UC grads celebrate while looking to future

Ceremony speakers addressed the theme of change as graduates close one important chapter of their lives and look forward to new beginnings.

UC Board of Trustees Chairman Phil Collins congratulated the graduates and the faculty who helped them reach their academic goals.

He recalled his own graduation from UC nearly 35 years ago when he delivered the student address to his classmates at Fifth Third Arena.

He recited a line from his speech to his classmates: “We made lifelong friends and memories during our time here. As the students of today follow the footsteps of UC graduates of the past to become the leaders of tomorrow, we’ll reflect often on our experiences here and draw upon them,” Collins said.

“Thirty-five years later, I now have a new appreciation for how true those words are to me and how I believe they will be for you.”

“Stay close to the friends you make,” Collins said. “I have come to learn there is something very special about the friends you make in college. They are a lifelong gift.”

And he welcomed the grads to the growing family of UC alumni 340,000 strong.

“Our board views commencement as the most important day in the life of the university,” Collins said. “Congratulations and go Bearcats!”

Families like those of UC graduate Jordan Young gathered from across the country to help them mark the occasion. Young’s mom and dad, grandmother and grandfather, sisters and cousins traveled from Miami and Tampa to watch him accept his diploma on stage in Cincinnati.

Young was a standout football player as a top-30 national cornerback recruit who transferred to UC.

In her student address, Lindner College of Business graduate Leah Wolff reminded her classmates that they have UC family that will follow them the rest of their days.

Wolff, a double major in finance and international business, recalled how she was getting homesick while studying abroad in Germany during her time at UC. But then she met a UC student and another and another. Talking to them made her feel right at home again.

Wolff said she was extremely shy when she arrived at UC five years ago. But she gained a lot of confidence through her work, travel and school experiences. She had four internships through UC’s top-ranked co-op program.

“UC made me confident enough to travel the world,” she said. “I’m so happy with my personal development. UC offers you chances to branch out and surround yourself with people who can introduce you to new things. That’s been a big blessing for me.”

UC awarded 2,515 degrees, including 196 associate degrees, 1,141 bachelor’s degrees, 1,044 master’s degrees and 132 doctoral degrees along with two professional certificates, according to preliminary numbers from UC’s Office of Institutional Research. (Some students earn multiple degrees.)

Graduates in the class of 2023 celebrated Bearcat victories and saw UC’s footprint expand in both new programs and new facilities.

In the spring, UC cut the ribbon on its new $93 million Clifton Court Hall, which features classrooms, offices and labs serving departments in three colleges, particularly the College of Arts and Sciences. Last year, UC celebrated its new Digital Futures building as a collaborative research hub for science and industry. Calhoun Hall reopened this year after an $80 million renovation. And UC unveiled a new Esports Innovation Lab in the 1819 Innovation Hub.