Aaron Mendis, B.S. electrical engineering
Welcome professors, faculty, families, and most importantly the graduating students, to the 2022 engineering and computer science commencement.
Wow! Isn’t this amazing that after years of mind-numbing work and many tears, we have finally made it to the end of another chapter in our lives. As such, I would like to take a moment and thank those who have helped launch us to this stage.
To our professors, thank you for your dedication and the numerous hours spent to prepare us for not only the working industry, but for the advancement in our respective fields. Your knowledge and skills have been passed down to us, the engineers of tomorrow — and that is something that can only be repaid through utmost dedication to our career.
To our families, thank you for your unquestioning support and faith. Thank you for helping us believe in ourselves. And thank you for giving us the ability to realize our full potential. We are forever grateful to you.
Now, I would like to take this amazing opportunity that I have been granted to tell you some of the experiences I have shared with my classmates and instructors. It was during my sophomore year that I was able to meet my fellow electrical and computer engineers. Upon realizing that we would be in many classes together, we decided we would help one another bounce back from the hailstorm of exams and lab reports that awaited us.
And as we progressed, we continued our education from Zoom university, where it became hard to see the shimmering light at the end of the tunnel. Many of us struggled, and at times, contemplated why we chose engineering or computer science over business. But due to our persistent nature as engineers, we continued down this rigorous path. And now that we are here, I can finally say we have persevered through the many challenges and hurdles that awaited us in this journey. However, even though the goal is within sight, it is not the finish line.
We are now the innovators of tomorrow, and as such, we will be looked upon to help our society move forward into the future. Some of us will be responsible for the upkeep of the power grid to ensure a reliable infrastructure. Others will go on to work for companies that will push innovation and creativity to the limits. And a select few will decide to come back to work for academia to enlighten the students of tomorrow.
Furthermore, I hope that the future educators not only learn from the past, but improve upon it to spark interest in their students. As we leave today, we will now be responsible for not only our individual futures but that of this country as a whole. It is our time and responsibility to ensure a better tomorrow. Therefore, we must persevere despite the challenges that we face as we did here at Cal State Fullerton. We must push on despite how unbearably hard things may become, because after all, we are Titans and Titans Reach Higher.
I would like to congratulate the Class of 2022 on an amazing achievement and I wish you the best as you walk out into the world and accomplish extraordinary feats.