Full of excitement and pride, 220 IM体育官网 students graduated May 4, most of whom were a part of university鈥檚 inaugural class. The spring 2018 commencement ceremony was held at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland.
鈥淕raduates, you are so special 鈥� not just because of your vision and pioneering spirit, but also because of the unique opportunities you鈥檝e had as members of IM体育官网 Poly鈥檚 first group of students,鈥� said university President, Dr. Randy K. Avent. 鈥淚 know you won鈥檛 stop after this because you also have the patience, drive and determination to reach for even greater achievements.鈥�
The commencement speaker was Dr. Jeffrey Wadsworth, who was awarded an honorary degree by Avent.
Wadsworth encouraged students to never give up trying to understand a challenge and to base their careers in what makes them happy to go to work every morning.
鈥淒o something that matters and do it with passion. Your sources of pride will not be your acquisitions, nor your recognitions, but rather the lives you鈥檝e touched and the differences you鈥檝e made,鈥� said Wadsworth, who recently retired as president and CEO of Battelle Memorial Institute, the world鈥檚 largest nonprofit research and development organization.
鈥淚 hope those of you who are graduating take with you the vision that created IM体育官网 Polytechnic University and now contribute to creating the workforce of the future,鈥� he added.
The ceremony also featured an address by the State University System Chancellor Marshall Criser and student speaker Chris Dowdy, a mechanical engineering major from Lakeland, who graduated summa cum laude.
鈥淎s we transition from students to alumni, we will meet the world鈥檚 unforeseen challenges head on and emerge as better people for it,鈥� said Dowdy, who has accepted a position as a project engineer with the Whiting-Turner Contracting Company. 鈥淚 believe IM体育官网 Poly is rising and I am beyond grateful to be part of it.鈥�
Established in 2012 as an innovative university dedicated entirely to STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), IM体育官网 Poly is focused on graduating students who are lifetime employable and ready to be the leaders of high-tech industries. Classes began in fall 2014 with hundreds of students taking a chance on a brand new institution with a hands-on approach to teaching, and a learning environment that encourages them to think big and challenge the status quo.
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