Aneesha Devulapally
Now that we have attained the power of education, it is our responsibility to put it to good use, prosper and, more importantly, contribute to the scientific community and to the betterment of humankind.
– Aneesha Devulapally
My warmest regards to everyone present here. It is with great pleasure and honor that I stand here in front of you, feeling immensely proud of us all graduates. We did it!
“Education is the most powerful weapon, which you can use to change the world.” These are the words of an inspirational leader, Nelson Mandela, and UT Dallas is a university that not only strives to provide remarkable education to its students, but also to polish their personalities. I know you all will agree with me when I say that our time at UT Dallas has let us reflect upon our journeys and contemplate our decisions, but, most importantly, it has taught us some valuable lessons. I learned to be courageous and determined.
When I first set foot into this country, millions of thoughts rushed through my mind — about what my future holds, and my journey thereon. I knew that my interests and passion lay in this field, but there was always a fear of taking the risk.
This internal monologue continued strongly until the very first day of classes when my professor empathetically expressed that most students have come from faraway places, from diverse backgrounds and are staying away from home. The professor set about with a method of instruction that involved adaptive teaching.
Which is why, as the academics commenced, I could see my apprehensions slowly but steadily transforming into confidence, and all my decisions leading to where I was seemed nothing but right.
I am pretty sure that these apprehensions occurred to all of us, in different forms, in different magnitudes. It’s commendable how each one of us, although with the same destination, defined and undertook our own paths to overcome our fears.
Ruminating on my journey, I can say for sure that the invaluable lessons I learned by taking risks and coping with every situation with determination and persistence, are eternal. It reminded me of a verse from Bhagavad Gita, which I would like to recite for you all:
“karmaṇy-evādhikāras te mā phaleṣhu kadāchana
mā karma-phala-hetur bhūr mā te saṅgo ’stvakarmaṇi.”
It translates to: “You have a right to perform your prescribed duties, but you are not entitled to the fruits of your actions.”
It did not take much time for UT Dallas to become my home after that. There is a momentum in the culture here that makes you want to thrive both academically and personally. The luscious green campus makes one feel grateful for all things beautiful. Reading a book from the huge collection in the library, attending workshops and participating in University events, along with working on challenging assignments, make us realize how short a day is.
Talking about the challenging assignments, I must admit that it was not a smooth journey — well, nothing is. It was a roller-coaster ride. However, the exceptional faculty members and their passion for academics and education helped us persevere through tough times. So, I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude on behalf of all the graduating students to all the professors, for their dedication, their untiring efforts and sincerity in providing quality education to all of us. I thank you very much!
All this would not have been possible without the immense support from each of our family members. So, here’s to all of them! I would also like to take this opportunity to thank my family. My father, for saying, “We got this!” whenever I felt low — it makes everything better. My mother, for somehow (mysteriously) coming up with solutions to all my problems. My sister and brother-in-law for being my cushion, making sure I felt comfortable throughout my journey. And lastly, my friends, for their constant support. I thank you all!
“With great power comes great responsibility,” as we are reminded by our beloved Uncle Ben in Spider-Man. Now that we have attained the power of education, it is our responsibility to put it to good use, prosper and, more importantly, contribute to the scientific community and to the betterment of humankind.
Wishing you all the best for your future endeavors! Congratulations, Class of 2022!
Thank you!
Aneesha Devulapally, a native of India, is graduating with a master’s degree in computer science, specializing in data science. She takes a keen interest in the applications of technology and computer science in the fields of biology and biomedical sciences, particularly bioinformatics and genome assembly. She has participated in hackathons and was a winner at UTD HackReason 2022. She has also worked on several projects developing on her interdisciplinary ideas. She interned at Goldman Sachs this past summer as an analyst and plans to join the company after graduation.