00:00:07,273 --> 00:00:09,843
Welcome graduates,
families, faculty, staff


00:00:10,010 --> 00:00:12,078
and friends of the Class of 2020.


00:00:12,445 --> 00:00:13,513
I'm Laura
Belmonte,


00:00:13,680 --> 00:00:16,316
Dean of the College
of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences.


00:00:16,683 --> 00:00:19,419
This has been my first year
at Virginia Tech


00:00:19,586 --> 00:00:22,622
and I quickly fell in love
with our special community.


00:00:23,156 --> 00:00:26,726
While this academic year
is unlike any ever known,


00:00:26,926 --> 00:00:31,197
it is demonstrated in countless ways
how extraordinary our students are


00:00:31,364 --> 00:00:35,835
and how vital our graduate skills are
to the world in which we live.


00:00:36,603 --> 00:00:38,071
It would be hard to overstate


00:00:38,238 --> 00:00:41,307
how vital the graduates
of our college are right now.


00:00:41,674 --> 00:00:45,211
Our newly commissioned
Air Force, Army and Navy officers


00:00:45,378 --> 00:00:46,679
will protect our country


00:00:46,880 --> 00:00:50,617
from cyber, biological, nuclear
and terroristic threats.


00:00:50,917 --> 00:00:53,787
Our human development
and family sciences graduates


00:00:53,987 --> 00:00:56,990
will tackle the challenges
of an aging population,


00:00:57,157 --> 00:00:59,192
support our most vulnerable people,


00:00:59,359 --> 00:01:01,594
and help our children
learn and thrive


00:01:01,761 --> 00:01:04,531
in even the most
challenging circumstances.


00:01:04,864 --> 00:01:07,600
If you have been entranced
by the Zoom video


00:01:07,767 --> 00:01:11,671
of the Hamilton cast singing
for a nine year old girl's birthday,


00:01:11,871 --> 00:01:15,675
or have lost yourselves
in binge watching a Netflix series,


00:01:15,875 --> 00:01:17,911
you have experienced firsthand


00:01:18,111 --> 00:01:21,848
the importance of the performing arts
in raising up our spirits,


00:01:22,082 --> 00:01:26,686
expressing our most profound emotions
and fostering economic development.


00:01:27,253 --> 00:01:31,124
If you've relied on scholars
to contextualize the scientific,


00:01:31,291 --> 00:01:34,027
technical, political
and ethical realities


00:01:34,194 --> 00:01:35,795
in which we find ourselves,


00:01:35,995 --> 00:01:39,065
you understand
the crucial role of historians,


00:01:39,232 --> 00:01:42,035
philosophers, linguists,
foreign language specialists,


00:01:42,202 --> 00:01:44,504
religion experts,
political scientists,


00:01:44,671 --> 00:01:48,808
criminologists and sociologists
in interpreting our past,


00:01:49,042 --> 00:01:52,579
navigating our present
and guiding our future.


00:01:53,012 --> 00:01:55,648
If you've been transported by a poem,


00:01:55,815 --> 00:01:57,584
novel or short story


00:01:57,750 --> 00:02:01,121
or been informed by a clearly written
professional text,


00:02:01,354 --> 00:02:06,226
you already know how much
our English students give voice


00:02:06,426 --> 00:02:08,928
to all aspects
of the human experience


00:02:09,095 --> 00:02:11,397
and help us understand each other.


00:02:12,065 --> 00:02:14,300
If you've laughed at Andrew Cotter,


00:02:14,467 --> 00:02:16,503
the BBC sports commentator


00:02:16,669 --> 00:02:18,338
who recently turned his talents


00:02:18,505 --> 00:02:20,940
toward describing
the antics of his dogs,


00:02:21,107 --> 00:02:22,208
Olive and Mabel,


00:02:22,375 --> 00:02:25,612
you've glimpsed the skills
our communication students


00:02:25,778 --> 00:02:30,583
master before entering
the worlds of multimedia journalism,


00:02:30,817 --> 00:02:33,286
public relations, and sports media.


00:02:33,653 --> 00:02:37,157
If you've struggled to homeschool
your children or siblings,


00:02:37,323 --> 00:02:40,994
I'm guessing you may have gained
new appreciation for the patience,


00:02:41,161 --> 00:02:43,863
compassion
and dedication of the graduates


00:02:44,030 --> 00:02:46,533
who will be devoting
themselves to education.


00:02:47,066 --> 00:02:51,571
If you've been living in t-shirts,
basketball shorts, and warm-up pants,


00:02:51,738 --> 00:02:54,007
the talents of our
fashion merchandising


00:02:54,174 --> 00:02:57,177
and design graduates
might soon come in handy.


00:02:57,777 --> 00:02:59,145
2020 graduates,


00:02:59,312 --> 00:03:02,615
I know your senior year
hasn't been what you dreamed of,


00:03:02,782 --> 00:03:04,918
but that does not diminish one bit


00:03:05,084 --> 00:03:06,653
how proud we are of you


00:03:06,819 --> 00:03:10,790
and how very lucky we are
to have Hokies with your energy,


00:03:10,957 --> 00:03:12,559
brilliance, and kindness.


00:03:12,759 --> 00:03:14,227
taking Virginia Tech


00:03:14,460 --> 00:03:17,497
wherever you go
to make your marks on a world


00:03:17,664 --> 00:03:19,132
that desperately needs you.


00:03:19,465 --> 00:03:20,466
So,


00:03:22,569 --> 00:03:24,537
Willie,


00:03:25,638 --> 00:03:29,709
James, and I give
you a socially distant high five,


00:03:30,009 --> 00:03:33,012
a gentle nudge to stay
in touch as alumni


00:03:33,179 --> 00:03:37,150
and huge congratulations
on this remarkable achievement.