Temperatures may have been cold, but the Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena was warmed by the cheers of congratulations for this year’s graduates. More than 800 undergraduate and graduate students turned their tassels this week during UMBC’s 79th Commencement Ceremonies. 

This was a week of firsts, with President Sheares Ashby presiding over her first commencement and alumni speakers returning for the first time to offer words of wisdom during winter exercises.

President Valerie Sheares Ashby pauses to take in her first UMBC Commencement. (Marlayna Demond ’11/UMBC)

While some elements are new, this year’s ceremonies still had all the trappings that make UMBC’s commencement so special – hugs between classmates, whispered words of gratitude to mentors and colleagues, and misty eyes turned upwards as confetti made the Arena into a verifiable snow globe. 

A UMBC graduate stops for a quick hug. (Marlayna Demond ’11/UMBC)

Sheares Ashby acknowledged the milestone and underscored the importance of those who got our Retrievers across the finish line, such as parents, families, and others. 

We’re also big fans of Alex’s cheering section! (Marlayna Demond ’11/UMBC)

“This is an extraordinary moment and we owe a lot of gratitude to those of you who are sitting here in the audience,” says Sheares Ashby.

Tales from the heart

Stories, more than anything, were at the heart of this year’s commencement. Graduate commencement speaker Mustafa Al-Adhami, M.S. ’15, Ph.D. ’20, mechanical engineering, accomplished remarkable things during his master’s and doctoral journey at UMBC. But he took care in his speech to share how his background foundation helped forge his future. 

“Growing up in Baghdad, my life was a series of changes that I could do little to control,” he said. “Following the 2003 war, we no longer had reliable access to meat, electricity, or entertainment. I had to find new ways to pass my time and earn some pocket money, and I found the answer in fixing radios.” 

Al-Adhami addresses the sea of master’s and Ph.D. students. (Marlayna Demond ’11/UMBC)

Al-Adhami’s early penchant for problem solving led him to his position of Chief Executive Officer of Astek Diagnostics, a company he founded, dedicated to developing low-cost solutions for global public health problems. 

Undergraduate speaker Stefanie Mavronis ’12, political science and media and communication studies, shared that growing up in a working class neighborhood, she didn’t have much exposure to the world of higher education. But through support from mentors, she was given opportunities that allowed her to envision a career and a future.