A very good afternoon and a warm welcome to the graduates, faculty, family and friends. I am truly honored to be standing here today, to welcome faculty, parents and friends to the 2010 Engineering and Applied Sciences Commencement ceremony, on behalf of all the graduating students.

As a soon-to-be Phd graduate myself, I have often wondered what was the single best thing that my graduate student experience has enriched me with. I believe it is the people we have come across, who have stood by us, who have critiqued us, and who have loved us unconditionally no matter how we were. I believe these people are the ones who moulded us and made us evolve into what we are today. These people and the values they have imbibed in us are our best assets that we take away as our parting gift.

I take this opportunity to thank our family and loved ones who trusted us with our decisions and supported us when it was most needed. We wouldn.t be here today without your love and support. We are deeply thankful to our wonderful and distinguished faculty at University at Buffalo. You have inspired us to reach for greater challenges, and your confidence in us has carried us thus far and will carry us in our future activities. You have played multiple roles often times, that of a mentor, a friend, and sometimes even a parent, making us feel at home. These connections are etched into our lives.

Thanks also goes to our fellow students. You have been a great part of our student life, and we treasure the experiences we have shared. Whether it be the casual banter over coffee or the technically complex problem solving discussions, we have a rich set of memories to cherish and relationships to nourish.

I would like to express my personal gratitude and thanks to my mentor Dr. Ann Bisantz, the faculty in the Industrial and Systems Engineering Department, and my dear friends. I will miss you as we take on different paths, but will remain good friends for life. A special thanks to my family without whom I would not be here today.

And graduates, you have come a long way. And you deserve every bit of it. You have come here because of your perseverance and hard work, and have rightly earned the celebration and joy that come with graduation. Congratulations and I wish you the best as you each take up a challenge in the real world that your heart truly desires. Thank you.