Kara Curtis

Hello everyone! First, congratulations, fellow graduates. Each and every one of you has done so much to be here in this room today. That said, I know from experience that this is not an individual journey, but rather a combination of our own hard work and the love, assistance and encouragement of our peers, families, advisors and mentors. Thank you all for your support of the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences (EPPS) Class of 2024, and for being here on this momentous day to celebrate and recognize our graduates.

As we look ahead to the next chapter of our lives, I know I am not alone in feeling a weird mix of nerves, excitement and some apprehension for all of the changes to come.

Changes like a new job or a new area of graduate study. Finding a new place to live and meeting new people. I’ve found myself thinking more and more recently about change and how EPPS has prepared us not just to change into fully functioning members of society, but to use our degrees to change the world around us. I want to take a moment to appreciate that change. It is hard and uncomfortable. But being brave means doing hard and uncomfortable things.

Changing the world is a tough thing to do, but as graduates of the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences, we are equipped with knowledge of the systems that shape our everyday lives, and we are uniquely capable of leaving an indelible mark on the world. EPPS majors are creative. We are passionate. We are motivated. Now, it is time for us to be bold. Now is the time for us to go out and enact the change we wish to see.

Each of us has already changed and grown in so many immeasurable ways over the course of our time at UTD. If someone had shown freshman me a picture of myself standing here today, I don’t think I would have recognized myself. The thing about change is that it isn’t a solitary, individual thing.

Rather, there is an incredible cohort of people here at UTD who have aided in our development as students, and as people, that we must recognize. First, professors. I may be biased, but EPPS has some of the best professors at UTD. The professors who took the time to explain their research in interesting fields or invited us to do research alongside them. The professors who provided academic guidance in ways that made us stronger students. The professors who opened their offices to students and guided them through all of the pitfalls of college life. Think of how each of us has changed from nervously attending our first office hours meeting to finding mentors and forming meaningful relationships with professors that will continue for years after UTD.

When I think of change, I also think of my peers. It is alongside other UTD students that I learned how to be a semi-functional adult. From having a friend patiently walk me through how to boil an egg to those classmates who send you notes when you’re out sick, your peers have so much to teach you, and you to teach them. That doesn’t end after your time at UTD either. The nice thing about change is you always have the capacity to do more of it.

Lean on your peers, allow them to be your cheerleaders and explore life alongside them. Be changed by each other and change the world together.

The future can be scary, but it also presents opportunities. Opportunities to collaborate with peers and mentors, new and old, to continue your personal path of change. Opportunities to begin careers that allow you to create change on a larger scale. Opportunities to positively change others. EPPS has prepared us to be leaders and visionaries and to seize our future. So let me give you each a task: use your degrees for change. It is rarely comfortable. It’s never easy. But it always leads to new things, shifts in perspective and growth.

So, Class of 2024, embrace the change, and move confidently forward into the future. I can’t wait to see what you all do next. Thank you.

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Kara Jane Curtis is a McDermott Scholar and an international political economy major on the pre-law track. During her time at UT Dallas, she served a one-year term as president of UTD Women Pursuing Law, which is now the largest pre-law organization on campus. She has also excelled academically and competitively as a two-time participant in the American Moot Court Association’s national tournament. Among nearly 500 teams nationwide, she qualified for the national competition twice, and last year, she and her partner ranked as the highest-performing moot court team in Texas. Curtis has also been an active member of the UTD Chamber Singers, performing internationally in Spain, Germany and Poland. Additionally, she has served as a Liberal Arts Honors Cohort mentor, a volunteer with Reading Partners of North Texas and a two-year term as senator in the Student Government. In the fall, she will continue her academic journey by attending the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School as a Levy Scholar, earning a full-ride scholarship.