UC Santa Barbara held a full weekend of graduation ceremonies at the Commencement Green lawn to commemorate the Class of 2023.
Each ceremony included a performance of the national anthem from a graduating student, a speech from Chancellor Henry T. Yang, guest speakers, graduate speeches, and the walking ceremony to present each graduate with a diploma.
Yang commended the graduates for their resilience as the pandemic disrupted their academic careers, and congratulated them on embarking upon their next chapter of life.
“Congratulations. You have demonstrated to all of us just how special you are. You have inspired us with your intelligence, your curiosity, your perseverance and, of course, your accomplishments,” Yang said.
“Each of you carries a brave and unique story of triumph, one that will stay with you throughout your lives.”
Sunday’s ceremonies included guest speakers Terry McMillan, an award-winning novelist, and Otieno Okatch, president and CEO of PALS Inc.
McMillan shared her story of diverging from her original career of journalism to pursue novel writing, and shared the lessons she learned as a UC student.
“This is why I’m still grateful I attended a University of California because this is what I discovered: one, that I could change my mind. I declared my major to journalism even though I exaggerated and lied about the articles I reportedly published,” McMillan said.
“I also learned that not having all the answers didn’t mean I wasn’t smart. Three, not being able to save the world didn’t mean I shouldn’t try.”
Okatch advised students to work hard in their professional careers no matter what others may think of their job.
“The truth is you don’t have a lot of time, you start practicing working hard right now. There is no next job, there is no later,” Okatch said.
“And something else, whoever told us when we were young that you can be anything you want was wrong, simply not true. You are a unique combination of over 400 psychological traits, a genetic mosaic of your family tree which has come together as you, as me in this time and space.”
Graduating students left their rows of seats to walk across the stage as the announcement of their name signified the end of their tenure as a UC Santa Barbara student, some with a wave to their family and others with a backflip or handstand.
Following the ceremony, students took photos with their friends and family near the staircase entrance to the Commencement Green armed with their new bachelor or graduate degrees.
UCSB awarded degrees to 6,761 students in its Class of 2023, including graduate and undergraduate degrees.
On Friday, the school honored its most ever students earning graduate degrees: 537 students, including 263 doctoral degrees and 274 master’s degrees.
Recordings of the UCSB commencements are available on the university website here.