With a photo montage of the graduating class's past four years at Penn playing on a large screen to the tune of U2's "Beautiful Day," the School of Engineering and Applied Science's Commencement ceremony got underway on Monday.
In his address to the graduating seniors, Engineering Dean Eduardo Glandt praised trademark qualities of the class.
"You are a self-selecting group that likes logic, likes rigor and [is] only satisfied with quantitative answers," he said.
Glandt went on to discuss the prevalence of technology today and the directions in which technology will go as the members of the graduating class embark on their careers. He predicted that the role of technology in daily life will increase due to advances in processor speed and computer memory.
Glandt also mentioned notable projects undertaken by members of the class, such as a television screen that can project two shows at once to viewers wearing different glasses.
"Already, our students are helping to lower the divorce rate," he quipped.
Also present at the ceremony was alumnus and Trustee Peter Skirkanich, who received applause for his $10 million donation to help build the new home of the Bioengineering Department.
Glandt emphasized the "intergenerational covenant" that calls upon graduates to support the Engineering School in the
future.
The student address was given by graduating senior Meenal Lele.
Lele, a student in the Jerome Fisher Management and Technology Program, was a member of the Engineering Dean's Advisory Board throughout her four years at Penn.
In her address, Lele focused on the importance of risks and challenges as a means of personal development.
"Only by stopping to reflect on the challenges do they become useful," she said.
Most of the Engineering graduates were pleased that the ceremony was short, since many of them and their families were tired from the schoolwide Commencement ceremony held earlier in the day.
Glandt's remarks earned the highest praise.
"Glandt is a great person to speak." Jay Sy, an Engineering graduate said. "He's charismatic and has a way of working technology into everyday things."
