This is it. The end of a long and winding road.
What started nearly four years ago on College Green will come to an end Monday at Franklin Field.
Hundreds of Penn seniors will make the trek down Locust Walk for the last time as Penn students. What lies ahead of them is a bright future. What lies behind them is a past rich in history and a campus that will not soon forget the impact this group has made.
Penn today is a better place thanks to the people who gave their hard work and devotion to this community. Every contribution, be it a small work of art or a scientific discovery or even an Ivy League championship trophy, becomes part of the lasting legacy that is Penn.
Four years ago, then-President Judith Rodin said, "This is your time. This is your call. This is your flight. May the force of Penn be with you," to the incoming class of freshmen.
They were fortunate to be among the 2,400 selected from a pool of more than 20,000 applicants to be a part of the Penn family. And now come Monday they will be even more fortunate to be able to say, "I am a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania."
That statement carries with it a great deal of significance and honor. It is up to this class, as was the case with the 248 before it, to live up to the challenges the future will bring with compassion, dignity and, most importantly, a desire to make the world a better place.
Today's seniors are on the verge of joining a very exclusive club of Penn alumni. What was once an amalgamation of eager freshmen from all points of the globe is now one cohesive unit -- the Class of 2005 -- ready to take its place in the annals of Penn history.
The friendships made along the way will last a lifetime, as will the memories of four years in West Philadelphia. From late nights in Van Pelt to late nights at Smokes', all will have their own stories to tell their grandchildren someday about what it was like to be at Penn. But that is only the background reading for greater things to come.
Penn alumni have become many things, from titans of industry and world leaders to artists and school teachers. They have pursued their dreams, and in doing so have helped to advance the legacy of Penn as a place where people come together from all walks of life to find their calling.
All those who receive a diploma on Monday will have a different set of goals for themselves. Who knows now what this year's group of Penn graduates will accomplish? Judging by the body of work put together over the past four years, the rest of us have a lot of reasons to be optimistic.
To the Class of 2005: Congratulations on a job well done. You have worked hard to get to where you stand today.
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