At the University of Chicago’s Class Day, students from the Class of 2025 reflected on the small moments that gave rise to their biggest lessons.
The June 6 ceremony honoring graduates of the College kicked off Convocation weekend with speeches from fourth-year students Lila Melkumova, Dhirpal Shah and Helen Wu, who were selected by their peers to speak about the UChicago experience.
To them, their time in the College helped bridge gaps, see differences as special traits and, maybe most importantly, to get involved and form a community of their own.
“And now, in these final walks, I spot the faces of beloved friends, family members and teammates—a collection of future scientists, pioneers, artists and teachers who will touch countless lives, just as they have touched mine,” said Wu.
Wu saw her walks to and from class over the years as a gift that allowed her to embrace the moments that made up her time at UChicago. It was fitting that the speech that focused so much on the Quad as a “nucleus of student activity” was given at that very location.
For Melkumova, the UChicago experience was almost a paradox—one that saw students from different backgrounds “constantly uncovering newer and newer parts of themselves.”
This type of discovery sometimes required venturing into the unknown, but to her, that was part of the adventure.
“We were always crossing into something uncertain, into versions of ourselves we couldn’t yet imagine,” said Melkumova. “And somehow, look around—we made it! Even when we couldn’t see the other side, we kept going, together.”
Shah also embraced that theme of camaraderie. Having lived and grown up in both India and Taiwan, he felt like he was constantly searching for a place to call home. However, it was at UChicago that he discovered his place of belonging.
“At UChicago, the differences that once made me anxious became the very things that made me feel seen,” explained Shah. “I soon found that I wasn’t alone. Everyone here had something that set them apart—and here, those differences weren’t hidden. They were celebrated.”
After the graduating students spoke, prominent political analyst David Axelrod, AB’76, delivered the keynote address. Axelrod, who was the founding director of UChicago’s Institute of Politics and was the chief strategist to former President Barack Obama, spoke about his own experience at the College—and how it guided his life and career.
“But thinking back to my own years as a student, I’m actually more than honored and humbled to be here. I’m also a little surprised,” he said. “And I think it's safe to say were my professors here, may they rest in peace, they would be more like astonished!”
While many of his peers were drawn to the College at the time for what he called the “Life of the Mind,” for Axelrod, the city of Chicago was the greatest attraction. He talked about the important role UChicago has played in his life—how he met his wife on campus and got married in Bond Chapel, how attending in the ‘60s and the political turmoil he experienced in the city helped shape his future. He also shared how his academic path wasn’t the smoothest but was one he came to appreciate and understand over time.
He acknowledged that the graduates will be stepping out into a world filled with uncertainty, but that they also enter it with the power to harness change.
“Regardless of where you go from here or what you do, your voices, your votes, and your commitment to the ‘Life of the World,’ will make the difference—unless you come to believe that they won’t, and walk away. I’m betting you won’t,” said Axelrod.
Sophie Tedesco was recognized for her leadership in justice reform and community advocacy with the Hugo F. Sonnenschein Medal of Excellence while 16 undergraduates received the Howell Murray Alumni Association Award. Athletics was also represented by Drew Bryan and Thomas Kurowski, winners of the Amos Alonzo Stagg Medal and the recipient of the Gertrude Dudley Medal, Sylwia Mikos.
Class Day officially kicks off Convocation Weekend with activities continuing tomorrow with the University-wide and divisional diploma ceremonies taking place across campus. You can preview the entire schedule by visiting the University’s Convocation website.