Inspirational Messages
Congratulations to this year’s student commencement speakers Sarah Herrera, Amelia Todd, Ella Kellner and Abhishek Shibu.
Sarah N. Herrera, social work
Sarah Herrera is the class speaker for the commencement ceremony at 10 a.m., Friday, May 10, for the Belk College of Business and College of Health and Human Services.
“The social work professors are fantastic,” said Herrera. “They go out of their way to make sure students understand assignments and offer support and advice on matters beyond school. To be in social work, you have to have a certain mindset. They see a student not just as a student, but realize there is life outside school.”
Amelia R. Todd, architecture
Mia Todd is the class speaker for the commencement ceremony at 3 p.m., Friday, May 10, for the College of Arts + Architecture, College of Computing and Informatics, Cato College of Education and William States Lee College of Engineering.
“While there were many things I enjoyed about my time at UNC Charlotte, I really loved the sense of community I found within the School of Architecture,” said Todd. “The students, faculty and staff show up for each other in many ways. From helping a classmate to assemble a model to referring another student to a job opportunity, we really depend on one another to succeed. The connections I’ve made in the School of Architecture and across campus at UNC Charlotte have served as a testament to the University’s culture of collaboration, support and camaraderie.”
Ella G. Kellner, biology
Ella Kellner is the class speaker for the commencement ceremony at 10 a.m., Saturday, May 11, for the College of Humanities & Earth and Social Sciences and the College of Science.
“Through Dr. Sarah Stellwagen’s lab, I found a space where I felt valued and am regularly learning new things,” said Kellner. “I get to apply the science I learned in the classroom to real-life research, and the work I am doing now may one day be taught in a classroom. I have gained valuable mentorship and have found my group of science people. I have also had the opportunity for many unique experiences that have shaped the way I approach both the world and my academic career.”
Abhishek Shibu, Ph.D., nanoscale science
Abhishek Shibu is the class speaker for the commencement ceremony at 3 p.m., Saturday, May 11, for the Graduate School.
“In my time at UNC Charlotte, one of the things I’ve loved most is academic freedom,” said Shibu. “The ability to explore ideas, experiment and learn from successes and failures in a supportive environment has been invaluable. This has fostered my growth into a confident and independent scholar. Big thanks to the faculty and the Graduate School for creating a system that truly encourages this kind of intellectual exploration.”