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^ke SPeddlei 2015 &eni<no 10 Hldal 52 Sftudent Oiganizafiono 66 88 6ieeli Q£ife 108 Sfladenl QEife 148 Mo U6 Presidential Address To the Class of 2015: It’s a great honor and privilege to address this impressive and innovative undergraduate class for many reasons. In my first year serving as president of WPI, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting so many of you, who have welcomed me into this amazing community of thinkers and learners. You were all critical to making my first year such a pleasure. Along the way, I have reveled in your achievements—in the classrooms, on the playing fields, and in project settings near and far. As we celebrated our Sesquicentennial—WPI’s 150th birthday—during your senior year, it brought to light so many parallels between your class and that first graduating Class of 1871. On their graduation day, those 16 young men attending the then Worcester County Free Institute of Industrial Science were required to recite their final theses before a panel of engineers, businesspeople, and educators. 4 • Although you did not face such rigorous questioning on Commencement Day, there is something quite amazing to me about the connection between your work and theirs. The first would-be graduates had to present what you might call their final projects before the examining committee with such titles as “Theory of the Arch,” “The Worcester Water Works,” and “Theory and Practice of Dyeing.” i|| v -T .. s I-;. ■ v. . ' While their theses weren’t known as Major Qualifying Projects, these 19th century students were being asked to deliver a final report, much like you were asked to complete. I find that fascinating. Many of us view the WPI Plan —this commitment to project-based education—as having roots in 1970. And that’s true. But when we dig a little bit deeper and scratch beneath the surface, we discover that our first graduates were planting project seeds even then. The idea that those graduates had to prove themselves in the real world as a part of completing their education rings true today. This history—along with the history of presenting projects to graduate—draws a strong connection through time from those first graduates to all of you. - • . * • And that is a special thing about education, and particularly a WPI education. The degree that you have earned here can never be taken away from you—and it connects you deeply to generations of learners who came before you. It connects you to those who went on to become the inventors of the future. Now, you have the opportunity, as they did, to shape the world for future generations. I urge you, as graduates, not only to see the opportunities ahead, but to recognize the responsibilities. Take what you’ve achieved here not just to do well, but to do good. Use your degree to make us proud. I encourage you, as alumni, to stay engaged with us in the years ahead. Stay connected. Come back to alumni events and follow our progress. I know you will help us spread the word about WPI, and work with us to elevate the impact of this extraordinary place. You are as much a part of the fabric of this university as were our first graduates so many years ago, so stay involved with us. AC I’m so proud of all of you, and I wish you the best in your journey. , Sincerely; Laurie A. Leshin President . VVC‘'ri#L' .v?,'«“Y i'Sfk Lr■ t • l. "t* SGA Address To the Class of 2015: I called WPI home for four years, yet it seems like yesterday I was moving into Riley Hall on our first day of NSO. I remember sitting in Harrington Auditorium that day, looking around and only seeing strangers. I had no idea where these four years would take me or how fast they would go, but as they come to a close I am thankful for every second of it. The WPI Community immediately embraced us and the thousands of unfamiliar faces became colleagues, friends, and family. Whether you joined Student Government or Greek Life, there was a place for you at WPI, a campus full of experiences and opportunities just waitin for you to explore. For me, WPI served as a catalyst. I had the freedom to pursue any passion I had and find new ones along the way. WPI helped me grow and become a very different person than the one that first walked anxiously onto campus, unsure of what my time at college would be like. I learned more than I could have imagined, accomplished goals I never thought I had, and had many other triumphs and failures along the way. Our time at WPI marked many changes to campus as well. Our class saw a time of growth and transition with three different people serving as the University’s President, ultimately leading to The Inauguration of President Laurie Leshin, WPI’s first female president. Our class experienced Alumni Gym before the new Sports and Recreation Center opened, complemented by a renovation and expansion of the Quad. The Dining Hall was also renovated and a new Residence Hall, Faraday Hall, opened during our time. The Class of 2015 was able to grow along with WPI and marked a special historical milestone, WPI’s 150th anniversary. Reflecting on the past 4 years as we move on to the next chapters of our lives, one thing is certain to me, WPI will still always be home. Some of us worked together to leave an impact on the WPI Community, we spent late nights together working on homework or projects, and some of us even traveled the world together. To those of you who I called classmates, friends, and brothers, I wish you all the best of luck. WPI will mark the start of the rest of our lives and it will always connect us together as we find our successes and make our impacts around the world. As we pursue our next challenges, we leave WPI with lifelong friends and memories that will always make our time together feel like home. Alex Hyman Student Body President 3 4 6