated to your success, demonstrating this every day, both inside and outside the classroom, but are also world renowned for their scholarship in business disciplines and for the impact of their work.
Our staff, likewise, have supported you throughout your journey at Johnson, including admissions, registration, student events, and job search up to and including today. We all know that an event like this does not occur without many people working behind the scenes in ways that we can only imagine. So please join me thanking the faculty and staff for all they have done, and continue to do, to support you and support Johnson.
Now, let's talk about you and your Johnson experience. First, your community impact. EMBA graduate Marie-Andree Lessard has been involved in getting the Canadian Olympians ready for the Paris Summer Olympics while completing her EMBA. And--
AUDIENCE: [CHEERING]
MANOJ THOMAS: Hold the applause, please. There will be several examples coming up. Another EMBA graduate, Victor Sonephet, worked with classmates to raise over $30,000 for mental health and military career transitions for veterans. Two graduates. Mina-- yes. Two graduates, Mina Abdulla and Tiffany Christopher launched a podcast called MBA League Pass to help remove barriers for individuals seeking MBA education. Graduates of our FMBA program have served as leaders of their residential communities in the context of China's COVID lockdown.
For example, Chen Shen mobilized donations from FMBA program alumni towards food and medical supplies for Shanghai citizens and continued to do this for several years. Another FMBA graduate, Hao Jiang, was elected to the All-China Youth Federation in Chongqing, representing nine million young citizens. And many of you have inspired others within your student community, such as Dr. James Satterfield, who received the Student Engagement Award for the Healthcare Leadership Program, and leads the class with his energy and caring.
Now, let's talk about your contributions beyond Johnson and Cornell through your projects and start ups. I would like to highlight, again, just a few examples. John [? Cazri ?] was featured in Poets&Quants for his sustainability startup ventures, Innovate Sphere and InvestWise Learning, the latter coming out of the Johnson Summer Startup Accelerator Program.
A team of our EMBA MS students in their capstone project led a primary care provider utilize artificial intelligence in value-based care delivery. Sowmya Sanapala has partnered with Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes Foundation on the development of a medical student mental health program. Many others--
AUDIENCE: [CHEERING]
MANOJ THOMAS: Many others among you have been involved in fellowship programs for the emerging markets institute, the life sciences entrepreneurship, and the green tech entrepreneurship, where you work together with students from other Johnson degree programs as well as PhD scientists from the rest of Cornell.
I would be remiss if I did not celebrate your accomplishments at work while you were in the EMBA programs. Many of you accepted new roles or received significant promotions at organizations such as Nuveen, Accessible, Align Technologies, Moderna, et cetera. And sometimes, an opportunity was created through a referral from a Cornellian. Along the way, you have balanced careers, families, and commitments, while for some moving to new international locations. You know who you are.
You've mastered the key themes of a Johnson MBA, excellence, leadership, and collaboration across teams, across disciplines, and across cultures. I would also like to highlight another way in which you've made an impact.
Each generation of Johnson students benefits from those who came before. Just as our alumni support the school, as inspiring class speakers, mentors, recruiters, and financially, you also distinguished yourselves through contributions to Johnson's annual fund and the year's-- this year's class campaign. I have to give you a special shout out to the class campaign leaders who have done so much. Would everyone please join me in applauding the achievements, generosity, and dedication of this wonderful class.
AUDIENCE: Whoo-hoo.
VISHAL GAUR: So now, as the dean of the school, here's my ask. You knew it was coming. Like deans before me have said, whenever you let a dean speak, there's an ask. But this one is pretty painless. And it's simple. Please just keep it up. Keep engaging with this community and keep striving to make your unique impact. From a community standpoint, you're now part of a broader community of over 18,000 Johnson graduates, more than 45,000 college graduates, and well over 250,000 proud Cornellians, all bleeding Cornell red, and now all part of your extended family.
When I speak with alumni who graduated 20, 40, 50, 60 years ago, they tell me of their professors, and their fellow classmates, and the impact that Johnson had on their careers and their lives. I encourage you to make the resolution to stay engaged with your class and with the school. Life will take us in different directions. But these ties are strong. These are the ties that bind. Be there for your fellow alumni, as you've been there for your fellow students in your degree programs.
My pledge is that we'll be here for you as well. From an impact standpoint, I don't have to encourage you to excel. I know you will. The world faces big problems, but you've already shown that you can make a difference with your compassion, your caring, and your drive to make a difference. You're leaders. When a big challenge occurs, rise to meet it. You have proven that you can succeed. Your Johnson degree will help you along the way. And you will honor the degree with all that you achieve.
I can't wait to see with my colleagues what amazing success awaits you. We are immensely proud of you. All in attendance, please help me congratulate the class of 2024.
MANOJ THOMAS: Thank you, Dean Gaur. I would now like to recognize the student council members and class representatives from the Cornell-Tsinghua FMBA, the student council members and class representatives from the executive MBA in Health Care Leadership Program. Please stand up. The student council members and class representatives from the Metro NY Executive-- please remain standing, the student council members. Let's give them all round of applause for all that they have done.
Next, I ask the class of 2024 campaign agents for-- from all programs to stand up. Thank you. Thank you for all that you have done for your classes in these important roles. Now, we are pleased to recognize exemplary graduates in the class of 2024, who have received awards for their significant contributions in the classroom and to their peers. I ask that the following students please stand up and be acknowledged. Please hold your applause until all the names have been announced.
Laura Ardizzone. Laura Ardizzone. OK, she's not here. [? Sanaa ?] Alibhai. Please remain standing. James Satterfield. Shital Sharma. Waleed Javaid. Marie-Andree Lessard. Brandon [? Jernigan. ?]
AUDIENCE: Whoo.
MANOJ THOMAS: Priyam Nidhi. Pihu Sharma. Nick LaVigne. Let's give them a big round of applause for their accomplishments.
AUDIENCE: [CHEERING]
MANOJ THOMAS: At this time, we would like to recognize faculty members who have been awarded program-specific teaching awards. I ask that these professors stand up, and in fact, come forward, when their names are called. The winner of the EMBA America Star Award for Teaching Excellence this year is Professor Brian White.
AUDIENCE: [CHEERING]
MANOJ THOMAS: The recipient of the EMBA MS in Healthcare Leadership Faculty Award this year is Professor Gautam Ahuja. Don't think he's here. He's in New York City. The winner of the EMBA Metro New York Globe Award for Teaching Excellence is Professor Yaniv Grinstein. He's also not here. The recipient of Cornell-Tsinghua FMBA Gravitas Award is Professor Risa Mish. She's here.
AUDIENCE: [CHEERING]
MANOJ THOMAS: One more. One more. The winner of the Cornell-Tsinghua FMBA Best Teaching Award is Mike Waldman. And the winner of the Cornell-Tsinghua FMBA Star Professor Award is Ya-Ru Chen. Let's all give them a round of big applause. Thank you, professors. At this time, I would like to invite-- to introduce Dean Andrew Karolyi. Andrew Karolyi is the Charles Field Knight Dean of the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, and Harold Bierman Junior distinguished professor of management.
Dean Karolyi is a scholar in investment management with a specialization in international financial markets, and as you know, has published extensively in prestigious journals and published several books. Dean Karolyi is a newly-elected chair of the working board of responsible research in business and management, and the vice chair of the United Nations Principles for Responsible Management Education. He is an advisory councilor for the Kroner Center for Financial Research, and also serves as a global advisory councilor for accounting for sustainability, which is a charitable fund group of King Charles III.
Dean Karolyi received his BA in economics from McGill University and earned his MBA and PhD degrees in finance at the University of the Chicago-- of Chicago Booth School of Business. Please join me in welcoming Dean Karolyi to the podium to deliver his remarks.
ANDREW KAROLYI: Very nice. It's very nice. Are you feeling the energy that I'm feeling right now? Congratulations to the class of 2024. Wonderful. Congratulations on the achievements we celebrate today. Welcome to the newest stage of your relationship with your Alma mater. As most valued alumni, you will remain critical members of our community. And we will continue to rely on and listen to you. We value your voices.
How do we do this? Well, each year, we invite alumni all around the world at various signature events to join our faculty and our staff in defining a particular theme across a number of different events that we take place. This year, we chose the theme deeply responsible leadership.
You may have heard me talk about this in various events that we've hosted, the EMBA Metros, Tsinghua, as well as the Americas program. What is this? Well, for decades now, business leaders have been told that their responsibility was to the bottom line, to elevate profits and returns to investors over all else. It's beautifully embodied in one of my favorite Milton Friedman quotes. It goes like this. "There is one, and only one responsibility of business, to use its resources and engage in activities designed to increase its profits so long as it stays within the rules of the game."
Now, in fact, the last phrase that you heard there is too often omitted, shortchanging, I think, the subtlety of Professor Friedman. But that's another story for another day.
The truth is that businesses and business leaders have struggled understanding their ultimate responsibilities, at least for a couple of hundred years now. What we're seeing today is that society is challenging us to rethink the fundamental responsibilities of business leaders. And honestly, it's quite hard to pin down. Now, in its-- his 2022 book entitled Deeply Responsible Leadership, business historian Geoffrey Jones asks us to reflect on the history of deeply-responsible leaders through a series of case studies over time going back into the 1800s, careful research.
He concludes in the book that deeply-responsible leaders are agile. They have a mindset that can quickly understand opportunities when they arise. They assess situations. They use data as discipline. They formulate strategies. They make decisions. And then they take bold actions. They have a growth mindset and they strive to remove roadblocks. They are people centered, who-- leaders who value inclusivity and belonging. Why? Because organizations make better decisions when harnessing the collective wisdom of many.
They always consider the communities in which they operate and the implications of their operations for the natural environment. And they think about all stakeholders, not just shareholders. Is it easy to be a deeply-responsible leader? Hardly. Jones points out that balancing conflicting stakeholder concerns in a world where there's geopolitical turmoil, not too dissimilar to what we're experiencing these days, legal risks too hard to comply with inconsistent regulatory regimes, they all make for a few complexities and competing priorities.
There are lofty expectations and tall orders that come to deeply-responsible leaders, no doubt. But I say here, stand here with confidence in front of you, saying that with your newly-minted degrees from this wonderful, wonderful Johnson school, I believe each of you are up to the task. At Cornell and throughout the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, our complex, nuanced, and much-debated understanding of what constitutes deeply-responsible corporate leadership, what drives deeply-responsible leaders, and honestly, why any and all of this matters.
It's embedded in our mission, which is to develop the responsible business leaders of tomorrow. Agile, people centered, data disciplined, broadly stakeholder motivated.
Now, not surprisingly, I have a uniquely Cornellian spin on that very mission and the concept of deeply-responsible leadership. And it comes directly from Ezra Cornell himself, our founder, benefactor. It was in an 1840 letter, often overlooked. 1840 letter 25 years before he founded this university before he had amassed his good fortune that allowed us to create this university.
It was a letter he wrote to his son, Alonzo, when he was starting out in business, and he was trying to share and impart some sense to him about what the future might hold. He talked about the virtue and establishing what he calls, and here's the quote I want you to remember. "Character upon a fixed principle, to do right because it is right for the sake of right, and nothing else. Every act should be measured by that rule. Is it right? Let a pure heart prompt an honest conscience to answer the question and all will be well."
1840. Ezra Cornell. Let's all live up to Ezra Cornell's lofty founding principles for this incredible university and his pragmatic advice to his own son. We develop business leaders who are here to do the greatest good. So now, you're graduates. And I encourage you to continue to bring that advice forward in a true Cornellian fashion. Put people first. Draw on the DNA of Cornell in thinking about the ultimate responsibilities of business, which is for people, for societies of people, as well as the natural environment in which they live.
Cornellians are first and foremost community-minded people. So think about collaboration and engagement more and zero-sum games less. Courageously experiment with new ideas and approaches. Develop entrepreneurial solutions to the most pressing global problems, reducing inequality, advancing climate action, building sustainable cities, championing responsible consumption and production, prioritize good health, decent work, well being.
Four. Be inclusive and bring this ethos to the organizations you will lead. As principled business leaders, think deeply about your responsibilities and your impact.
So as your time at Cornell draws to a close, and you embark on the next phase of your journey, remember that you're joining an incredibly supportive global community of Cornellians 50,000 strong, Cornell SC Johnson College of Business alumni around the world, more than 250,000 Cornell strong. Take every opportunity you can to engage, connect, and continue this to strengthen the network that makes Cornell, our college, and this beautiful Johnson School so powerful. Congratulations. And go, Big Red.
AUDIENCE: Whoo-hoo.
MANOJ THOMAS: Thank you, Dean Karolyi for exhorting our graduates to be responsible leaders. It's now time to celebrate. It's now time to recognize our graduates. And I invite Sara Lynn Ianni to the mic.
SARA LYNN IANNI: Thank you. At this time, I'd like to ask our executive MBA Metro New York students to please stand and come forward to be recognized. Mina Abdulla. Esra Abir. Deepthi Andi. Joaille Araujo. Shawn Khaliq Awan. Priyanka Brahmbhatt. Emanuel Castelan. Naomi Cervantes. Tiffany Ko Christopher. Courtney Curtsinger.
Hany Emara. Gizem Ercan, with distinction. Rajesh Daniel Felix. Alexandra Feliz. Moriah Frank. Reuben Frank. Jonah [? Frey. ?] Nelson Frias. Ji Hyun Han. Andrew Hoppe. Ping Hu. Robert Jacobs. Ashish Joshi. Scott Jun. Yosuke Kashii.
Nobu Kiyohara, with distinction. Got you. Amol Kumar. Lei Li. Youshen Lim. Nicholas LaVigne. Renton Livingston. Xintao Luo. Gregory Luttman. Oksana Markuta, with distinction.
Christian McIntire. Priyam Nidhi, with distinction. Hemal Patel. Solomon Ponniah. Anam Soha Rafi, with distinction. Michael James Riksheim. Nicholas Theodore Russell. Tina Sen. Prabhu Shanmugam. Pihu Sharma. Chandra Shukla. Alexander Solomon. Swathi Tadepalli. Sonephet Victor Vichith. Joshua Peter Warnet. Tim Wilson, with distinction.
Jessica Yeung. Eduardo Ynaty. Erwen Yu. Golshan Zaheri. Congratulation-- congratulations, Metro New York.
CHRISTINA SONG: I'm Christina Song, executive director of China Dual Degree Programs. I ask that the FMBA graduates please stand and come forward to be honored.
Lei Chen. [? Xia Qun Du. ?] Li Chun [? Gun. ?] Xiaoshuang Guo. Yue Huo, distinction. Hao Jiang. Baobao Jin. Qian Liu. Yanni Luo. Ting [? Mung. ?] Meizi Ouyang. Chen [? Shen. ?] Junfei Sun. [? Niu Wang. ?] Dafu Wen. Xiaoxiao Xia. Fan Yang. Lan Zhan.
CHRISTINE CORTALANO: I'm Christine Cortalano director of the Executive MBA MSM Health Care Leadership Program. At this time, I'd like to ask our EMBA MS in Healthcare Leadership Students to come to the stage to be recognized.
Vikram Agadi. Olubunmi Akinbajo. Sanaa Alibhi. Janica Alvarez. Joseph Ardolino. Michael Stavis Bohl. Ben Eachon. Lola Famuyiwa. Sherry Fang. Eric Fishman. Gallop Phedro Franklin. Nandita Gupta. Alexander William Harrington. Waleed Javaid. Mohit Jetti. Jasmine Kaur.
Rachael Kermis. Joanna Katherine Kolasa. Rachana Kolluru. Laura March. Evan Meles. Nichele Nivens. Emmanuella Nnadili. Gabriella Francesca. Prost. Imran Samad Qureshi. Neal Remedios. Sowmya Sanapala. James Edward Satterfield.
Quynh Tran. Allison Sharkey. Ananya Sen. Ashay Shah. Reema Sarla Shah. Shital Sharma.
Congratulations to the Executive MBA MS in Healthcare Leadership class of '24.
AUDIENCE: [CHEERING]
TODD MCCARTHY: I'm Todd McCarthy, director of the EMBA Americas program. I ask that the America's graduates, please stand and come forward to be honored. Dennis Adams. Raphael Adeyemo. Krishna Adusumilli. Soledad Almeida. Malik Saad Amjad. Hailey Arakelian. Adebimpe Deborah Ashogbon. Kamel Awad. Ivonne Barrientos. Drew Beasley.
Stephen Beck, with distinction. Andrew Bergman. Camille Bissereth. Steven Bolton. Alvin Brown. Yu Cao, with distinction. Sienna Chen. Steven Chijow Chen.
Ashley Samantha Chiu. David Coronado. Ricardo Coronado. Robin Camille Dennis. Julia Lauren Dipalma, with distinction. Nadav Dray. Genevieve Chelsea Eccleston, with distinction. Laurel A Eschbach. Matthew Scott Fernandez. David Richard Ferrari. Kelly Catherine Fitzsimmons. Kaylin Garcia. Leonardo Arturo Gomez Garcia Barbosa. Renee Marcelo Guerra.
Zulfiger Habeeb. Aris Hantara Hadi. Alan Han. Mark Harder. Janah P. Hemphill. Abigail Laura Hillman. Yifan Darren Hoe. Jeremy Jason. Brandon Jernigan. Joash Gattis Katsivo. Donna C. Keefe, with distinction.
Martin Fung-Tin Kwong. Antoni Kindler. Jesse William Kreager. John Khazraee. Veronica Beatriz Laitano. Timothy Lapinskas, with distinction. Marie-Andree Lessard, with distinction. Melissa Lisante. Constanza Lopez Vela. Marc D. Marinchak. Alberto Marquez. Robert Caleb McCray.
Nicole McQuiddy-Davis. Raquel Medina Schmidt. Fernando Méndez Salazar. Trevor Kilele Mimano. Kundan Moktan. Kashefa Nagamiea. Larisse Nana Kouadjo. Timothy David Nank. Victoria Onyeabor, with distinction. Alexandra Orlando. Philip Owh. Olaide Oyekoya.
Guillermo Perez Michel. Andrew M. Page. Jeffrey David Pankratz. Andrew Patullo. Angel Alexis Perez. Ramasree Pitla. Brett Michael Powell. Jaclyn Ranade. Vishal Rane. Dorcas Benner Riley, with distinction. Assad Sabag. Vishal Saini. Charandeep Singh. Matt Snoei, with distinction. Richard Samboy.
Kurt Sarsfield, with distinction. Samuel David Scott. Juan Sebastian Serna. Eugenio Jose Souto Gallardo. Bradley Curtis Spence. Alyssa Pontes Stablein. Vijay Vaibhay Sundar. Sarah Catherine. Ruth Tino. Cole M. Tucker, with distinction. Subramaniyam Vaithilingham. Diego Vegas. James Gordon Wakeland. Philip Walker. Wei Hua Wang.
Shane Michael Ward. Patrick Whitty. Eric William Worley. Catherine Elizabeth Wright. Fiona Yu. Xavier Zambrano. Please congratulate the Executive MBA Americas 2024.
AUDIENCE: [CHEERING]
MANOJ THOMAS: That was awesome. So much energy, so much excitement. Congratulations to all our graduates. You have achieved a great deal. And you should be very, very proud of your accomplishments. You are a truly remarkable class. And we'll all miss seeing you. Although we are here to recognize our graduates, we also want to acknowledge the family and friends who have gathered here today. Very special thanks to those who have made this achievement possible. I want all graduates to do the following now.
I want you to get up, turn around to your families, and give them a real big round of applause for all that they've done for you.
AUDIENCE: [CHEERING]
MANOJ THOMAS: Thank you. Finally, please join me in thanking the many staff and volunteers who are here on this holiday weekend to make your graduation a special and memorable occasion for you and for your families.
AUDIENCE: [APPLAUSE]
MANOJ THOMAS: As graduates of the Johnson School, you play a very critical role in the future of our school. I urge you to stay in touch with each other and also with us. We trust that Johnson and Cornell will continue to be instrumental in helping you realize your goals, and that the friendships you forged in this program will last your entire life. Once again, hearty congratulations to the class of 2024.
AUDIENCE: [CHEERING]
MANOJ THOMAS: Now, I would like to ask everyone to join us in singing the Alma mater. And you'll find the words on the back of your program sheets. All of us, please stand up.
[AUDIENCE SINGING INAUDIBLY]
MANOJ THOMAS: There is a reception at Sage Hall following the ceremony. We invite all graduates and families to please join us for the reception. All EMBA students, families, friends are welcome. Now, please remain standing for the recessional of our faculty. Graduates, you'll be released by row. Thank you, and have a wonderful weekend and an amazing future.
(SINGING) Strike up a song to Cornell
And let the swelling chorus rise before us
Strike up a song to Cornell
And set the campus ringing with our singing
Fill the glasses with a song and drink the magic music spell
We will sound the joy of life intense in the rousing toast to Cornell
Strike up a song to Cornell
And let the swelling chorus rise before us
Strike up a song to Cornell
And set the campus ringing with our singing
Fill the glasses with a song and drink the magic music spell
We will sound the joy of life intense in a rousing toast to Cornell
Strike up a song to Cornell
And let the-- strike up a song to Cornell
Strike up a song to Cornell
[MUSIC PLAYING]
(SINGING) From rocky height, we come to fight
For the name Cornell has made
And people cheer without a fear
That her good name will ever fade
Fight to the end
Don't break or bend
Until our team has won the game
And fight for might, for right, for Cornell's name
For the glory that brings us fame
Make all advances strong and true today
Take all the chances fate throws in the way
Fight for the glory that is earned so well
Victory makes history
So fight Cornell
Make all advances strong and true today
Take all the chances fate throws in the way
Fight for the glory that is earned so well
Victory makes history
So fight for Cornell
