[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
CHAPTER 2: Welcome
DESC: Chair of the Walden University Board of Directors, Paula Singer, welcomes graduates, family, and friends to our 46th Commencement ceremony.
GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS PAULA SINGER, AND I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING THE CHAIR OF WALDEN’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS. I AM PLEASED TO WELCOME ALL OF YOU TO WALDEN UNIVERSITY’S 46TH COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY.
YOU CAN APPLAUD; IT’S OK.
[APPLAUSE]
WHAT A WONDERFUL MILESTONE WE CELEBRATE TODAY. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OF OUR GRADUATES AND YOU LOOK GREAT!
[CHEERING]
AND THEIR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS WHO ARE WITH US HERE IN MINNEAPOLIS, AS WELL AS THOSE JOINING US LIVE VIA WEBCAST. GLAD YOU’RE WITH US.
[APPLAUSE]
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS, UNIVERSITY LEADERSHIP, AND OUR DISTINGUISHED FACULTY WHO ARE PARTICIPATING TODAY—AND A SPECIAL ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THAT FACULTY, PLEASE.
[APPLAUSE]
I WANT TO GIVE SPECIAL THANKS TO THE MANY PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND OTHER DIGNITARIES WHO HAVE TAKEN TIME FROM THEIR BUSY SCHEDULES TO JOIN US IN OUR CELEBRATION.
IT IS ALSO MY PLEASURE TO RECOGNIZE A DISTINGUISHED GUEST, DOUGLAS BECKER, CHAIRMAN AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF LAUREATE EDUCATION. WE’RE SO PLEASED YOU’RE WITH US TODAY, DOUG.
[APPLAUSE]
AND, OF COURSE, PRESIDENT CLINTON.
[LOUD CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
YOU’LL BE HEARING FROM HIM VERY SHORTLY IF I KEEP GOING QUICKLY HERE.
WE ARE SO HONORED, I MUST SAY, TO HAVE YOU JOIN THE WALDEN COMMUNITY TODAY, THIS VERY SPECIAL DAY. GRADUATES, YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT WE ALL TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS. YOUR COLLECTIVE IMPACT WILL EXTEND FAR BEYOND THE BOUNDARIES OF THE UNITED STATES. THE DISPLAY OF NATIONAL FLAGS THAT YOU SEE BEHIND ME REPRESENTS THE GEOGRAPHIC DIVERSITY OF THIS AFTERNOON’S WALDEN GRADUATES. FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, THIS GRADUATING CLASS IS REPRESENTED BY THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AFGHANISTAN, ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA, AUSTRALIA, BAHAMAS, BERMUDA, CAMBODIA, CANADA, CAYMAN ISLANDS, CHINA, EGYPT, GERMANY, GRENADA, GUAM, HONG KONG, ITALY, JAMAICA, JAPAN, JORDAN, KENYA, LEBANON, MALAYSIA, MEXICO, NETHERLANDS, NIGERIA ...
[CHEERING]
OMAN, PORTUGAL, REPUBLIC OF KOREA, SAINT KITTS AND NEVIS, SAINT LUCIA, SAUDI ARABIA, SERBIA, SOUTH AFRICA, SRI LANKA, THAILAND, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, TURKEY, TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, UNITED KINGDOM, AND THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS.