Last Friday, we came together at UC Merced’s second G­raduate Commencement Ceremony to celebrate our master's and doctoral degree graduates' hard work and achievements.

They are now the most recent recipients of graduate degrees from the University of California, the nation’s premier public university system and the world’s exemplar of graduate education. They have worked hard to get where they are today, and we are proud to count them among the University of California’s master’s and doctoral alumni.

That’s an amazing accomplishment when you put it into perspective. Less than 14% of the U.S. population has a graduate degree of any kind. And for our Ph.D. recipients, only 2% of our nation has earned a doctorate. They have all truly earned a rare achievement!

Their resilience and personal strength has been tested even more than during “normal” years, and we are proud of all that they have accomplished.

Graduates: You have boldly advanced our understanding of the universe, explored the depths of our shared humanity, and made the world around you better than you found it. We rely on you to push us forward! And we know you can do it because we have witnessed your tenacity and your drive and your abilities firsthand. And we can’t wait to see the future world you will shape.

Congratulations again, and best of luck in all your future endeavors!