In true Illinois style, the almost 900 graduates of the College of Engineering filed into Assembly Hall on Sunday afternoon, May 13 for an opportunity to have their efforts recognized and their collegiate journeys finalized. As ceremonies got under way, Keith Hjelmstad, Associate Dean for Academic Programs welcomed the audience and the prospective graduates to the exercise.

Hjelmstad commented upon the accomplishments of the College, citing the research and accomplishment of its students and its alumni, along with its track record for excellence in graduating almost 100,000 people, and expressed the College’s high expectations for this class of graduates.

“When you came here, you made the choice to study in a world class engineering college,” he said. “Now you are graduating from a world class engineering college. According to my calculations, that makes you (the graduates) world class engineers.”

The ceremony continued with words from Dean Ilesanmi Adesida and Patrick Sykes, President of the Engineering Council. These speeches, while coming from two different perspectives, echoed a tone of hope and expectation that had already been expressed.

After names were called, the crowd of graduated students banded together to sing “Hail to the Orange” one last time as a class, and the ceremony ended as caps flew.