After spending more than a third of her life at Elon University through dual enrollment classes to being an undergraduate student at Elon to getting two graduate degrees, it’s only fitting that graduate Yates May sees Elon as home.
“Maybe you'll look out and you'll see an oak tree, and you'll be reminded of Elon, and whenever that moment comes, because it's going to come, I hope you realize something: Home never really left you,” May said in her speech as the student commencement speaker. “The mentors who shaped you, the friends who became your family, the lessons that you learned, the confidence you built, the version of yourself that you discovered here. You carry it all forward.”
Elon University’s graduate commencement ceremony took place May 20 in Alumni Gym, recognizing graduates of Elon’s graduate programs within the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business and the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education — Master of Arts in higher education, Master of Education in innovation, Master of Science in accounting, Master of Science in business analytics and Master of business administration.
After the graduates walked in, greeted by cheers, Elon University Provost Rebecca Kohn began the ceremony by welcoming graduates and attendees. She emphasized the importance of recognizing this commencement as just the beginning of the graduates’ careers, despite graduation often being characterized as a conclusive milestone.
May delivered her speech and discussed her eight years at Elon. After taking Elon classes in high school as a Burlington native and a daughter of a 1993 graduate, May graduated from Elon as a double major in strategic communications and journalism, before getting her two graduate degrees.
“My most meaningful moments happened when I stayed after class to talk to friends, maybe a little bit longer than I should have, and they happened when someone here saw potential in me before I was able to see it in myself,” May said. “This is the culture of Elon. Elon doesn't just teach its students how to think critically, it does that too, but it teaches people how to think best.”
May’s mother, J.J., called it full circle to see May graduate from the same college. She emphasized the great network that Elon provides.
“The community around you is very supportive and that will be there forever,” J.J. said in an interview with Elon News Network.
Katherine Blount ’15, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal, delivered the commencement address. Blount, who currently covers Google and artificial intelligence, focused much of her speech on AI.
Blount acknowledged that many will have to use AI at work, but said that AI removes the very nature of thought and the hard work that it takes to graduate.
“It may be able to mimic conclusions and opinions, but asking it to do so on our behalf removes the friction that comes with having to parse information and generate ideas ourselves,” Blount said. “Thinking by nature requires friction. It requires the discomfort of not having gotten there yet in order to feel the deep satisfaction of having finally arrived. That satisfaction is what I hope you feel today. Think about what it took to get here.”
Blount discussed covering California wildfires in the town of Paradise in 2018 that started from a century-old power line. She said that at the time, she did not know much about the basics of the power grid, but she learned from two experienced colleagues, something she said is much more valuable than learning from consulting AI.
“Algorithms can sort, count and summarize, but only you have empathy, a strong moral compass and the ability to tell a great story,” Blount said. “Go do what only humans can do: act with care, take risks and trust the intuition that comes from living in an imperfect world.”
After the graduates received their diplomas, Elon University President Connie Book concluded the ceremony by congratulating the class and delivering a charge to the graduates. She encouraged graduates to carry Elon’s values with them into the next stage of their lives.
“I also want you to carry Elon's values with you, and we articulate this in four ways: Honesty — be truthful in your work and in your relationships. Integrity — be trustworthy, fair and ethical. Responsibility — be accountable for your actions. Respect — be civil, and value the dignity of each person,” Book said.
Master of Science in business analytics graduate Brandon Talton said the ceremony was an incredible feeling. He said the people were his favorite part of Elon.
“Some of my favorite parts of Elon, honestly, is just the people I met. I've made some lifelong friends at this program. I've made just incredible progressive mentors,” Talton said in an interview with Elon News Network.
Abby Gravely contributed to the reporting of this story.