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Good morning and welcome everyone. My first very important piece of news for you is you can all be seated now. Distinguished guests, faculty and staff, alumni, family and friends, we are so pleased to see you here and so proud to celebrate our graduates together. To the amazing, accomplished, inspiring class of 2025, congratulations. You are a resilient group and a source of great hope. The youngest among you were born around the turn of the century. You've grown up, or in some cases, you've aged during a period of social and technological transformation, adopting entirely new ways to form community, learn, and express yourselves. You've also witnessed a fair share of turbulence, economic upheaval, a pandemic, deep political divisions, and wars that reverberate in our lives and our communities. Grounded in those experiences, you have navigated law school and the world around you with impressive courage, integrity, and grace. Now, luckily, you didn't have to do this alone. To the friends and family here today, just as you're here to celebrate your graduate, you're also living proof that success takes many hands. Your love, your sacrifice, and your support carried our graduates throughout their journeys to this remarkable day. We are so grateful to you. And graduates, I hope you'll join me in giving your friends and family a big round of applause. [Applause] [Music] graduates.
What you accomplished to get here was not easy, and it wasn't supposed to be. Law school is hard. That's part of the point. The law is a mechanism for resolving society's toughest questions. If we've done our job, your time with us stretched your minds, tested your convictions, and sharpened your arguments. You all rose to this formidable challenge. You dove into interdisciplinary learning with a record number of you earning a joint degree. You bridged the classroom and the community, bringing to life pro bono projects like the compassionate release collaborative and the Veterans Law Project. For the first time in years, you made it to the finals of the National Moot Court Competition. There you go. You forged friendships that will sustain and support you long into the future. You came together as a community through the challenges of law school. Whether that meant engaging constructively in difficult conversations, supporting one another in meeting the law school's rigorous demands, or solving problems together. You did all of this without losing the kindness and earnestness that draws people to Penn Carey Law in the first place. And you even managed to have some fun along the way. You sung and performed in law review. You won the Dean Cup for a second year in a row. And you soaked in all that Penn and Philly have to offer. From exploring Penn's remarkable art and sculpture collection to enjoying water ice and cheese steaks in the courtyard.
Now, even as we celebrate all you've done, you are preparing to do more. Some of you will continue in a newly enhanced career. Others will launch a fresh one. You'll be working across the country and around the globe. You'll be starting at law firms, clerkships, and public interest fellowships. You'll join public defender offices, work for the government, or head into business or finance. You'll specialize in consumer protection, M&A deals, labor and employment law, securities litigation, immigrant rights, or health law. No matter where you go next, I want to offer a reflection drawn from my own recent experience of stepping into something new. So, two years ago, I transitioned to uh from being your professor to being your dean. Suddenly, I went from feeling confident in the classroom after 14 years of teaching to facing a deluge of new responsibilities and decisions as dean. Honestly, it was humbling. New jobs are hard. They stretch and they test you. A new challenge can even feel like a setback. You go overnight from being an expert at what you've been doing to being acutely aware of all you have to learn. For all of you, it may feel like you've just cracked the law school code, only to be sent right back to climbing a new steep learning curve as you look beyond graduation. But that's the glass half empty vision of this moment. I urge you to instead see it as an opportunity to mark your growth because cracking law school didn't just happen to you. You made it happen. And what you gained here, your learning, your growth, your resilience will carry into everything you take on next. Everyone told me that being dean would feel like drinking from a fire hose. I've come to prefer a different metaphor, surfing a tidal wave. It captures the intensity of demanding moments and they do exist. Uh but it reminds you that you have agency in how you meet any challenge. You bring to it significant training and experience and you learn and can adapt as you go. That mindset, the belief that doing hard things grows us and that growth is iterative can buoy you along as you meet the big exhilarating waves that lie ahead.
And here's another thing that I found. When you take on a new challenge, when you're pressed and tested, you often learn something about yourself. These days, I consider myself an optimist who is always looking for the upside. A funny thing is that I'd never really recognized that trait about myself before this job. Instead, I discovered it because honestly, there have been some days that tested and as a result revealed my optimism. I believe deeply that Penn Carey Law's collegial culture, our kindness and earnestness forms a foundation that can support productive disagreement within our walls and beyond them. Many contentious moments over the past two years have tested that culture and made productive disagreement seem almost impossible. Yet, through it all, I found myself optimistic about our ability to navigate these challenges together. That optimism has been confirmed by the way all of you rose to the occasion. You showed that a community can hold together even with deep disagreement among its members. You did this in your in our classrooms where you interrogated your views and took seriously the views of others. In your service and learning projects where you worked with clients whose experiences were vastly different than your own. In your student organizations where you hosted a broad range of speakers and brought the community together for team building events like the recent 3L 5K run. We don't always get it right, but we stay in conversation and that feeds my hope and we need that hope because this is a hard moment. You are entering the profession at a time when foundational legal ideas are being reopened and re-examined. How should we realize our core commitments to equality and justice? What is the meaning of liberty, freedom, and the rule of law? How should law shape our economy, our institutions, and our global relationships? These are all questions without easy answers, but you are ready for them. Lawyering has always been a critical profession. You are quickly going to realize just how valuable your education is. You will find people throughout your life turning to you to help them solve their problems. Sometimes what they'll want from you is traditional legal advice, but just as often what they'll value is not specific legal knowledge, but a certain mindset and perspective. Your time at Penn Carey Law cultivated an ability to listen, to think through a problem, to identify options, and offer sound counsel about them. Whether you're brokering deals or litigating on behalf of clients, working for multinational corporations or families just getting by, fighting fiercely or finding common ground. People will rely on your judgment, insight, creativity, and integrity. And not just in your work, also in your communities. Just as you have fed my optimism in even the most challenging times, it gives me great hope and confidence in the future to know that you, the brilliant, resilient, humane class of 2025, will be the ones helping us answer the most pressing questions of our time. We are in good hands indeed. Congratulations.
Now, I'm pleased to introduce three student speakers representing our three degree programs, the ML, LLM, and JD. First up is our ML student speaker, Epha Marose Adoranu, hailing from Nigeria. Epha is both a Penn Carey Law ML candidate and an MBA candidate at Wharton. He works in cross-border financing across Africa and North America and has already launched two startups. He will focus on energy venture capital after graduation. Thank you very much. Um thank you very much Deni for that very warm um introduction. Um, good morning faculty, honored guests, uh, family, friends, and most importantly, my fellow graduates of the Penn Carey Law School. Um, very quickly, I'd like to crave your indulgence to please, uh, put your hands together for our friends and family who have come from far and beyond to celebrate with us today. All right. So, as a class speaker, as a commencement speaker representing this year's ML class, I stand here humbled, excited, and if I'm being honest, I'm tiny bit nervous that Professor Kanik might come from the how to co-call me one last time. But if that happens, someone please pass me the class reading summary. Um, but seriously, I am surprised because not too long ago, I never thought a law degree could be a part of my story. Yet, here I am today, proof that no matter where we come from or how many times we change our minds, we each have the power to reinvent ourselves. And I hope that this is the message you get from my speech today. Six years ago in Lagos, Nigeria, as a finance professional, I sat across the room from a potential investor negotiating a renewable energy deal that could power thousands of homes. And at this point, I should s track that at the time the renewable energy sector was still very nascent and the regulations were still evolving. But I still had my spreadsheet, my projections, and you know, presentation slide deck ready to discuss how to secure funding for this project. But as the conversation progressed, the individual leaned forward and asked me, "What happens if the law around this project changes?" I froze, not because I didn't have an answer. You see, finance had taught me the world through a risk and reward behavioral framework. And it has taught me to, you know, accept the parameters of this world and optimize within those constraints. It has taught me that you know to optimize within those constraints and just go with the flow like that. But law raises a different question. Law asked a different question and says what if we rewrite the rules? And that one question changed everything for me. It revealed that finance alone did not guarantee that my insight could change the course of the world. That moment led me here today to a program that is built on a radical idea and as the former dean famously said, "Law belongs to everyone, not just those who plan careers as attorneys." That single statement broke down a long-standing barrier, inviting my classmates and I from business, engineering, healthcare, social policy, and yes, even finance to the seat at the legal table today. As graduates of Penn Carey Madison Law program, we are proof that reinvention isn't just personal, it is institutional. It is about tearing down walls so that the power that shapes justice isn't reserved for just a few, but served by engineers, entrepreneurs, healthcare practitioners, and yes, even finance professionals. For years I thought my job as a finance professional, you know, was to keep the world's engine running, you know, tweak the interest rates, run valuation, stretch the budget, just do anything to ensure the machine and the system hummed along. But the world's engine doesn't ask questions; they don't ask why, you know, who built this machine, for example, or who does it crush or who gets left in the dust. Law questions and compels us not just to ask how to walk within constraint but why those constraints even exist and whether they need to be shattered or rewritten entirely. That is why we came here. Like many of my classmates, this degree isn't just didn't just give us a legal skill set. It awakened in us a sense of responsibility and a drive to challenge silos and an understanding that genuine progress often begins with a willingness to question established norms. So look around you at our class. These are the faces of people who dared to reinvent themselves. Some of us come from healthcare determined to reshape patients' rights. Others come from tech startups eager to put ethical guard rails around artificial intelligence. But collectively we are proof that combining law with diverse expertise can spark breakthroughs we never imagined. So as we prepare to get off this stage, I beseech each and every one of you, including myself, you know, to keep asking what else can be reinvented. If law and finance can join forces to shift how we fund our communities and infrastructure. If healthcare and law can merge to ensure fairer patients' rights and if technology can converge with law to ensure our future in this digital age, then what else is possible? Class of 2025, please remember this. The universe wants us to be typical. It wants us to stick to the script and to play the roles that we've been assigned. But as we have learned this past few years, that the greatest breakthroughs come from those willing to reinvent themselves. So wherever we go from here, be it corporate, government, nonprofit or an entirely new industry, please carry on the spirit of reinvention because in that spirit we truly affirm that law belongs to us all and each of us holds the power to reshape the parameters of our world. So congratulations to the class of Master in Law, uh, 2025, and I say this, uh, may our futures be bright, our journeys be bold, and the courage to reinvent ourselves remain limitless. Thank you.
Thank you, Epha. Next up is our LLM student speaker, Arnaldo Bernardi. Arnaldo is from Brazil where he was a senior associate at Lefosse Advogados in Sao Paulo. While here at the law school, he was a leader for the Penn Carey Law Brazilian Association where he organized the first Brazilian law summit. After graduation, Arnaldo will return to Brazil to work as an M&A lawyer at Lefosse. Thanks, Dingli. Students, faculty, staff, friends, and family. Good morning. I am honored to deliver the commencement speech for the LLM class of 2025, a cohort of 135 brilliant students from over 30 countries. We arrived at Penn Carey Law with plans to study hard, grow professionally, and earn the LLM diploma. Although we have delved into books and case law, the truth is we might forget some some of the cases, probably many of them. But we will not forget what it felt like to belong to something so rare. A class of strangers who became a community. Not because we planned it, but because we allowed it. We found friendship across languages, across differences, across everything we thought separated us. This bond began on our first day in Fitz auditorium with humble introductions and shy conversations. Nevertheless, it was at the parties organized by Ty, our unofficial party president, that we truly started to connect. Each of us bringing the best of our national foods and drinks. Ty, thank you so much for making this happen and bringing all of us together. As the music faded away from the music boxes from our parties, we had our very own special talent at Cellarback Theater. Naja was shining on stage with a pengle club in the show, No Script, No Problem. As the title suggests, that's how we got here. We had no scripts, but we had each other. And of course, we can't forget our unofficial performers. Selma stopping the dance floor at Drinkers with her T-Rex moves, Hamza doing singing stints, Penn owning the karaoke microphone, and many others. We also had a remarkable demonstration of our strength with our Argentinian charging bull at fight night, a boxing match against Wharton to raise money for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Philadelphia. Filipe, we are very proud of [Applause] you. When you stepped into that ring, it was a true representation of the spirit of this LLM class. Each of us bringing dreams, hopes, but no guarantees, just instinct, preparation, and a heartbeat telling us to keep going. By each swing and punch, we were trying our best to deal with a new culture, exams, papers, and job fairs. We took some hits with homesickness, dance readings, and we also tried to dodge some cold calls. Just like all of us cheered for El Toro that night, look around. There are people here cheering for all of you. And for those who couldn't be here, across countries and time zones, they're all proud of what you have accomplished. Time is ticking and I have to wrap up. As we prepare to leave Penn Carey Law, let's carry with us the university's timeless motto, engraved above the staircase at Silverman Hall. Leges sine moribus vanae, in English, Laws without morals are useless. From now on, whenever wherever our paths take us, let us embrace this motto and commit to applying the law as an instrument of peace. May we use the law to help those who have fallen or are in need. Let us apply the law to restore human dignity, not to diminish or subjugate anyone. It is time we pursue a law of solidarity. I have learned so much from each of you. Your kindness, your generosity, your willingness to embrace others have inspired me deeply. It is because of you I believe this dream is possible. You have shown that we are capable of building a more compassionate, just and legal human world. To the professors who have guided us with patience and passion, thank you. To the staff who kept everything running behind the scenes, thank you. To our families, spouses, sponsors, and even pets, thank you for being our steady ground. And to my classmates, thank you for living this year fully, for the jokes, the support, the resilience, the love we share. Let us carry with us the power of this moment to whatever comes next. Congratulations, LLM class of 2025.
Thank you, Arnaldo. Next up is Robert Kershenbaum who serves as president of the JD class of 2025. During his time at the law school, he's been a TA for not one, not two, not even three, but four faculty members. He is a proud New Jersey native and plans to join Milbank in their New York office after graduation. Robert, the podium is yours.
Thank you, Dean Lee, for the introduction. Good morning, esteemed faculty, uh, proud family and friends, and of course, my incredible fellow graduates. As I stand here today, I realize that this is the first time in three years I actually don't have to cite any sources. Five years ago, at this time, my brother Kenny was supposed to walk across this stage at his own Penn Carey Law commencement and receive his diploma from my sister Kim, a Penn Law alumna. Instead, he watched it on a live stream with me and our family from our home back in New Jersey, dawning his cap and gown while my sister was clerking remotely in Oklahoma. I remember returning from my own Penn Law admitted students day in the spring of 2022 before 1L year was set to begin and there were rumblings about another COVID surge, more mask mandates and so much uncertainty. However, I want to start with a simple but powerful truth. We were the first. We were the first Penn Carey Law class to begin law school united all together in the school post-COVID-19 with no restrictions, no hybrid learning, just us, some free food from the Goat and an unread casebook. We stand here today, not behind a screen and not on mute, but together in person, no frozen Zoom faces, just us. And let's take a moment to appreciate what that means. We were the restart, the class that brought life, noise, and awkward small talk back into the classrooms that were quiet for too long. From day one, we got the full experience, including cold calls in real time and whispered outlines sent from across the room. We're together and alone is something we couldn't take for granted not long ago. We all worked or concluded our undergraduate studies in a world turned upside down. We took the LSAT in an uncertain world with distractions in every corner. And we visited law schools when even the buildings themselves had restrictions and mask mandates. Law schools are supposed to be intense, but not global pandemic daily death tolls intense. And that didn't stop any
Of us from pursuing a law degree. We always found ways to keep going. And I bring up the COVID pandemic and our class being the first, uh, post-pandemic class to have all three years uninterrupted because I think it's a testament to this special class.
We created new traditions. We gave fresh life to old ones and shaped what Penn Carey Law looks like in this new era. And let's be honest, who better to do that than us?
Throughout law school, with no such restrictions, we all found each other, made friendships and meaningful connections for life, and seized every opportunity. Even this year, Penn Carey Law became a sports school, winning the UVA softball tournament and the Deans Cup back-to-back years. We're a generation of lawyers who know what it means to navigate disruption, to adapt, and to rebuild. We know what it means to fight for connection, for clarity, for justice when rules keep changing and answers aren't always obvious.
It wasn't easy. Let's not pretend otherwise. Law school is never easy. We've all had those nights staring down our outlines, questioning life choices, wondering why our friends at home are all making money working and we're here getting called on to explain what hearsay is. But we pushed together.
And as we step out of Biddle for the last time, as we step out of the courtyard for the last time, and as we grab that last piece of free food from the Goat for the last time, we don't carry just legal knowledge. We carry lived experience of resilience, of adaptability, of refusing to give up when everything said we should.
And on the first day of law school, we were told what a special and unique class we have. And I stand here today, and I couldn't believe that to be more true. Today, we don't just celebrate a graduation. We celebrate a comeback, a reunion, a reminder that in a time when the world felt most fractured and uncertain, we prove the community still matters and the collective strength is still real.
And no matter where we go, whether it's big law in New York, clerking in DC, launching nonprofits, or staying right here in Philadelphia, we go together. Remember this feeling, this moment, this triumph. We leave campus as lawyers, but not just any lawyers. We're the first class to truly start fresh in this new post-pandemic world. That matters, and that's history. To the class of 2025, we didn't just make it, we made it together. Let's go out there and make some noise. Congratulations and thank you. Thank you, Robert.
Now, I'm pleased to introduce Alexander Dewine, who will present the Harvey Leven Award for Teaching Excellence to Professor Kathy Stru. Alexander is the president of the law school's Council of Student Representatives. He taught in his home state of Rhode Island before coming to law school and is joining Sullivan and Cromwell in New York after graduation. That's it.
Classmates, faculty, ladies and gentlemen, the class of 2025 has chosen to present the Harvey Leven Award for Teaching Excellence to Professor Kathy T. Stru. Now, as some of you may know, this is not the first time that Professor Stru has won this award. She has, in fact, won it three times before, in addition to winning the university's Lindbeck Award for Distinguished Teaching in 2024. At a law school filled with so many exceptional scholars and teachers, such a feat is no small accomplishment. It speaks to both her exceptional teaching abilities and also the special impact that she has had on the many students that have passed through our law school's halls.
Upon graduating Harvard Law School, Professor Stru had a promising legal career before her. She clerked for Judge Amalia Kur of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and then served as litigation associate at Cravath, Swaine & Moore. While many would have been satisfied with a prosperous career in private practice, it was teaching in academia that proved to be Professor Stru's true calling. She took a professorship at Penn Carey Law and since that time she has devoted her life to educating the next generation of lawyers and legal thinkers. To add to that already impressive list of accomplishments, she has also played a critical role in shaping American law. She currently serves as a reporter to the Judicial Conference Standing Committee on Rules of Practice and Procedure and a member of the council of the American Law Institute. She previously served as a reporter for the Judicial Conference Advisory Committee on Appellate Rules.
Now I speak from personal experience. I've had the great fortune of having Professor Stru many times during my time here at Penn. And what struck me about her from the start was not only her ability to explain the densest legal topics in a lucid manner, but also the immense kindness and respect that she displayed towards her students. While she's one of the leading legal minds in this country, she remains refreshingly humble and approachable. Despite the fact that she has a busy schedule as a lecturer, scholar, and rulemaker, she still finds the time to individually mentor students on their own burgeoning legal careers. While she challenges students to wrestle with some of the headiest concepts in federal law, she does so in a manner that puts them at ease and also encourages them to speak their minds openly and freely. I know that my time at Penn has been made all the more special by Professor Stru's teaching and mentorship. And I know that many of my peers and predecessors feel the same. For that reason, we, the class of 2025, have chosen to present Professor Stru with this award. Congratulations.
Thank you, Alexander, for those incredibly generous words to which I shall try to live up.
Section one. You impressed me from our very first day together with your talent and your determination to learn civil procedure and your good humor in tackling a course that I realize not all of you would have chosen to take. To my federal court students, you did voluntarily sign up for that course, knowing that it was a really hard one. And you brought your keen insights to the study of the role of independent courts in preserving the separation of powers and protecting people's rights. To our seminar students, you know, we loved every class meeting with you and I learned so much from your research. And to all the members of the class of 2025, including all of those with whom I had the privilege of meeting to talk with you about your future career paths, please keep in touch as you go on to walk those paths. The deepest satisfaction, as Alexander suggested, the deepest satisfaction of my own career is getting to see what you will do with yours. I know that you will continue to make me [Music] proud. Thank you, Alexander. And congratulations, uh, to Professor Stru.
Next up is Sarah Rekervic, who will present the LLM Prize for Teaching Excellence to Professor Bill Burke-White. Sarah is the LLM class president and LLM Cougler Scholar, recognizing her high academic and professional achievements in law in Germany. After graduation, Sarah will work for a German law firm in New York City.
Thank you for the kind introduction, Dean Lee. I'm standing here today in awe of the year we've had and what all of you achieved. Words can't capture what this experience at Penn has meant or how grateful I am to be part of the LLM class 2025. Every single one of you has done remarkable things across so many professions in so many fields of law and beyond. And while our achievements may differ, one thing unites us all: the impact we have. The impact of your hard work, your kindness, and your determination throughout this year has been truly extraordinary. And it has left its mark in our classes, on Penn Carey Law, on the city of Philadelphia, and most importantly on each other. This is the reason why we will never forget this year, the connections we made, or this graduation. And I know that the impact all of you made at Penn is only the beginning and that you will continue making an impact all over the world. Although I will miss hearing about it at the Clock or the Goat. On behalf of the LLM class and especially from my vice president Shoga and myself, thank you. Thank you for your friendship, your brilliance, and for the enrichment you have brought to this community and to the future of our shared profession.
There's one person who had a particularly meaningful impact on us all outside of the classroom. Whether at conferences like the American Society of International Law, the Salzburg Cutler Global Seminar in DC, or simply in the hallways of the law school, he always made time to catch up with familiar faces, welcome new ones, and share his experiences with us. Inside the classroom, he didn't just offer us exceptional courses and assign us plenty to read. He encouraged our curiosity, challenged our thinking, and made us excited about international law and global affairs. As international students, we felt truly seen through his inclusive and global perspective. It is my great honor to present a prize for teaching excellence to a professor who not only taught us with brilliance, inspired ideas and supported us, but who made us appreciate academics beyond the classroom, made us laugh every now and then, and whose impact will stay with us for years to come. Professor Burke-White, this is your LLM Prize for teaching excellence. [Music]
Duncan and Sarah. And to the LLM class of 2025, congratulations. It is the honor of my professional career to have taught you and to have been part of this journey with you over the past year.
Last August, you came to Philadelphia from countries across the globe. And what a journey it has been. I have so many fond memories sharing Thanksgiving turkey traditions with some of you from Bhutan, Uzbekistan, and China. Dining with some of you from the Philippines with your Supreme Court justice or debating the rules of arbitration enforcement with some of you from Brazil and from Germany. You brought with you such an extraordinary diversity of ideas, legal traditions, cultures, languages, and yes, food. And Penn Carey Law is stronger for it. Our community is richer for it. This country is better for it. And for that, we thank you. Though I'm not sure about the yak butter tea some of you decided to share with me. As you leave us and you return to classrooms and courtrooms, government ministries and international organizations around the world, you bring with you a great responsibility and a great power at a time when in far too many corners of this world the rule of law itself is being questioned, challenged and under threat. You are its champions and you are its guardians. It only stands because you defend it. And you leave us with the skills, the commitment, and the energy to do so. This world needs you now more than ever, and I know you will rise to that challenge. Thank you for letting me be a small part of your journey. Congratulations, Penn Carey Law LLM class of 2025.
Thank you, Sarah. And congratulations again to Professor Burke-White. It is now my great pleasure to introduce our distinguished speaker. Governor Phil Murphy has served as the 56th governor of New Jersey since 2018, leading the state through a period of both challenge and change. He led New Jersey's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He's championed public education and he helped strengthen New Jersey's innovation ecosystem in ways that continue to shape the region's economy. He is a proud 1983 MBA graduate of the Wharton School here at Penn. He earned his undergraduate degree from Harvard. Governor Murphy has built a career that spans continents, sectors, and disciplines. Before entering public life, he spent over two decades at Goldman Sachs, where he led offices in Frankfurt and Hong Kong and ultimately served on the firm's management committee. From 2009 to 2013, he served as the United States ambassador to Germany, appointed by President Obama during a pivotal time for that transatlantic alliance. Let's just say this: Anyone who can keep the peace in a state full of Eagles and Giants fans clearly has the gift of diplomacy. In a career that has moved not in a straight line, but across a wide-ranging lattice, Governor Murphy exemplifies the kind of professional agility that will define your generation of lawyers. He's also made a bit of history along the way, becoming the first person to chair both the National Governor's Association and the Democratic Governor's Association at the same time. Leave it to a Penn grad to multitask. We're also honored to be joined today by the first lady of New Jersey, Tammy Snyder Murphy, herself a leader in climate action and maternal health. Governor Murphy, we are deeply grateful to have you with us this morning to share your insights and perspective at such a meaningful moment in our graduates' professional journey. Please join me in welcoming Governor Phil Murphy. [Applause] [Music]
Thank you very much. Good morning, everybody. It is an absolute honor to be with you today to celebrate the graduates of one of the finest legal institutions in the entire world. But I just want to check one more time: You guys know that I'm a Wharton guy. I I don't have a law degree. I mean, I know some lawyers, nice people, smart. I have an MBA, which means I have just enough obnoxious brass to tell people with law degrees what to do. As the dean mentioned, I'm here with my wife, Tammy. Naturally. Yeah. Naturally, we live in Jersey, but we live up closer to New York City. By the way, how's Seaquan doing? But hey, this is notwithstanding all of that, this is going to go great. And if not, I'm a Murphy after all. You'll find me over at New Deck doing shots of JMO. Seriously, it is incredibly meaningful to be back in the city of brotherly love. I have lived it here. I have learned it here. I have loved it here. To Dean Lee and all of your distinguished colleagues at Penn Carey Law School, thank you for inviting me to join you on this joyous and celebratory day. To all the proud parents, family members, and loved ones here with us, thank you for raising and supporting the next generation of lawyers, scholars, change makers, and leaders who are the very future of our nation and our world. And most importantly, to the class of 2025, congratulations. I know every single one of you has worked your tails off and we could not be more proud of you. You have earned this glorious moment.
I want to acknowledge something that I find incredibly unique and highly commendable about the Penn Law School and about all of you in this year's graduating class. Over the past few years, each one of you has had the privilege of being immersed in a campus where collegiality is revered and cross-disciplinary learning is cherished. And as you embark on your next life chapter, let me tell you those two values will serve you well. And collegiality and cross-disciplinary learning are not abstract virtues. They reflect two fundamental ideals that are sorely lacking in our world today: kindness and curiosity.
Commencement ceremonies are usually a time to look forward. But I want to take this opportunity to salute all of you for the work you have already done to live up to those two values. Among the more than 430 of you graduating today, you have performed over 25,000 hours of pro bono work with efforts, amen, with efforts like the Custody and Support Assistance Clinic. Yeah. And the Financial Literacy Project. And each and every one of those hours represents kindness in action. And many of you are graduating today with a joint degree. Yeah. And by the way, to those of you who will soon hold degrees from both Penn Carey Law and Wharton, thanks a lot. I now feel like Pee-wee Herman. But honestly, your devotion to cross-disciplinary learning, that is curiosity in action. So the reality is you are already models of what the world needs today. But now naturally comes the next step. When you meld kindness with curiosity, there is a clear conclusion or more accurately a call to action. And that is having the courage to take unexpected paths in life while always bringing the best version of yourself along for the ride. I think the magic formula is simple: Follow your curiosity wherever it may lead you and do so with an open mind and a spirit of kindness.
Now imagine for a second a straight line between points A and B or maybe between today and your next horizons. But wait a minute, life is almost never like that. And that's a good thing. In my own life, I have learned to welcome the unpredictable bends in my professional journey. And I am far from alone. Frankly, that's the only way somebody can go in my case from working in finance to domestic politics to international diplomacy and then on to state government. And your willingness to enthusiastically embrace the unexpected turns in life is especially important today. I'm sure you've heard this more than you could count: We are living in an unprecedented and unpredictable time, and there is a volatility and a frenetic pace that are also unprecedented. It should remind all of us of that observation that many attribute to Lenin, Vladimir by the way, not John. There are decades where nothing happens and there are weeks where decades happen. And as lawyers, you will soon be charged with making sense of, at times, a senseless world. It is a big challenge and one, I may add, you did not ask for. But it is also an opportunity to lead, to rebuild institutions or to build new ones altogether or simply to be a force for justice. And this campus, your professors, your peers, they have all prepared you for this opportunity, perhaps in ways you may have never predicted. I mean, when I first arrived at UPenn, I never would have imagined that some of the most valuable lessons I would learn would not be in the classroom. The good, the bad, the ugly. From navigating the scourge of urban decay in Philadelphia circa 1981 to the shocking suicide of a dear friend and classmate to the absurdity and campiness of the Wharton Follies' theatrical review. Just like you, we had it all. By the way, quick public service announcement on the subject of theater: There are worse training grounds for a career in government and politics. As governor, I put the lessons I learned as a theater junkie into practice virtually every day. Performing on stage taught me how to think on my feet, how to stay cool when meetings go off script, how to overcome stage fright before a big press event. So when you go to be sworn in as a judge or a cabinet secretary, don't be surprised if the person holding the Bible is the former president of the Penn Carey Law Comedy and Improv Club.
Now, many of you, perhaps most, will go on to assume some of the most influential positions of power in the legal world. And when you take on these roles, you will soon discover that the people around you will hang on your every word. When you enter a room, heads will turn. So when you enter those rooms, a favor, please. Bless you. We don't miss a thing up here. A favor, please. Don't just claim your own seat at the table. Make room for more. Welcome new voices into the conversation. Seek insights from those who are too often told to stay quiet. I have found time and again that the smartest people I know are those who offer fewer opinions and ask more questions. And this is not just the right way to be. It's the smart approach for succeeding in life. But hey, don't take my word for it. Just ask your peers, as Robert alluded to, on the Penn Carey Law Softball Club who were declared, I might add again, the champions of this year's UVA Law School softball invitation. Congratulations. I want to give an extra shout out to the club's co-captain, Jared Turner. In reflecting on the club's victory, Jared said, and I quote him, "We do things a little bit differently than many of the other schools. Instead of limiting the number of students who can join us at the tournament, we try to make the event open and accessible to as many interested students as possible." Pretty cool. Well, Jared, to you and your teammates, thank you for proving that when we lead with open minds and open hearts, we bring out the best in each other. That's the good news. On the less good front, Jared has entered the transfer portal and he's taking his NIL fortune on up to Cravath. It gets crazier. Cravath is joining the Big Ten. You had USC last year, UCLA, now Cravath. At least they're leaving the Ivys alone. Except Columbia. They're joining the UN Security Council. Any event, back to what we were talking about here. Kindness and curiosity are not just cushy ideals. They are key ingredients in the recipe for victory. And that sentiment applies to contexts that may not be as straightforward as a softball tournament. As experts in the system of justice, you will soon be faced with challenges that are harder to answer than a question on constitutional law from Professor Kermit Roosevelt. So, for those of you who hope to enter public service or government in particular, I want to offer a few specific pieces of advice. When it comes to sensitive decision-making, do yourself a favor and keep the convo off signal. Just making sure you're paying attention out there. If someone seeks your services in exchange for small unmarked bills in a brown paper bag, turn around, walk away, and don't look back. Trust me on this one. I'm from Jersey. But when it comes to the more common challenges you will face in the years ahead, let me say this: If you ever find yourself in a
Position where you are forced to choose between the demands of a job and the demands of your conscience, always follow your head and your heart, even when they lead you down an unexpected, maybe an uncertain, or even dangerous path.
In that spirit, and in the spirit of keeping this relatively short because it's never a good idea to go on too long with a crowd that makes a living in six-minute blocks, I want to leave you with the story of one of my personal heroes. Someone I first learned about during my time as the US ambassador in the Federal Republic of Germany; someone who answered the call of his own conscience despite the great risks he faced. His name was Dietrich Bonhoeffer. He was a German Lutheran pastor who had originally planned to live a life of faith and peace. But as a young man, he traveled to the United States and he worshiped at Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, where his passion for social justice blossomed. When he returned to Germany, he discovered a nation in turmoil. Hitler had consolidated power, and Bonhoeffer was compelled to stand up and fight for justice. He was among the very few—sadly—Christian leaders who stood up for the Jews and against the Third Reich. It was not the path that he had planned for. Nonetheless, he joined with his fellow dissidents who ultimately devised a plan to overthrow the Nazi regime and assassinate Hitler. That plan tragically failed, and Bonhoeffer was imprisoned and ultimately executed in the Flossenbürg concentration camp, literally just weeks before it was liberated by the Allies.
Though Dietrich Bonhoeffer's life was cut short by a barbaric regime, his story offers an eternal and timeless lesson. No matter how inconsequential our roles may seem, or how disconnected from structures of power we may feel, when we—when we—hear the call of our conscience, we must answer it every single time. There is a saying that is often attributed to the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and whether or not he actually said it, I find it so compelling and so relevant: If your opponent has a conscience, then follow Gandhi. But if your enemy has no conscience, like Hitler, then follow Bonhoeffer.
For Dietrich Bonhoeffer, taking a stand came at grave personal peril because, in his time, the rule of law was overridden by a lawless regime. Thankfully, today we live in a nation whose very foundation rests on the rule of law. And while some may try to undermine it, they cannot escape this very simple truth. Much like the lessons we can learn from Bonhoeffer, the very idea of America is eternal and timeless. And when anyone tries to attack our justice system, what they're really attacking is the fundamental idea of America.
So, as you all prepare to enter the legal field, each of you will have a part to play in ensuring that this democratic experiment, which has endured for nearly 250 years, will endure for many, many more to come. So go forth and fight for the future you envision. Whether that means running for office, or serving as a judge, or a prosecutor, or public defender, or committing time to pro bono work, you have the power to protect and preserve the rule of law here at home and around the world.
And as you begin your next chapter, please resist the lawyerly temptation to fill in too many of the details early in your journey. Take your time. You have plenty of it. After all, Paul McCartney was 27 when the Beatles broke up. You've heard of the Beatles, right, guys? Just checking. Follow the unexpected path, because the best-lived life is rarely a straight line. Make room for new seats at the table and seek wisdom from those who challenge you. Above all, trust your head, trust your heart, stand your ground. Clearly, your instincts and talents have led you in the right directions thus far. You will now lead us with that unshakable commitment to kindness and curiosity that has shined on this campus. And you will emerge as an unstoppable force for justice; a force formidable enough to break down the walls of injustice wherever they stand.
Congratulations once again, and thank you so much for having me. And to those of you out there from the great Garden State, always remember, never forget one more thing: We're from Jersey, baby. God bless you all.
Thank you, Governor Murphy, for those illuminating and inspiring words. Now, we come to the ultimate reason for our being here this morning: the presentation of our graduates. We have more than 400 students receiving their degrees today. So, for each of these students and their families, this is a moment of triumph and recognition. So I'm going to ask you to please give each one of these deserving graduates the honor of your attention. Thank you for that. And now I would like to call our assistant dean, Katherine Restrepo, to recognize our master of law graduates.
[Applause]
Good morning, everyone. It's my great honor to present to you this year's recipients of the Master of Law degree. First, we have Ephe Maros Aduronu. Excellent. Congratulations. Congratulations, Dr. Esther Ajar. Congratulations. Congratulations, Kathleen Burkowitz. Congratulations, Dr. Jeff Burns. Congratulations, Joseph A. Carlani III. Congratulations, Rebecca Solidad Caro. In absentia, we have Brandon Chen, Ma and Michael Chen. Next, we have Lewis Andrew Culver III. Congratulations, Olivia D’Angelo. Congratulations, Garen Davis. Congratulations. Next, we have Desessie Debitzer, accompanied by Manakum, Molly, and Baby [Applause] Ruby. Congratulations. Next we have Claire Jasmine Den, accompanied by Brandon and Matthew Den. Congratulations. Congratulations. Next we have Elas Egonomu. Congratulations, Mavis Gan. Congratulations, Teresa Gassert. Congratulations. In absentia, we have Kate Goldston. And next we have David Timothy Grip. Congratulations. We have George Gerolnik accompanied—No, I’m sorry. The children. Yes. So, we have George Gerolnik. Congratulations. And in absentia, we have Jonathan Hanley. And then we have Robert Horman. Congratulations. In absentia, we have Robert Jenkins. And next we have Rodney Wayne Johnson, accompanied by Karen Fel. We think so. Uh, well, perhaps Karen is on her way—on their way. Yes. Congratulations. Next we have Annette McCarthy. Congratulations. And Billy Sears McGrain. Congratulations. Next, we have Shriana Nadala. Congratulations. And Parker Norman. And we have—I think we’re having just a little bit of a delay getting some of our children up to stage. So I apologize for that. Um, yes. Oh, wonderful. Excellent. So we—next have—worth the wait—Noah Kocha, accompanied by Marcel Ecal. Congratulations. Oh, wonderful. Okay. Orisha Wayne Mana Olami Kotun, accompanied by Oluun Timmy and Orice Vanimo. Congratulations. Next we have Tao U Yang O Yang. Congratulations. Next we have Christina Petrrowski. Congratulations. Salama Shaunie Saunders. And next we have Sarah Scarlet Nesbitt. [Applause] Congratulations. And in absentia, we have Harry Sidman. And next we have Sam Cetru. Congratulations. Maong. Congratulations, Taylor Sullivan. Congratulations, Kai Wong. Congratulations, Amy Aayou Wong. Congratulations, Dr. Steven Willie. [Applause] Congratulations, Naisha Witcher. Congratulations. And Victoria Whitner. Congratulations. We have Rebecca Yang. Congratulations. In absentia, we have Theodore Yunker. And next we have [Music] Feu. And last but not least, and sadly in absentia, we have Kenneth Zuckerberg. Congratulations everyone.
I’m honored to present the SJD and LLM class of 2025 graduates. This year’s SJD graduates are Ginon Abu Staya and Lei Nuen Dwey How. [Applause] Congratulations. Our LLM class of 2025 graduates are Yulon Abdulla, Yuri Abbe, Salma Abu Hashish, Anna Ahmed, Anj Hyang, [Applause] Sara Albuseri, accompanied by Yara Albasari, [Applause] [Music] Reema Aldoud, Ahmed Al-Hesani, [Applause] Fahad Al-Moel, [Applause] Soud Alshik, [Applause] Wid al-Shadri, [Applause] Sabita Anjaning, [Applause] Pimpisa Arbriak, [Applause] Mia Algene Barona, Miguel Baserto Hernandez, [Applause] Romo Schlomid Baitman, degree presented by grandfather Anthony Joseph, JD class of 1961, Arnaldo Bernardi, [Applause] Zara Hakila Bilis, [Applause] Miha—Oops. Karolina Boso Sitolino, Victor Bravo Gonzalez, Miha Chandra, Sandra Wen Ling Chen, Ping Ja Chu, Ruben Chung, [Applause] Fernanda Sid Ortiz, Bessie AJ [Applause] Krenel, Elod Deagny, Carolina Deare de Paiva Coelloo [Music] Allesia Dibbari, [Applause] Shashir Dvitita Muhammad Ipnu Farabi, Caitlyn Frell, Anna Lucia Figueroa Dongo, Elizabeth Flattley, Anuk Flurry, Christian Franco, Mo Fujiwara, [Applause] Adit Vikramadia Gar—Congratulations. [Applause] Christina Gerardi, Rahena Godinez, Gian Huang Kong Selma Gonzalez, Guen Kuni Haden, Gelson Muhammad Hafi Akram, Sarah Han, Gilbert Hansel, Kazuki Harada, Hamza Harun, Kohichi Hagawa with Emma Hing. Patrick Hickey. Aaro Hidaka with Rio and Mana Hidaka. Shichiro Ichawa Iari [Applause] Mina Shogo Inamura. Yorgos Ionas [Applause] Salman Ikbal Yoski, accompanied by Hisato—will join us later. Okay. Mariana Krog. Ismael Kroga Flehman, accompanied by Teresa and Nicholas. Ismael. Ron Jang. Andres Hurado Coral. Erica Kameoka. Koji Kamiya. Yuki Kaneatsu. Wiza [Applause] Tais Katano, accompanied by Leo. Laura. Nora Kerber. Asha Alifa Hyronisa. Fernandanda Kolafon. Cleo Lagardiano. Vle Lola Eong Hung, accompanied by Jay [Applause] Yusen Lee, in absentia. Saraphim Leiaopalos [Applause] Antonio Lima. Hanju Lynn. You Schwan Lynn, [Applause] Esther Louu. Valeria Isa Fabel Luna Science. Shini Majunar. Jorge Maldonado. Mary Erica Diapo. Manuel Lara. Maria Marquez Cashedo Tommoe Mura. Andre Morretti. Chon Mo Super Cho Mu Mai. Wanja [Applause] Mukiri. Nawaf Muta. Nadia Norfi, [Applause] Sahara Nufi Choben Maurice Yonko Odulio Kamacho. Nabi Nabila Farhani Ugraseno Sububasa Oguri. Fernando Osanta, degree presented by partner Rahina Mendoza Diaz, LLM class of 2017. Rory Owens. Luis Alberto PZ Duran. John Steven Pangi [Applause] Leanon Tania Pasupa. Sapna Indu Pelle. Joshua Samuel David Platt. Theo Pereira. Deerja Azia Rosinez Carugo. Sarah Ragovich. Lakshana Rama Krishnan, [Applause] Dorian Reffluk. Lillian Porto Race. Catalina Riveros Monrique. Evan Patrick Robinson. Alise Say Francis Christine Pyramid Saison. Maria Yasmin Scapini Valleo. Gita Amarosa Putri Sarbring. Valdi Satiaan Yang. Nora Shiao. Hiroya Shiraayishi. Steven Sim Ulie Erhina Boros Simamamura, [Applause] Kristen Alexandra Spears. Sue Huasu, [Applause] Yu Tachibbana, [Applause] Toshiki Takano. Ruth Har Nathana Tambunan. Suyoshi Tanaka, accompanied by Riku Tanaka. Chaii Tunang. Miu Sububonuma. Kon Neish Bakil. Maria Louisa Baladeras Matoss Felipe Via Lar Rodet. Chay Wong. Hero Watanab. Alan Churu Shay Yang Ha, [Applause] Enshang Shiron Zang.
Let’s congratulate the SJD and LLM class of 2025. It is my great privilege to introduce the JD class of 2025. [Applause] Andreas Armada, Alejandro Ashworth, accompanying my daughter Maya. Zoena Isam [Applause] Maxwell Atkins, Camille Isabelle Awano, Jason Bach, Ian Bay, Hie Bagley, Holly Sophia Barbosa, [Applause] [Music] Christina Bartokus, Zach Benzra, Michaela Beavenon, [Music] Ashritha Reddi Bimadi, Megan Bimarau, Jacqueline Renee Boon, [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Bennett Bramson, degree presented by parents—dad Jim Bramson, JD class of 1993; mom Nancy Bramson, JD class of 1992, whose own grandfather Emanuel Scobinko was our JD class of 1933 [Music] three. Melissa Victoria Breadbener, Alexa Brayfogal, Noah Brown, Austin Burke, [Applause] [Music] Brett Berman, Kennedy Caldwell, Alexis Kalin Nicholas Lewis Capone, Caroline an Kurthers, Nelson Cast, Ro Arpan Chakrabarti. Victoria Chandra, [Applause] Justin Chang, Carrie Chapman, Jack Whitaker Chhattis, Sydney Chen, Rose Chang Duho Tim Cho, Iris Jung Cho [Applause] Cho Raina [Applause] Chojar. Caitlyn Richards Clark, Jenna Clarkson, [Applause] Amanda Cohen, Eric Allen Connor, accompanied by children Miranda, age six, and Polar, age two. Brian Connor, Rebecca Conway, Illana Eckler [Applause] Cooper, Chenica Marie [Applause] Cooper, Marian Cozy, Charles Cotton, Joy Darte, [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Andrea Sophia Delgado, degree presented by Sister Gabriella Delgado, JD class of 2023. Kia Delolar Patinho, Ireina [Applause] Dazo, Allison Diaz, Alexis Dickerson, Devin Dabatino, Alexander Tiberius Dewan, James Dugos, [Applause] Matthew Donahe, Amanda Donahghue, Elizabeth Dael, Simone DS, [Applause] Ronald Edwards, [Applause] Patrick Michael Egan, Mary Albana, Julia Lynn Engelbert, Ryan Ends, Helen [Applause] Fan, Ray Finanella, Nathaniel Fields, Rafie Fischer, IE Fixler, accompanied by children Nathan, age six, and Raphael, age four. Selena Fortitch, Alyssa Fu, Thomas James Getty, Zade Ghani, Jordana Gleau, Nicholas Goldberg, Ari Goldstein, Ted Gomes, [Music] Melda Aisha [Applause] Gurakar, Gabriella Gutierrez, Ryan Hhabib, [Applause] Tahoot Hopte, Lauren Patricia Kendall Hart, Emily Hverson, stick Olivia K. Hefernon, Tate Andrew Helgus, Mary Giana Hill, Isaac Martin Bosy Hoe, Tyler Hogan, Okay. Ryan Thomas Homer, Elizabeth Hung, [Applause] Michael Hurley, [Applause] Tora Husar, [Applause] Cameron Simone Jackson, degree presented by mom law lecturer Camille Alli [Applause] Jackson. Julia Jarrett. David Allen [Applause] Johnson, Mitchell Johnson, Christopher Jones, Rachel Kat, Caroline Connelly Cam John Kaine, Amanda Carlson, Thomas Keenan, [Music] Maham Khan, Jonathan Mitchell Kuzam, Benjamin Thomas Kano, Jennifer Kim, [Applause] Jonathan [Music] Kim, Yung Gi Kim, [Applause] Robert Kersinbomb, degree presented by brother Kenneth Kersinbomb, JD class 2020, and in spirit his sister Kimberly Kersinbomb, JD class 2017. [Applause] Bryce Clem, degree presented by his father Henry Clem, JD class 1983. [Applause] Alan Co. [Applause] Christina Simona Cotza, [Applause] George Conungle, Allison Kunler, [Applause] Alexandra Kurland, [Applause] Lauren Michelle Leno, Jack Legendess, Raymond Lamada, Andrew [Applause] Landisman, Spencer Landis, Sophia Landress, [Applause] Nicholas Larkin, Jordan James Lacader, Liam Ley, Tyishan Lee, Ulim [Applause] Lee, Noammy Leeman, Joseph [Applause] [Music] Lamel, Jesse Leaven, Stephanie K. Limb, Julie K. Lindstra, [Applause] Eleanor Louu, [Applause] Hafi Leu, [Applause] Jesse [Applause] Leo, Narinan Luenrath, Julian Robert Lutz, [Applause] Natine Amber Macaulay, Franco Marilina, John Magalor, Natalie Elise Malik. Eleanor Mammon. Quinton J. Bansfield [Applause] David [Applause] Morente, Elizabeth Anne Martinez, degree presented by parents Lzette Courier and Wally Martinez, JD class 1991, Jonathan McCammon, Devin Nicole McCarthy, Alexander Wesley McLaclin, [Music] Shrier Medatura, [Music] Bailey Charles Mchman, [Applause] Andra Kathleen Metaf, [Applause] You Meow, Lori Ellen Moore, Danielle Olivia [Applause] Moors, Brandon Naramore, accompanied by child Leah, age 21 months. Gabriel Nathans, Caitlyn Tol of Flanigan, Jonathan Ogawa, Liz Auster Tag, Anthony James Oiggo III, Maha [Applause] Uni Yuen Pan, [Applause] Toby Panar, [Applause] Jason Pang, Jonathan David Parker, Olivia Ia Parsons, Juliet [Applause] Patterson, Isabelle Pentland, Lauren Colleen Perry, Sedatna Pesapan, Audrey Lei [Applause] Fam, Josephine Annette Phillips, Levi Phillips, Juliana Oliwakami Porier, [Applause] [Music] William Powers, Lakshmi Pash Albert Chen Jasmine Gia Cho, Adriana Ramirez, [Music] [Applause] Mateo Will Rasenburgger, Juliana Marie Ricari, Hugh Renie, Virginia Edwin Georgv [Applause] Richards, William [Applause] Ryder, Astonique Robinson, Raphael Rojas, Sophie [Applause] Rowling, Jesse Becker Rubin, degree presented by Dad Jonathan Rubin, JD class 1993, Benjamin Michael Ruvo, Ali Zayn Safawi, Camila Samuelson, Fiona Sans, William San Pedro, Trevor Sirez, [Applause] Sarah Nicole Shuster, William Sedwick with children K, age 2, and Mabel Rose, age six months. Yasm mean [Music] [Applause] Sigir, Lolo Salsbury, [Applause] Serrano, Austin Severance, [Applause] Hillary Shaw, Akquila [Applause] Shanm, Jahe Shen, [Applause] Selena Wenbo [Applause] Shu, Rachel Madison [Applause] Shoemaker, Ariel Judah Silverbrate, accompanied by child Dalia, age two months. Oh dear. You good? Natalie Joy [Applause] [Music] Silverstein. Sarah Paige Kathleen Sylvestro, Douglas Snider, Ryan Soil, Samuel Maxwell Staintton, [Applause] [Music] Jaylen Angelo [Applause] Starks, Megan [Applause] Steinheimr, Henry Allen Stewart, [Applause] Hugh George Gillison [Music] Strike. Jing Nun [Applause] Sun Clark son, accompanied by children Theodore, age four, and Florence, age 1 and a half. You’re welcome. [Applause] Preston McIntyre Sundine [Applause] Yuen Katherine Tao, Nicholas Tinker, Asia Faith Towns, Carson Turner, Jared Michael Whitmore [Applause] Turner, Chioma Noma [Applause] Oba Marine Oman. Ishtvan Vanvian. Maline Marshall Vazeri. Catherine Walner. Alexandra Elaine Walsh. Hu Wong, [Applause] Lily Wang, Michael Wang, Xiao Song, Bill Wong, Alec Willerman, an Winfrey, Ruth [Applause] Wichel, Lydia Elizabeth Mills Warin, Teddy Wyman, Jing Han Constance Shu Jing Yi Su Angela Lee Yun Jay [Applause] you Manurva Zang [Music] Elise Zapia Catherine Jang Hongja Jang Janing Billy Jiao Tiffany Joe Shinshu.
Congratulations Pen Carry Law JD class of 2025. Hi. Congratulations to the incredible class of 2025. Let’s also give another round of applause to all the people whose love and support made this day possible; your families and friends. We will now begin our recessional off the stage. And so I ask those in the audience to please remain in your places until all of us up on the stage and the graduates have left the auditorium. And with that, I hereby declare Penn Carey Law’s 2025 commencement concluded. Congratulations again. [Music] [Applause] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music]