College of Architecture 2021 Graduation Address

College of Architecture Author

05/04/2021 Added

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Dean Kathy Ankerson gives graduation address and introduces alumni and student address speakers.

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[00:00:00.288](upbeat music)
[00:00:03.810]Congratulations graduates.
[00:00:05.779]This has been an extraordinary year,
[00:00:09.000]testing our resolve and ingenuity, exercising our empathy,
[00:00:13.800]and building flexibility and resilience.
[00:00:17.300]On this day, we celebrate the years of hard work, passion,
[00:00:22.145]and intellectual investment of each of you.
[00:00:25.748]Graduates, during these years with us,
[00:00:29.400]you have acquired the knowledge
[00:00:31.620]and skills to act, to design, to plan,
[00:00:36.440]to understand the context,
[00:00:38.890]and propose multiple valuable, responsive,
[00:00:42.260]and responsible solutions to the issues at hand.
[00:00:46.420]You have been prepared to embark
[00:00:48.340]on this journey where the decisions you make
[00:00:51.380]have the potential to make a profound impact on all people.
[00:00:56.600]Every moment of every day,
[00:00:59.660]people are affected by decisions in zoning, transportation,
[00:01:04.160]urban or rural environments, plazas, views of nature, parks,
[00:01:10.600]exterior and interior spaces formed
[00:01:13.060]by the built and designed environment,
[00:01:16.720]the expression of structure, expression of ideals,
[00:01:20.470]through large gestures and intimate, intricate design moves.
[00:01:25.360]You have the power to profoundly affect people's lives
[00:01:29.880]throughout their lifespan.
[00:01:32.480]You have the power to affect the Earth we live on
[00:01:36.550]and the air we breathe through decisions
[00:01:38.811]you will influence or make.
[00:01:42.080]You are poised to recognize and address challenges
[00:01:46.110]in creative ways, to embrace change, and be change agents,
[00:01:52.130]to be leaders infused with both the confidence
[00:01:55.960]that comes from embedded and discovered knowledge,
[00:01:59.140]as well as the wisdom to apply it.
[00:02:02.290]You have not been alone in this journey.
[00:02:04.870]We each have our roles to play
[00:02:06.270]in the operations of the college,
[00:02:08.600]the delivery of our educational programs,
[00:02:11.480]and envisioning the future of our collective professions.
[00:02:16.000]Our college would not run
[00:02:17.660]without the amazing staff support we all benefit from.
[00:02:21.810]A special acknowledgement to Stephanie Kanig,
[00:02:25.060]the student success and advising staff, Décarie Vondrock,
[00:02:29.730]key to our effective communications.
[00:02:33.020]Support from your family, friends, and significant others
[00:02:37.350]lay the foundation and bolstered you during this process
[00:02:41.400]and especially during this year.
[00:02:44.610]Your professors challenged you
[00:02:46.860]and helped you forward your process
[00:02:48.990]you can apply to any of life's decisions.
[00:02:53.100]Graduates, I mentioned earlier
[00:02:55.670]that you have acquired the knowledge and skills to act.
[00:03:00.270]Now it is the time to exercise your willingness to act.
[00:03:05.640]This is a definition of leadership, the willingness to act,
[00:03:09.870]and it has never been so important
[00:03:12.390]as we are faced with increasing wealth gaps, equity issues,
[00:03:16.850]threats to the quality of our environment,
[00:03:20.410]health and wellness issues.
[00:03:22.860]You have the power to make a difference.
[00:03:25.830]And as one of the privileged in this world,
[00:03:28.590]you have the responsibility to do so.
[00:03:31.960]I implore you to be passionate proponents
[00:03:35.150]of the impact of design and planning.
[00:03:37.980]I encourage you to stay in touch.
[00:03:40.200]We want to hear from you
[00:03:41.720]as this next chapter of your life unfolds.
[00:03:45.300]Explore this site for all of our graduates,
[00:03:49.010]to whom we are so proud of.
[00:03:51.760]You'll see examples of their work
[00:03:54.020]and accolades garnered through significant awards.
[00:03:57.500]But first let's hear from our alumni master, Doug Bisson,
[00:04:01.470]community planning and urban design lead at HDR.
[00:04:05.700]Doug demonstrates an energetic devotion
[00:04:08.360]to the transformative power of planning and design.
[00:04:12.520]Following Doug's message, (upbeat music)
[00:04:14.130]we'll hear from two students, Nabhan Al Hajri,
[00:04:18.010]representing undergraduate students,
[00:04:20.520]and Kelsey Miller, representing professional
[00:04:22.758]and graduate students.
[00:04:25.010]Again, my sincerest congratulations to you.
[00:04:31.900]Greetings from Omaha. (upbeat music)
[00:04:33.460]My name is Doug Bisson, a 1992 community
[00:04:35.864]and regional planning graduate from UNL.
[00:04:39.060]I'm an urban design, planning,
[00:04:40.269]and landscape architecture principal at HDR
[00:04:43.250]and work on a variety of project types,
[00:04:44.970]both regionally and across the country.
[00:04:47.680]Congratulations on your graduation from UNL
[00:04:50.240]and the college of architecture.
[00:04:52.110]This is not only a great accomplishment and a key milestone,
[00:04:55.240]but also the start of the next chapter in your life.
[00:04:58.300]For today, tonight, and the next few weeks,
[00:05:00.870]celebrate and enjoy this moment,
[00:05:03.030]you have definitely earned it.
[00:05:05.010]As you start thinking about the next chapter,
[00:05:07.080]know that you are more important now than ever.
[00:05:10.410]The world is faced with many incredibly serious challenges:
[00:05:14.160]environmental degradation, economic disparities,
[00:05:18.100]COVID-19 recovery, equity and inclusivity considerations,
[00:05:22.770]housing affordability, and the complexities associated
[00:05:25.486]with new technologies and ever constant change.
[00:05:30.050]The world needs you and your skill sets right now.
[00:05:34.400]Your education has provided you
[00:05:36.180]with the skills to face challenges head on
[00:05:38.740]and to positively impact people
[00:05:40.570]and our natural and built environments.
[00:05:43.180]As you move forward, continue to advance these skills
[00:05:46.080]for the betterment of society, but as you do so,
[00:05:49.140]also consider these things.
[00:05:51.810]Passion.
[00:05:53.220]If you've not already found your passion, find it
[00:05:56.170]and follow it, whatever it might be.
[00:05:58.690]If you love what you do, it will not be a job.
[00:06:01.420]You'll wake up every day, chasing your dream
[00:06:04.060]which will take you to unexpected places and new heights.
[00:06:08.050]Creativity.
[00:06:09.460]Be a sponge, learn from others
[00:06:11.520]and don't be afraid to make mistakes
[00:06:13.390]or try new ideas or concepts.
[00:06:15.960]Creativity gets you noticed, solves critical problems,
[00:06:20.220]and may one day provide the solution
[00:06:22.380]to one or more of the world's great challenges.
[00:06:26.280]Communication.
[00:06:27.750]Skip the email, text, and instant messaging,
[00:06:30.250]and instead talk directly with your clients and champions.
[00:06:33.410]Pick up the phone or better yet, meet with them one-on-one.
[00:06:37.380]Our professions and success are based on relationships
[00:06:41.270]and long-term relationships are not built virtually.
[00:06:44.490]My father, who is in sales, always reminded me
[00:06:47.560]it takes about three years to build trust
[00:06:49.300]before someone will buy something from you.
[00:06:51.639]The important thing to remember
[00:06:53.500]is that you are selling design
[00:06:55.470]and from most clients perspective,
[00:06:57.240]design is a luxury and not a necessity.
[00:07:00.560]And lastly collaboration.
[00:07:03.900]We just finished designing a master plan
[00:07:05.580]for a a hundred acre, mixed-use, walkable
[00:07:07.470]urban neighborhood in Salt Lake City.
[00:07:10.190]The team included the following, and it was a lot,
[00:07:13.260]the master developer, specialty sub-developers,
[00:07:16.750]urban planners and designers, site civil engineers,
[00:07:21.210]transit planners, traffic engineers,
[00:07:24.900]remediation specialists, geotechnical engineers,
[00:07:29.377]power generation and distribution, engineers,
[00:07:32.211]landscape architects, architects, interior designers,
[00:07:36.960]acoustic specialist, branding experts,
[00:07:40.040]and strategic communication specialists.
[00:07:42.620]Wow, that's quite the list, huh?
[00:07:45.350]The fact is, that amount of collaboration
[00:07:47.404]on a project is not unusual.
[00:07:50.070]The design for the site was iterative
[00:07:51.780]and each specialty contributed greatly to the plan.
[00:07:54.970]This is the new norm.
[00:07:57.120]Collaboration will only continue to grow
[00:08:00.060]as development sites,
[00:08:01.580]environmental and regulatory constraints,
[00:08:03.780]and community engagement become more and more complex
[00:08:07.500]and that is a really, really good thing.
[00:08:09.930]History shows that the sum is always greater
[00:08:12.691]than the individual pieces
[00:08:14.830]and there is no longer a smartest person in the room,
[00:08:18.020]for everyone brings a critical lens
[00:08:20.220]and specialized strengths to the table.
[00:08:23.230]The world needs passionate, creative problem solvers
[00:08:26.490]who will constantly learn, continually change,
[00:08:29.430]and adapt through honest communication
[00:08:31.590]and thrive on collaboration.
[00:08:34.030]Your course of study has provided you
[00:08:35.427]with a great framework to do this.
[00:08:38.090]So embrace the future because you are our future.
[00:08:41.840]Congratulations to you, the class of 2021.
[00:08:45.221]Good.
[00:08:50.470]Good evening, everyone. (upbeat music)
[00:08:51.580]I am more than honored to be participating
[00:08:53.081]in the 2021 graduation ceremony
[00:08:56.370]Our architecture, interior, and landscape students.
[00:08:59.530]I cannot put into words how strange it feels
[00:09:02.660]to be greeting you all through a camera.
[00:09:04.890]Though most of us were expecting the COVID-19 pandemic
[00:09:07.650]to be part of our history by this time of the year,
[00:09:10.150]I'm proud that despite all the adversity,
[00:09:11.957]we are gathered here to honor you.
[00:09:14.590]Outstandingly talented and creative people,
[00:09:17.760]and the tremendous effort
[00:09:18.900]that you have made throughout all these years.
[00:09:22.290]Because if there is one word that describes an architecture,
[00:09:24.510]interior, or landscape students, it's effort.
[00:09:27.450]Effort that you have shown in each project
[00:09:29.006]in which you have challenged yourself
[00:09:30.760]to think outside the box and innovate in your designs.
[00:09:33.890]Effort that you have put in every model you have crafted
[00:09:36.660]and carefully presented to your professors.
[00:09:39.170]Effort that it has kept you awake many nights,
[00:09:41.750]studying for your exams.
[00:09:44.230]During this past years, you all have shown
[00:09:46.495]an extraordinary commitment to your passion for design
[00:09:51.130]and have proven, once more,
[00:09:52.850]the essential role of architecture, interior,
[00:09:54.570]or landscape architecture play in our daily lives.
[00:09:57.200]Because, although with these words instantly
[00:09:59.480]makes most of us picture a building in our heads,
[00:10:03.200]the truth is, that your fields
[00:10:04.738]truly surpass the construction matter.
[00:10:07.070]Designing a project, indeed,
[00:10:09.160]is about exercising a multi-sensory perception of spaces.
[00:10:12.610]It's about considering the sounds, the weather,
[00:10:15.520]the temperature, and many other aspects
[00:10:17.770]of a specific area to create a suitable idea
[00:10:20.374]that tackles its problems and takes advantage
[00:10:23.688]of its opportunities and possibilities.
[00:10:28.010]As graduates, you will probably face many personal
[00:10:30.270]and professional challenges in the future.
[00:10:33.330]So, that's why we today, in this moment
[00:10:36.760]in which you are all reaching the end of the runway
[00:10:39.970]and ready for takeoff,
[00:10:42.220]apart from wishing you a safe and an exciting flight,
[00:10:45.850]I want to share with you three main reflections
[00:10:49.160]that I hope will get your career
[00:10:50.900]and your life in the future.
[00:10:53.210]First, and continuing with our flight analogy,
[00:10:56.670]I want to tell you that there is not a single path
[00:10:59.950]to get from point A to point B.
[00:11:02.230]Though, you have recently spent a couple of years
[00:11:04.493]in a training facility where you all have been graded,
[00:11:08.210]in the flight you are about to make,
[00:11:10.530]there is no correct or no wrong answers.
[00:11:14.570]Let your spirit guide you
[00:11:15.710]out of the storm you may encounter
[00:11:18.500]and don't be afraid to recalculate your GPS
[00:11:21.150]every time that's necessary.
[00:11:24.100]Second, there is no possible flight without the crew.
[00:11:28.150]You are standing on the runaway, ready for takeoff,
[00:11:31.760]because many people have supported you
[00:11:33.860]and helped you along your journey.
[00:11:35.990]Don't forget to thank them and keep them close.
[00:11:40.080]And last but not least,
[00:11:41.570]there's always someone needing help along your journey.
[00:11:44.740]You must acknowledge that you are all privileged people
[00:11:48.180]who will get a fair shot in life
[00:11:50.240]by being able to access a higher education.
[00:11:52.600]But, in the outside world,
[00:11:54.920]you will find people who are not as lucky as you.
[00:11:57.960]Be kind, be helpful, to sum up, pay it forward
[00:12:03.320]and life will keep paying it back to you.
[00:12:05.670]I wish you all the best of luck and I trust
[00:12:07.938]that each every one of you will represent your school
[00:12:10.623]at the top of your capacities.
[00:12:14.080]You are today's brilliant students
[00:12:15.950]and tomorrow's best leaders.
[00:12:17.690]Seek excellence and never give up.
[00:12:19.666]Congratulations.
[00:12:23.390]Hi, I'm Kelsey Miller (upbeat music)
[00:12:25.010]and I'd like to congratulate all
[00:12:26.250]of my fellow masters students
[00:12:27.870]on our graduation today from UNL' college of architecture.
[00:12:31.860]At times over the past few years,
[00:12:33.372]this day has felt very far out of reach.
[00:12:35.950]The concept of having our last critique a mere myth.
[00:12:38.970]But through all our hard work, rigor, and perseverance,
[00:12:41.810]we have accomplished this great achievement
[00:12:43.510]and should be extremely proud.
[00:12:45.700]I would like to begin by thanking each one of you
[00:12:47.960]for the impact and contribution you made
[00:12:50.010]to the special culture at our coll.
[00:12:52.210]One of the greatest resources
[00:12:53.820]throughout my academic experience was you all, my peers.
[00:12:57.440]Each one of you has a unique journey
[00:12:58.906]and perspective that inspired and challenged me,
[00:13:02.030]both in design and daily life.
[00:13:03.950]You all fostered an environment
[00:13:05.470]of collaboration and support.
[00:13:07.560]Whether it was taking time to brainstorm together
[00:13:09.930]to make a building up to code, helping cut MDF,
[00:13:12.950]because the table saw can be a little intimidating,
[00:13:15.710]or simply understanding the fear
[00:13:16.926]that comes when Rhino freezes
[00:13:18.433]and it's been awhile since saving.
[00:13:21.090]You each brought distinctive strengths and passions
[00:13:23.720]that motivated others to push themselves
[00:13:25.444]to a new level of excellence.
[00:13:28.310]I would be remiss if I did not also think Dean Ankerson,
[00:13:30.678]our professors and faculty, who play a vital role
[00:13:33.562]in cultivating the culture of our coll.
[00:13:36.270]Thank you for asking hard questions,
[00:13:38.210]for dedicating time to our education,
[00:13:40.420]and for believing in our capabilities when we had doubts.
[00:13:43.620]Thank you for sharing your passions
[00:13:45.120]and knowledge to make us better designers.
[00:13:48.120]Graduates, as we celebrate this weekend
[00:13:50.061]and begin to transition into our next season of life,
[00:13:53.530]I encourage you to take a moment to reflect
[00:13:55.224]over your time at our coll.
[00:13:57.500]What have you learned?
[00:13:58.520]How have you changed?
[00:13:59.970]Throughout our experience together,
[00:14:01.510]we spent hours researching, listening, and learning.
[00:14:04.820]As a result, we have grown into empathetic,
[00:14:07.170]critical designers with the skills to make a lasting impact
[00:14:10.041]on the communities around us.
[00:14:12.540]As you begin your next journey,
[00:14:14.260]I encourage you to never be scared of asking questions.
[00:14:17.130]Our academic life may be over, but the learning never stops.
[00:14:20.790]Now the real work begins,
[00:14:22.420]designing with a budget. (uplifting music)
[00:14:24.570]I wish each of you the best of luck in all you do.
[00:14:27.160]You are stellar people that are thoroughly equipped
[00:14:29.630]and ready to do extraordinary things.
[00:14:32.290]Congratulations, class of 2021, we did it!

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College of Architecture 2021 Graduation Address

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