The past 40 years have been marked by an explosion in technology, but history teaches that explosion is only a spark compared to what the next four decades will bring.
That was the message Bobby Schnabel, the dean of the School of Informatics and Computing, delivered to the hundreds of students who received their Ph.D., Master’s, and Bachelor’s degrees during commencement weekend. Schnabel congratulated the students on their accomplishments and urged them to strive to lead the innovations that will re-shape our world.
Schnabel focused on the big picture and what can be achieved in the future, but for the graduates, commencement weekend was an opportunity to celebrate what they’ve accomplished and dream about what might be.
Paul Madigan, who earned his Bachelor’s of Science in informatics with a cognate in security, is headed to Texas to begin a job with General Motors, and he’s itching to see what his future will bring.
“I’m just happy to be done,” Madigan said. “It’ a relief, but I’m filled with excitement, too. It has been a lot of hard work, but it has been worth it. I’m pretty happy to be moving on.”
Madigan’s parents, Pat and Trish, couldn’t be more proud.
“We’re just thrilled,” Trish said. “I remember the first day that he came to me – it was the end of his freshman year—and he said, ‘Mom, I just realized that I’m really interested in how companies protect their information from the people who shouldn’t get it but make sure that the people who need it can get to it.’ I had no idea there were people who were into that, but that’s a really good thing.”
For Ian Stevenson, who picked up his B.S. in informatics with a focus on security, commencement was the end of a long and winding road.
“I’m definitely ready,” Stevenson said with a smile. “I’ve had a great time. It’s easily the best accomplishment of my life.”
Stevenson is on the verge of accepting a job, allowing him to focus on his future—and his marriage next May to his fiancé, Christina.
“I’m glad to be done, but I’m nervous about what’s next for me,” Stevenson said. “I haven’t been this happy in a long time to be just done with something and to just be looking forward to the next part of my life.”
For Jean and Joyce Bevins, commencement was the culmination of years of hard work that took them from their undergraduate days in North Carolina to Bloomington. The identical twins earned their Master’s of Information Science with a specialization in information architecture, and they feel the sense of accomplishment that comes with reaching their goal.
“It has been a long journey, but this is just another stepping stone in life,” Jean said. “Everything that I’ve worked for has been all worth it. This is like a big prize at the end, and it’s one of the best, most exciting moments I’ve had.”
The duo benefitted from working with one another, each pushing the other through the long, sleepless nights when they weren’t sure they could go on.
JerNetti Burney, who earned her master’s in human-computer interaction/design, knows all of her hard work was worth it, as well, and she has plans to not only build a bright future for herself, but also for those around her.
“I’m just savoring the moment,” Burney said. “I usually live in the moment, but after everything settles in, what’s on my mind next is the job and finding out what I can do to help my community. The next step is finding out what areas I would like to tackle in User Experience Design, and once I figure that out, I want to contribute to my community. I feel like the HCI/d area is still new, and there still can be a lot of innovation.”
Her father, Owen, was bursting with pride.
“It’s awesome,” Owen said. “The opportunity to see her walk across the stage and get the degree after all the hard work she did—and I know how much hard work went into it—it’s just an awesome opportunity. Now, it’s about beginning her life so she can really see that she can accomplish whatever goals she chooses to pursue. She mastered it!”
Veldez Joshua earned a Master’s in Security Informatics, and he reflected on how fast his time at IU has passed. He remembers his orientation and his first class, and he said it feels like it all only happened yesterday. Joshua also remembers the determination to overcome adversity that allowed him to reach this point.
“All of those issues with programs and writing programs, the issues with writing papers, everything that went into it, it was worth it,” Joshua said. “I feel like I achieved and accomplished something special.”
Vivek Lalchandani, who earned a B.S. in Informatics and is headed toward a job developing healthcare software, summed up the feelings of most when asked if he was ready to move on.
“On a scale of 1-10, let’s just say I’m at about a 12,” he joked. “It has been a lot of work, and I’ve made a lot of friends, but I’m definitely ready to move on to a new chapter.”