Almost four years prior, Will Smith embarked on his inaugural journey to Francis Olympic Field for Bear Beginnings orientation. Encircled by close to 2,000 individuals of the WashU Class of 2025, he felt optimistic, thrilled, and somewhat anxious. On May 12, he returned — transformed, overwhelmed by familiar sentiments.

“I couldn’t grasp it then, but WashU was the ideal place for me,” shared Smith, who earned a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering from the McKelvey School of Engineering. “I know it’s a cliché, but the individuals here truly do get to know you by name and story. Whenever I sought assistance or encouragement, my professors and peers were there. I feel like I’m departing as a different person, a transformed individual.”

Smith, along with classmates Jenna Nguyen, Kate Sifferlen, and John Yeldham, documented the university’s 164th Commencement for The Source, capturing the address by Olympian Simone Biles, soaring mortarboards, and cheerful friends. They were initially featured in 2021 for the piece “Meet the Class of 2025” after they fortuitously sat close to each other at Francis Field to support the men’s soccer team.

“So much has transpired from then until now,” Smith remarked.

Throughout his four years, Smith unearthed his enthusiasm for neurotechnology, became a member of the WashU Robotics Club, and volunteered for Books and Basketball, tutoring local youth. Smith has accepted a role as a design quality engineer at Abbott Laboratories and aims to pursue a PhD in biomedical engineering, potentially at WashU.

Friend and peer Nguyen will also graduate, earning an undergraduate degree in biomedical engineering alongside a graduate degree in mechanical engineering. She will join McMaster-Carr Supply Co. in Cleveland. At WashU, she worked as a resident advisor, led the Society of Women Engineers, chaired the biomedical engineering student advisory board, and received accolades for innovation and entrepreneurship from the Skandalaris Center. Nguyen, hailing from Phoenix, spoke at the first-generation student recognition ceremony about the spirit of resilience she inherited from her father, a Vietnam refugee who arrived in America on his fishing boat.

“He encountered countless uncertainties, and as a first-generation student, I did as well,” Nguyen stated. “I found individuals here to assist me. The BME (biomedical engineering) workload is quite demanding, so developing resilience and relying on your community is essential. It has been tough, but I wouldn’t alter it for anything. I’m leaving with amazing memories and wonderful friends.”

Sifferlen, from Indianapolis, will apply her studies in marketing and business analytics at Olin Business School in her new position at Fairlife in Chicago. She cherished her Olin journey — serving for three years as a teaching assistant for Eli Snir’s managerial statistics class; collaborating with local businesses and nonprofits in her experiential learning course; and the hands-on assistance she received while building her professional connections. And, naturally, having Fridays off.

“I believe one of the aspects I’ll miss the most is gathering with friends on Mudd Field on a lovely day when everyone is outside, having fun,” Sifferlen remarked. “Those moments are unparalleled experiences you truly only encounter in college.”

Yeldham, who specialized in environmental policy and Spanish in Arts & Sciences, will relish those moments for a few additional years as a student at WashU Law. As an undergraduate, he participated in WashU Mock Trial and interned at the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, later joining the Gephardt Institute St. Louis Fellowship at the Great Rivers Environmental Law Center.

Yeldham also discovered new passions, enrolling in African and African American studies classes in Arts & Sciences with Senior Lecturer El Hadji Samba Diallo and hosting a radio show on KWUR, the campus radio station.

Yeldham contemplated those experiences and the friendships he cultivated in and outside of the classroom during his speech at the Arts & Sciences recognition ceremony. Like Smith, he reminisces about that soccer match on Francis Field and the person he once was.

“It feels like both an eternity ago and also quite recent,” Yeldham expressed. “I remember meeting all these new individuals. And that never truly ceased. Throughout my time at WashU, I’ve continued to meet new faces and engage in numerous new endeavors. I am a different person now.”

The post Commencement vlog: Simone, smiles, and soaring mortarboards appeared first on The Source.