MA TESOL graduating student Natalia Schmidt selected as commencement ceremony speaker
Natalia Schmidt was chosen to be the graduate speaker for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences commencement ceremony. The virtual commencement ceremony is at 11 am June 13, 2021. Natalia writes of the experience:
"What a journey! After more than a year of remote classes, of only seeing my peers and professors through the computer screen, we've made it. Among many daily emails, I got one that announced that I had been nominated the CLAS's student speaker at the commencement ceremony! I accepted with great honor and overwhelming joy as an opportunity to represent the Class of 2021, my colleagues, faculty, our department, and the PSU community as a whole. After all, this is a wonderful achievement. We are going through a pandemic, went through one social turmoil after another, a presidential election, we awaited our Covid-19 vaccines, and made it. A few weeks ago, I went to campus to record a two-minute speech and couldn't hold back the tears when thinking about how far we've come. I am very proud. Proud of myself, proud of my cohort who faced it all with great resilience, proud of our professors for leading us through the new MA TESOL program format, transitioning to the remote environment, providing us with a healthy learning environment, and proud of us all as a village linking virtual arms. To our department, my deepest gratitude. Congratulations, class of 2021!"
