Dressed in flowing garb, administrators welcomed students and parents in the Duke Chapel Thursday afternoon for the Graduate and professional schools’ convocation.
In the convocation address, dean of the Pratt School of Engineering Kristina Johnson encouraged students to seize the opportunity presented in graduate and professional education with “passion, persistence and commitment.”
“Duke is a place where you can make great things happen, but I want to share my perspective on what it will take to make the most out of your graduate education here,” Johnson said.
She stressed the significance of the roles of science and technology in the late 20th and eary 21st centuries, noting that the United States has “always benefited from the global influx of the world’s best and brightest.” She also emphasized the importance of women and minority representation in science and engineering.
Johnson welcomed this year’s graduate students to contribute their talents and academic efforts to solving problems related to poverty, health and energy with their studies and research.
“I’ve always told my graduate students problems are opportunities,” Johnson said. “The hardest part of your thesis will be to find that opportunity.”
Johnson also shared three personal stories illustrating qualities of individuals the new students should strive to exemplify. The first story was about her nephew, a student who gave up his engineering studies to pursue his true passion in music; he eventually became a world famous composer. The next was about her mother, a 60-year-old woman who wanted to further her education and returned to school to obtain a college degree.
The last story was about a graduate student diagnosed with cancer. After she was told she might have only two years to live, she chose to finish her research and make an invaluable contribution to science.
This last individual was Johnson herself.
As a conclusion to her address and a welcome to the students gathered in the Chapel, Johnson left the students with some final inspirational advice.
“Don’t settle, stay focused, commit to what you love, and you’ll know it when you feel it,” Johnson said. “And never stop believing in yourself.”
Patti Thomas, a first-year doctorate student in sociology, said she was inspired by Johnson’s speech and enjoyed convocation. “It almost fires you up,” she said. “It makes us remember we are passionate about our subjects and to hold on to that while we are working on so many pages of reading.”
She said she was also impressed with the Chapel, which reminded her of structures in Europe.
“The Chapel is almost like a metaphor for Duke,” she said. “It might seem big and massive, but you have all these people here like you who are also inspired and passionate.”
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