Sarah Rizvi

Thank you, Dr. Palant, for that kind introduction and your powerful words. It is with great humility that I extend my gratitude to our University’s esteemed faculty, staff, alumni and fellow students. I would not be standing here without your support and the love and care of my friends and family.

I would like to start off by saying congratulations to every single one of us as we sit here accomplished and learned individuals. Our journeys have all been unique, painted with a brush dipped in colors specific to each of our identities, tinged with the pigment of our hopes and dreams. But today, we are here together because our paths have all merged through this University, within UTD’s school of the arts, humanities, and technology.

While these past four years have been incredibly memorable, there were many times I was pushed to my limits, days where there just wasn’t enough time in a day to finish this book, to write this essay, to paint this canvas. But there was a moment when I knew all the hard work was worth something. My very first semester, I took a Literature in Translation, Chinese literature course taught by Dr. Ming Dong Gu. It was my first time in a real college class, and, to tell you the truth, I was scared out of my mind. I probably spoke only twice within the first few weeks, but the longer I was among the symphony of discussion, slowly my careful tread grew more confident, and I began contributing my voice into that chorus of knowledge. And one day, after my final presentation in that class, Professor Ming asked me what I wanted to do with my degree in the future. I answered without an ounce of confidence in my voice that I one day wanted to be a professor, and he simply said, “I think you will make a great professor.” That one comment blew away the all-nighters and rushes to meet deadlines. It was just a passing comment that I’m sure he doesn’t even remember saying anymore, but it was that moment that pushed me to persevere through the next three years of academia. And we have all had moments like those. Points in our life that solidify our status as scholars, as students yearning to become better.

Many of us have experienced those moments on this campus. We’ve all lived through historic events here at UTD, whether it be the end of a pandemic, a life-changing election or maybe just the terrifying first encounter with Temoc. Our journeys, despite having their individual maps, are dotted with landmarks that allow us to connect with one another. And though there have been many obstacles we have faced, and may continue to face, it is undeniable that the fervor of students will never be crushed. And with it, our hunger for knowledge grows, an appetite only a faculty so full of knowledge could satisfy, and we are so lucky to be graced with professors ready to share their fill. But just like with food, it only takes a short while before we hear that grumble of hunger once more. And that is what makes us so powerful. Though our journeys at UTD may be ending, the feast laid out before us is vast and welcomes us.

We have gracefully, though maybe not so gracefully for some of us, overcome the hardships of being college students, and we can now confidently see ourselves brimming with new opportunity and aspiration. To be the next generation of artists, writers and every single role you envision for your future, is worth boasting about and feeling pride for. Art, whether in the form of a painting, a written text or on a digital screen, is undoubtedly a form of expression that must be treasured and nurtured by the artist in its creation. The same can be said about the people sitting in this very room. We have all spent the last multiple years building up and smoothing out the unformed clay we may have started off as to sit here beautiful and with success clutched in our hopeful but firm grasps. And I’m sure this rings true for many of us — it is thanks to our loved ones that we are at the point that we are. I am so grateful to have family and friends who had a hand on my back to support me every step of the way. A special thanks to my two sisters who have never stopped being my role models, and I urge us all to thank our loved ones on this festive day.

I want to leave you all with a quote from one of my favorite movies, Dead Poets Society, in hopes that it inspires you as much as it did me, “We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for … you are here … the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. … What will your verse be?”

Once again, Class of 2025, congratulations.

Sarah Rizvi is an Academic Excellence Scholar and is graduating cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in literature and a minor in visual arts. During her time at UT Dallas, Rizvi has made significant contributions to campus life and the arts. Her writing has been published multiple times in UT Dallas’ Indigo Magazine, as well as in UT Austin’s Hothouse literary journal. Her artistic talents have also been recognized with her work exhibited twice in the UTD Blank Space gallery. Following graduation, Rizvi plans to pursue graduate studies in literature or art.