A total of 8,586 students received degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison on May 10-11, including Makayla Melvin, of Frazee, School of Med & Public Health, Master of Physician Assistant Studies, Physician Assistant.

There were two live ceremonies, one for undergraduates at Camp Randall and one for all graduate degree candidates at the Kohl Center. 

Keynote speaker and Badger hockey legend Meghan Duggan shared lessons learned during her ascent to Olympic gold. 

“Failure is not final unless you choose not to learn from it,” Duggan said. “Since some measure of failure is inevitable in each of the journeys you’re about to take, I hope you react by learning what you’re willing to do to find your own version of success.”

Chancellor Jennifer L. Mnookin praised graduates for succeeding academically and being deeply engaged in solving problems in the world, in the proud tradition of the Wisconsin Idea. 

“You and I can’t know today what questions each of you will ask in your lives and careers,” she said. “But I can tell you this: The questions that challenge what we are certain we already know to be true are often the ones that drive extraordinary innovation.” 

Student speaker Gracie Nelson, senior class president, reminded graduates that, in the past four years, they had lived through COVID dorms, eight Taylor Swift albums, and three Badger football coaches. She emphasized that “it is not our resumes or the titles we hold that define us, but the depth of our humanity.”

For more information about UW-Madison, visit http://www.wisc.edu.