Valedictorian Speech (NUS SoC Commencement Ceremony 2023)
NUS Trustee, Mr. Andrew Lim,
NUS President, Professor Tan Eng Chye,
Senior Vice Provost of Undergraduate Education, Professor Bernard C Y Tan,
Managing Director of Microsoft Singapore, Ms. Lee Hui Li,
Distinguished Guests,
Fellow Graduates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Today, we gather here to celebrate the culmination of our academic journey as we bid farewell to our School of Computing within the National University of Singapore. I stand here before you humbled and honored to represent this incredible cohort of doctoral students.
Our time at this esteemed department has been a transformative journey of knowledge, growth, and self-discovery. Throughout our academic pursuits, we have delved deep into our respective fields, pushing the boundaries of knowledge and making groundbreaking contributions. However, today, I want to emphasize a different aspect of our journey, that is, being true to ourselves.
In the pursuit of academic excellence, it is easy to lose ourselves amidst the pressures and expectations. We may find ourselves conforming to predefined notions of success or compromising our true passions and identities. Yet, it is crucial to recognize that our true potential thrives when we unreservedly embrace and celebrate our authentic selves. Reflecting on our journey, we have grappled with imposter syndrome, the specter of academic failures, and the pervasive weight of others’ expectations or opinions on our doctoral pursuits. It is within the crucible of these very times that our souls stir and are attuned to the profound cadence of our inner voice, which unveils our true aspirations and makes us who we truly want to be. We have also encountered countless challenges regarding the significance of our research, innumerable doubts about our academic achievements, and formidable setbacks to our successful publications. It is within these very moments that the mosaic of our daily life experiences, emotions, and memories give us a reservoir of courage, empowering us to confidently embrace the authenticity of our being and fearlessly traverse the true academic path we want to hold dear.
In this culmination of our academic pursuits, we should also express profound gratitude to our institute, government, industry, mentors, fellows, and loved ones, whose support has empowered us to fearlessly embrace our authentic selves. We extend our deepest gratitude to the School of Computing for fostering our intellectual growth with invaluable resources and opportunities, like the regular seminars that were a source of inspiration, igniting our passions and driving our research endeavors. We are grateful for the funding support from the Singapore government and industry, which have created a nurturing environment for our research development and allowed us to share our vibrant ideas with the broader academic community. We appreciate the guidance from our mentors, whose remarkable wisdom and dedication have shaped us into the scholars we are today. We thank our fellow students, who have journeyed alongside us, for their invaluable strength in times of uncertainty. Lastly, we express our heartfelt appreciation to our loved ones, whose unwavering belief in our abilities has been a constant source of encouragement and motivation during our doctoral journey.
Given all these gifts that empower us to embrace our authentic selves, we finally possess profound opportunities to deliver immense value back to society in the future through our unwavering commitment to being true to who we are. Stepping into the world as Ph.D. graduates, our diverse perspectives and rich backgrounds acquired during this transformative journey equip us with the remarkable ability to tackle complex societal challenges from multiple angles, fostering innovation and inclusive solutions; our fearless embracement to the authentic selves helps us transcend the limitations of societal barriers and unlock boundless spaces where collaboration and empathy can thrive.
In closing, I extend my sincere congratulations to my fellow graduates. We stand here today as individuals who have not only achieved academic excellence but have also embraced our true selves along the way. As we embark on new paths, let us carry the values of authenticity, compassion, and responsibility with us, let us make a conscious effort to be true to ourselves and be ready to make lasting contributions to the world.
Thank you, and congratulations once again, class of 2023!