Summer graduation ceremony celebrates triumph and achievement

A new outlook and a chance to change the world. Graduation is always a special time at Carey Business School but for the two graduating speakers at summer graduation, it took on a special meaning.

Carey Business School hosted its Summer 2022 graduation in early August at Baltimore’s Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. It was only the second time since August 2019 that the school was able host an in-person graduation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The last in-person graduation took place in mid-May.

Alexander Triantis, dean of the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, addressed hundreds of graduates as loved ones watched them walk across the stage in recognition of their achievement.

In addition to Dean Triantis, graduates heard from Vice Dean Valerie Suslow and Professor K. Davina Frick, as well as Dr. Judith Keen, secretary of the Johns Hopkins Alumni Association.

Overcoming challenges in life is not easy. Two Carey students with disabilities addressed the graduating class. Michael Pham, a graduate of Carey’s Flexible MBA program, lives with cerebral palsy and spoke to students on behalf of the part-time graduates. Sophia Qian is deaf and earned her degree in the full-time MS in Real Estate and Infrastructure program. She spoke on behalf of full-time graduates with the assistance of an interpreter.

Pham touched on the inspiration of Zero Dean who’s inspired countless numbers of people with motivational speeches, books, and tours with his “can do” attitude.

“We must recognize how our world is ableist by design and be conscious of the impact accessibility has on people with disabilities,” Pham said. “It is incumbent on all of us to engage with marginalized communities and use our business acumen to address their needs through strategic management and design thinking.”

Qian told the audience about not being able to speak any language until the age of eight when her mother taught her Chinese. She learned English by the time she was in high school after her family moved to Chicago. She later learned sign language in college. Qian credits her mother for helping her to overcome physical obstacles.

“If someday you find yourself facing a seemingly insurmountable obstacle, and you feel yourself getting to the point where you just can't take it anymore, it is okay to cry, shout, or vent to your family and friends,” Qian said.

“But the thing you must never do is give up. You must keep the mindset that there is always a rainbow after the storm.”

Dean Triantis told graduates that earning a degree from Carey Business School was just the start of their journey to “make things better” and to “Build for what’s next.”

“As graduates, your challenge now is to take the experience you’ve gained, the adaptability you’ve shown, and the commitment you’ve demonstrated throughout your studies to make our world a safer, healthier, and more just and equitable place for all,” Dean Triantis said.