I'm graduating in 10 days

Happy Saturday. As life would have it, I’m graduating very soon. And I have the privilege of giving of speech!

I was stumped on what to say for a while, but have finally put pen to paper. I’d love to share the speech, and some context around it, with all of you. (If you’d prefer, this piece is also available on my blog.)

Enjoy.

I need to start with a confession. I don’t actually have a degree yet. But in ten days, I finally will.

I know—it’s strange. Haven’t I been working full-time in San Francisco for nearly a year?

There's more to the story, of course. Nearly a year ago, I effectively graduated—completing my undergraduate coursework with a final edit to a machine learning survey paper on sparse Mixture-of-Experts (MoEs) (which is most certainly outdated by now). But why didn't I get my degree?

It came down to timing. I was scheduled to walk the stage right when my Notion internship was set to begin. After much deliberation over managing both graduation and a move to San Francisco, I had to declare bankruptcy on my time. I decided to focus solely on the move and postpone graduation until the following year. (Thankfully, this worked out fine—UBC provided a letter confirming I'd completed my coursework, even without the physical degree. That satisfied immigration requirements.)

A year later, graduation is finally here. As luck would have it, I have the privilege of being the student speaker for the graduating computer science cohort. In ten days, I'll deliver thanks on behalf of the graduating class in the imposing, stately Chan Centre's main hall.

In putting together this speech, I had a lot to reflect on. My undergraduate years witnessed the emergence of large language models, the hard fall and unfathomable comeback of Donald Trump, the outbreak of multiple major wars, and, of course, the ‘*unprecedented’* times of the global COVID-19 pandemic. The sheer scale of change is staggering—especially from a computer science undergraduate's perspective. Almost daily, another Fortune 500 tech CEO proclaims that we are 'X' years away from AI replacing the 'concept' of junior engineers. So what do you say to a thousand would-be junior engineers? How do you address a room full of people whose projects were devoured and regurgitated by the Great Pre-Training—who are now told they'll be obsolete within months? And imagine telling someone in 2019 that a computer science degree might be irrelevant in six years time!

I was plagued with writer's block. I pondered in the shower, debated with friends over coffee, and did a lot of reading. My thoughts raced uncharacteristically as I tried to sleep. After weeks of rumination, I finally broke through. Last night, I cleared everything from my computer except a blank Word document and waited. In two intense, focused hours, the speech poured out. Now, I'd love to share it with you.

(A bit of needed context: “Dr. Racket” (or “DrRacket”) is the name of the programming environment one uses in UBC’s introductory computer science course, CPSC 110. Hugh Dempster is the main lecture pavilion for computer science students at UBC. And problem set 9 is very hard.)

Madam Chancellor, Mr. President, Deans and Directors, distinguished members of Faculty, honored guests, family and friends, and of course, my fellow graduates:

Six years ago, I had the privilege of stepping foot onto this campus for the very first time. Inspired and insatiably curious, I probably would've guessed Dr. Racket was the name of a noisy dentist… and perhaps I would've been better off that way. Today, I stand alongside each of you transformed—minds sharpened, ready to reshape the world that awaits us. It is with this sense of gravity and excitement that I address you here today.

Graduates: I'd like to take this opportunity to reflect on our school's motto: Tuum Est—’it is yours’. And why these words are so important to hold close as you depart this campus today.

From the start to the end of our undergraduate experience, it's no secret the world has radically changed: disease, climate change, geopolitics, artificial intelligence, and more. We have witnessed unprecedented global challenges and transformative innovations that have upended our understanding of the world. This especially rings true for a computer science student, who is graduating just as generative AI emerges as a technology that has and will continue to fundamentally transform our profession. (Though, I'm still reasonably sure it can't solve CPSC 110's problem set 9, so we're safe for at least a little while.)

It was only through hours toiling over seemingly impossible assignments in Hugh Dempster alongside close friends that I understood Tuum Est. Not as a motto, but rather, as a lived experience. The education was ours to claim, the problems ours to solve, the future ours to build.

Despite our uncertain landscape, I contend there is no better time to be equipped with a computer science education. But technical knowledge alone isn't enough—it must be animated by purpose and guided by vision. It’s about responsibility, and ownership. This, I believe, is the essence of Tuum Est—claiming not just our education, but our future.

As we leave the beautiful Point Grey campus today, let us carry forward the legacy of UBC and the spirit of Tuum Est in all that we do. Seek to build a world not only for our generation but for numerous generations ahead–a world that reflects our values of sustainability, equity, innovation, and compassion. I urge you to be a global steward, and acknowledge that while the world's challenges are great, so too is our capacity to address them.

Congratulations, Class of 2025. It is yours now.

Silicon Valley loves its buzzwords, and "agency" is the latest darling. I roll my eyes at these monthly rebranding exercises (what was wrong with just saying "initiative"?), but the core idea rings true. It's Tuum Est—responsibility, ownership, and drive. This mindset, combined with a computer science education, creates a powerful opportunity. One that is not lost on me as a recent graduate.

I haven't given this speech yet. Ten days feels like a long time—especially with the pace of innovation these days. But that's exactly why these words matter. In a world of rapid change and uncertainty, the principles of ownership and responsibility become even more crucial.

Let me leave you with this: in times of uncertainty, I turn to a quote from my favorite author, Stephen King, in The Shawshank Redemption. Andy Dufresne, speaking to Red, says "I guess it comes down to a simple choice, really... get busy living, or get busy dying." I know where I stand.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go practice my speech.

Thanks for reading. Comments, questions, concerns? Feel free to reply.

Have a great weekend,

Michael