On Saturday, May 13, 2023, nearly 700 of the college’s 1,200 total engineering graduates—bachelor’s, master’s and PhD—packed the Kohl Center for the college’s annual graduate recognition celebration.
Even after a full day that included UW-Madison’s two-hour commencement ceremony at Camp Randall Stadium and many department celebrations, energy was high in the Kohl Center as graduates clad in black robes, sashes, honor cords, caps and hoods jubilantly processed onto the arena floor, accompanied by “Pomp and Circumstance.” In the stands, a few thousand family members and friends arose for the processional, and whistled, cheered and clapped when they spotted their grads.
For his welcome to the graduates, Grainger Dean of the College of Engineering Ian Robertson took inspiration from the AI natural language tool ChatGPT, and noted that emerging technologies can be transformative and useful. “Just because you can cut a few corners to save time or money doesn’t always mean you should,” he said. “In fact, if I leave you with one thought today, it’s this: You earned your engineering degree from one of the world’s best colleges of engineering. You learned from leading professors, and you had access to exceptional resources and experiences. That education will open many doors for you in your future. But in every day of your career, it’s up to you to go about your work ethically, and with good judgment.”
Student speaker Lingkai Zhao, who triple-majored in computer engineering, computer science and data science, shared a story about the decision his young Chinese parents faced—”abandon him”—when they learned he had become deaf as an infant due to a high fever. Instead, his parents pursued every opportunity to help their son. In the end, a news reporter learned of their struggle and published their story online. It went viral, and thanks to the generosity of many people, including musician Ray Charles, Lingkai received a cochlear implant. “I was lucky to be born to such persistent parents,” he said. “And I was lucky to be born at a time when this technology was available. Both luck and persistence brought me to this stage. For everyone who’s graduating today, we are lucky enough because this degree opens a big door of opportunities for all of us. As a Badger Engineer, we are fully-equipped with engineering skills learned from this great institute. Now is our chance to go out there. Be persistent and develop technologies to create luck for others.”
Student speaker Madeline Morrell, a mechanical engineering graduate, emphasized tackling major challenges collaboratively. She talked about a trip she took as an 8-year-old to the Field Museum in Chicago that not only introduced her to the notion of climate change, but ignited her passion for making the world a more sustainable place. “If we want to make a difference in our world, we need to work together,” she said. “Many problems, like climate change, cannot be solved by one person, one university, or one nation. As Badger Engineers, we’ve worked hard to prepare for these challenges. Now, it’s finally time. Let’s use our degrees for good. Let’s go out in the world, work together, and make a change.”
Following the student speakers, all engineering graduates walked across the Kohl Center stage, greeted by Robertson and their department chair, while their names were read aloud.
After the event’s ceremonial tassel-turning, Robertson reminded graduates that they had just joined the ranks of the elite Badger engineering alumni. “When you became engineering students at UW-Madison, we knew you were among the best and brightest students in the world,” he said. “You have worked very hard to earn your engineering degree, and now, you are among the world’s finest engineers.”
Featured image caption: Student speaker Lingkai Zhao, who triple-majored in computer engineering, computer science and data science, addresses the audience at the College of Engineering’s annual graduate recognition celebration. All photos by Renee Meiller.
