Staff Graduate Reception

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[Christine] So good evening, 
everyone. My name is Christine Lovely,

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and I'm the vice President and Chief 
Human Resources Officer here at Cornell.

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and on behalf of the Employee

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Assembly and Human Resources, I would like to welcome all of you to the 26th

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Annual Staff Graduation Reception.

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All right. So I don't know who is going to shift the full gallery.

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Okay...

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So we're celebrating 18 staff members who have received

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college degrees this year.

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And we have some of these colleagues joining

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us online as well. Which is why I 
was asking for the gallery view,

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and I always enjoy these opportunities to celebrate with you and with your families.

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And before I go any further, I would 
like to read the University's Land Acknowledgment.

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Cornell University is located on the traditional homelands

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of the Gayogo̱hó:nǫɁ, the Cayuga nation.

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The Gayogo̱hó:nǫɁ, are members of 
the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, an alliance  

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of 6 sovereign nations with a historic 
and contemporary presence on this land.

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The Confederacy precedes the establishment of Cornell University,

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New York State, and the United States of America.

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We acknowledged the painful history of Gayogo̱hó:nǫɁ dispossession and  

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... honor the ongoing connection of Gayogo̱hó:nǫɁ

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people past and present to these lands and waters.

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President Pollack was unable to join us this evening,  

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but she provided me remarks that 
I will be reading on her behalf.

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[Pollack's Remarks:] Good afternoon, everyone, and congratulations to all of our graduates.

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I am so sorry that I wasn't able to be with you  

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today to congratulate you in person for 
your enormously impressive achievements.

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This year we have about 34 staff members earning degrees,  

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either here at Cornell, through the employee degree program or at another institution.

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The tuition aid program.

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These programs we've offered at Cornell for many years for what boils down to one simple reason;

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we believe deeply in the power of higher education  

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to change lives and societies for the better.

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Each of you has chosen to take advantage of these programs  

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because you are a part of Cornell, part of our mission, and you believe in that power.

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And in doing so you've enriched our entire community.  

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Your degrees are a testament, not only to your academic achievements, but to your tenacity.

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And they are a testament... testament as well to those who have supported you along your  

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journey. The family, friends, and faculty 
who have motivated and encouraged you.

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Many of whom join us today.

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Thank all of you for all of the ways 
you have enriched our community and furthered  

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our academic mission. I am delighted to congratulate each and every one of you,  

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and to wish you all the best. So that 
concludes President Pollack's remarks.

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Commencement is such an exciting time. Many individuals have been 24/7 students  

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for the past several years, and are ready to transition to the next phase of their lives. Work.

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All of you here today, though,  

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have had a notably different experience than our more traditional students.

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And for that reason, it's truly my honor and privilege to recognize you for  

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reaching this milestone in your 
personal and professional lives.

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You manage to be a student and  

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an employee simultaneously. 
Give it up for you myself.

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That's impressive. I, honestly...

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I honestly could not imagine both holding down a full time job and  

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also being a student at the same time. 
So it's... I want you to all, to really

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congratulate yourselves and pat  

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yourselves on the back for what you've accomplished.

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For you, your degree stands for more than the mastery of a field of  

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study, as important as that is, it's a sign of your dedication and strength, and also your sacrifice.

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I know you had to make trade-offs to get to this point today.

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You should be very proud of your accomplishments.

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Today I, along with your Executive 
Co-Chair for the Employee Assembly, Marcy Benda,  

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right over there, and your 
Employee Elected Trustee,  

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Hei Hei Depew. Right over there will be 
presenting names of this year's graduates.

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We kindly ask that our graduates 
who are present with us in person today. Stand,  

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if you are able, if not, please, 
wave or indicate who you are,  

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so we know who we're clapping 
for when your name is called.

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There are two educational benefit 
programs that will be mentioned today.

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The Employee Degree Program and Tuition Aid.

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The Employee Degree Program helps 
staff to complete a degree with Cornell.

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While the Tuition Aid Program supports

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staff who complete their degree through other higher education institutions.

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Names will be announced in alphabetical order by last name, and I will start us off.

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Our first graduate is... drum roll...

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Ben Adams, who received his master of business administration from Cornell's SC Johnson  

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College of Business through the Employee degree program. Let's give it up, for Ben.

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Ben has been working at Cornell for 3 years and currently serves as the associate director  

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for asset management and analytics in 
the division of financial services.

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Ben credits his wife...

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smart man...

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Anna, for making him feel supported during long weekend classes  

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and days. Ben would like to 
acknowledge his supervisor,  

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Simon Allen, as well for his support. 
Throughout Ben's academic journey

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Ben reflects on his residential  

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sessions as special moments quote; "It was great to get

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so many people together from so many different backgrounds

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and cultures." To stay inspired, Ben would remind himself how lucky he was to work  

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and study at a great institution 
like Cornell. Congratulations. Ben.

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Our next graduate, is Emily Anderson.

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Emily received her executive master of public administration from Cornell's Brooks School  

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of public policy through the employee degree program. Emily has been at Cornell for 4 years,  

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and she currently works as a program director for  

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Brooks School Institute of Politics and 
Global Affairs. Congratulations. Emily.

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Our next graduate, is Kristin L. Beierle

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Hi Kristin.

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Kristin received her Associate 
of applied Science and Business from TC3.

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Through the tuition Aid program. 
Kristin is the assistant director  

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in Conference and Events services, 
and has been at Cornell for 21 years.  

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Kristin states quote; "Everyone in my 
orbit supported me on this journey."

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She plans to celebrate her achievement with a special family dinner  

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and a semester off before before continuing on way to go Kristin, congratulations.

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We wish you all the best in your continued journey.

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Our next graduate is Leanna Caloros...

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Caloras, I'm sorry.

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Sorry.

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Leanna received a master of business 
administration from the Samuel Curtis Johnson,  

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Graduate School of Management Executive MBA Program to the employee degree program.

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Leanna is the assistant HR Director 
for the SC Johnson College of Business.

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She's been at Cornell for 3 years, and Leanna has chosen to pursue an  

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MBA. Because she believed the program was set her up for success in her HR Career,  

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where she aspires to one day be a leader in HR. Don't come from my job Leanna.

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Leanna celebrated her degree  completion with her entire family,  

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who made the trip to Ithaca for commencement weekend. That's wonderful. In addition,  

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her best friend booked a celebratory 
trip with a surprise destination.

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Quote; "I'm so grateful and appreciate everyone who supported me  

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in getting my MBA these past 3 years. I'm looking forward to this next chapter in my  

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career." I can't wait to hear where you went on a surprise trip. Congratulations, Leanna.

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Our next graduate, is Ascari.

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Ascari received a master 
of science in business analytics

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 from the Samuel Curtis Johnson, 
Graduate School of Management through the  

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Cornell Employee Degree program. Ascari is an administrative assistant in the office of  

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Vice Provost for international Affairs, and has been at Cornell for 4 years. Congratulations

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Ascari on this amazing achievement. We wish you success in your future endeavors.

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Claire Guevarra Concepcion is our next graduate,  

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who received a masters of public 
health. There she is in the back.

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From Cornell University's College of veterinarian medicine.

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Claire is a program assistant in ILR and has been at Cornell for 13 years.

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Wow!

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While going through her program,

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Claire felt most supported by coworkers, professors, and her supervisors. 

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Fellow employee degree program members were invaluable for providing empathy, support,  

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generosity and understanding what it is like to juggle work in school and raising teenagers 101.

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She was motivated by the knowledge 
that she was earning and mastering competitive  

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and valuable skills that she can bring back to the workplace, but also, importantly,  

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she was inspired by the dream of one day being able to have stability for herself and

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her family coming from a working class immigrant family. It was important to Claire to give back

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to her family for their work and sacrifices by completing this degree congratulations, Claire.

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Our next graduate is Laurie Conlon.

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Laurie received a Bachelor of 
Science Degree in business  

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management and Economics from Empire State University through the tuition Aid program.

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Laurie works on the Human Resources  

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information Systems team as a training and communication consultant and get this,

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she has been at Cornell for 38 years.

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She barely looks 38 to me, honestly.

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Laurie had two memorable moments that she wanted to share.

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First the connection she made with her mentor Anna,

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who always gave her encouragement each time they met, Anna's guidance was invaluable. Second,  

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after 18 months of Zoom Meetings with Jackie, a student service representative at Empire State,

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Laurie surprised Jackie by making the 
trip to Saratoga to meet and thank her in person.

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During her academic journey, Laurie felt supported by her family,  

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her manager, Amy, her Mentor, Anna,  

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and Jackie. Each person offers support in their own unique way. Congratulations, Laurie.

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Our next graduate, is Josh M. Cooley.

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We received an associate of occupational studies from SUNY Delhi,  

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with the concentration in electrical construction and instrumentation, sounds complicated.

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Josh completed his degree through the tuition aid program,  

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and Josh currently works as a senior zone facilities,  

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manager facilities and campus services, and has been working at Cornell for 6 years.

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Once Josh completed his five-year apprenticeship with the  

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International Brotherhood of electrical 
workers he enrolled at SUNY Delhi,  

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transferring his credits towards an associate degree.

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It was a challenge. It was challenge 
balancing his academics alongside his full time  

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job, being a father of two young children, and remaining involved in youth sports

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programs. I'm getting tired just reading that.

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There were many early mornings 
and late evenings, where Josh found himself  

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in front of the computer, completing his work. These journeys are never simple,

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and we congratulate you on your achievement Josh.

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Jeremy Cusker completed a certificate 
program in biotechnology from TC3

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through the tuition aid program.

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Jeremy has been working at Cornell for 14 years and works in CALS

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neurobiology and behavior and molecular biology and genetics as a technician... my.

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Jeremy shared that during his 
independent study he cultured the microbes living  

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on the steering wheels, seat belts and doors of ambulances in Tompkins County. How interesting!

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Jeremy recalls the staff at the EMS agency...

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agencies being very interested in 
this work, so he gave them their own experiment.

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Jeremy offered them additional 
culture place to leave on a radiator  

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for a few days. It's amazing how many 
microbes live, even on clean services.

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Hmm!

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Making a career shift from working in libraries to working in labs.  

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Jeremy enrolled in the certificate 
program, knowing it would open up  

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a world of opportunities for 
him. Congratulations, Jeremy.

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I will now invite Marcy Banda, Benda... 
I apologize, the executive vice chair  

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for the Employee Assembly to the podium to announce the next group of graduates.

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[Marcy] Thank you. That's going to be hard to follow.  

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I would also like to say, Leanna went 
to Tennessee as your surprise trip.

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So yay!

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Okay, thank you for Christine. It's an  

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honor to be here and able to recognize the amazing work of my fellow staff members.

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The first... the next graduate I 
would like to announce is Danielle Dean-Manzer.

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Danielle rec... Danielle receives an associates of science degree in Human Services from TC3.

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Through the Tuition Aid program. Danielle has been at Cornell for 25 years, currently works in  

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a Samuel Curtis Johnson, graduate school of management as a faculty support specialist.

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A traumatic personal experience led Danielle to choose her area of study

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In 2017, her husband was in an accident, paralyzing him from the chest down.  

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At the time they had no direction or guidance on how to handle the new challenges they would face.

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Danielle hopes that with her new degree,  

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she will be able to make someone else's experience a little less of a struggle.

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Danielle received tremendous support and encouragement from family  

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coworkers and her supervisors, Tory, Dennis, and Jessica Romero. Thank you, Danielle,  

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for taking your personal experience 
and paying it forward congratulations.

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Our next graduate is Laura Pineda-Bermudez.

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Laura received a master of science and for horticulture crop management from Cornell University  

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College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. Through the employee Degree program. Laura  

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is an extension aid for the CALS Agritech Department of Food Science. She's been working  

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at Cornell for 5 years. Laura would not have pursued this degree had it not been for the

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support and advocacy of her supervisor, Beth. She been... she has been a wonderful mentor, and  

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has helped Laura. Matt navigate barriers through during her professional growth and development.

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Her coworkers were a source of support with constant check-ins and patients,  

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while Laura juggled her many responsibilities,

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friends and study buddies held her accountable during her journey,  

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and her family provided unconditional love and affirmations from the very beginning. Lastly,  

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her partner Christian was her rock 
through it, out... throughout it all.

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As Laura said, it took a village, but 
you made it. Congratulations, Laura.

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The next graduate I'm going to 
announce, is Amanda Purington Drake.

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Amanda received...

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Amanda received a doctorate of Philosophy and communications from Cornell University's  

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College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, as part of the Employee degree program.  

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Amanda currently serves as a director of research and evaluation from the...

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Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research.

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She's been at Cornell for 19 years. 
Amanda has always been focused on promoting the  

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health and well-being of children and adolescents. She decided to pursue a PhD. To deepen her  

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understanding of communication, theory, research, and how it shows up in practice and in life.

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When asked how she manages classes, work and home, Amanda responded with honestly,  

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"I don't think balance is achievable 
with all of this on your plate."

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I'll say. While we can all relate, Amanda still took time to  

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plan and strive for balance, sitting down every Sunday to plan her week and asking  

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for help when needed. This would have been impossible without an understanding, and in

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support of family supervisors, co-workers, and academic advisors. Congratulations, Amanda.

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Next we have Sara Eddleman.

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00:20:31,020 --> 00:20:35,940
She received she received a master of science and communication from the Cornell University  

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00:20:35,940 --> 00:20:42,240
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, as part of the employee degree program. Sara currently  

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serves as an administrator for the research division, has been with Cornell for 10 years.

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00:20:46,800 --> 00:20:51,780
Sara chose the communications field 
because she was endlessly curious about stories  

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that individuals and organizations organizations tell. To quote Sara; "I see important connections  

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between my research and the administrative role I play at Cornell. Studying communication has  

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given me the tools to examine how we talk about our ideals, and how we put them into action."

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00:21:06,840 --> 00:21:09,540
What better way to celebrate than what with  

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some cake made by a lovely friend of 
her. Sara will share this delightful  

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00:21:14,640 --> 00:21:18,240
treat with her family to commemorate 
the occasion. Congratulations Sara.

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Evan Swanhart Edwards is our next graduate,

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00:21:28,500 --> 00:21:37,680
who received a master of science 
and business analytics from St. Bonaventure  

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00:21:37,680 --> 00:21:42,180
University School of Business. Evan completed her degree through the tuition aid program.

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00:21:42,180 --> 00:21:46,080
Evan is the associate director of undergraduate admissions,  

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00:21:46,080 --> 00:21:47,940
and has been with Cornell for 6 years

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00:21:47,940 --> 00:21:52,260
pursuing a masters in business analytics, allowed Evan to maximize her

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00:21:52,260 --> 00:21:56,400
understanding of business practices 
and technical technical capabilities.  

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00:21:56,400 --> 00:22:01,560
Evan can now can contribute to enhancing productivity and efficiency in her current work.

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00:22:01,560 --> 00:22:06,300
Balancing a full time job and a Master's degree while being a mother of  

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00:22:06,300 --> 00:22:13,740
three young children, was undeniably challenging. Yeah, it required sacrifices and compromises,  

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but the motivation to set an example for her children in advance, her career and

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00:22:17,700 --> 00:22:22,680
academics for her driving forces. Evan hopes she has shown her children the importance  

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00:22:22,680 --> 00:22:26,700
of lifelong learning and investing 
in yourself congratulations Evan.

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00:22:32,220 --> 00:22:34,500
Our next graduate is Sarah Harrington.

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00:22:40,740 --> 00:22:44,460
Sarah received her master of professional studies and applied  

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00:22:44,460 --> 00:22:49,020
economics and management. Sarah completed her degree from the Charles H. Dyson School  

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00:22:49,020 --> 00:22:52,140
of applied economics and management through the employee degree program.

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00:22:52,140 --> 00:22:56,580
She's been at Cornell for 4 years. She currently works as the manager

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of programs and administration 
at the Bronfenbrenner Center  

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00:22:59,880 --> 00:23:04,920
for Translational Research. Throughout her program Sarah was inspired by her partner,  

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who was working toward a PhD. She was also encouraged by the students in the MPS program,  

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who worked so hard to get her to get through the fast paced and challenging coursework.

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00:23:14,040 --> 00:23:17,760
Sarah will celebrate her accomplishment by taking time to enjoy  

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00:23:17,760 --> 00:23:22,680
the summer in Ithaca. She plans to swim and boat as much as possible while the weather is nice.

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Congratulations, Sarah.

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00:23:31,080 --> 00:23:33,420
Our next graduate is Tom Horton.

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He received a Bachelor of Arts and Science and Technology studies  

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00:23:44,040 --> 00:23:49,140
from Cornell University's College of Arts and Sciences through the Employee degree program.

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00:23:49,140 --> 00:23:52,500
Tom works as the Associate CISO,

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and he served Cornell for 24 years. Tom is interested in the study of ethics,  

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00:23:57,660 --> 00:24:02,940
politics, and social issues surrounding 
technology. He's eternally grateful for  

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00:24:02,940 --> 00:24:06,000
the support and encouragement 
of his wife, kids, and coworkers.  

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00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:09,780
If it weren't for them he's not sure he 
would have finished as quickly as he did.

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00:24:09,780 --> 00:24:15,540
Lastly, one of Tom's most memorable 
moments was taking his first STS class in  

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00:24:15,540 --> 00:24:20,340
2004, with distinguished Professor 
Trevor Pinch. Congratulations Tom.

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00:24:27,000 --> 00:24:30,660
Our next graduate is Denise F. LaLonde-Paul.

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00:24:37,800 --> 00:24:43,020
Denise received a master of Public Health and Food Systems and Health from Cornell  

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00:24:43,020 --> 00:24:48,000
University's College of Veterinary Medicine through the employee degree program. Denise  

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00:24:48,000 --> 00:24:52,500
has been working at Cornell for 16 
years. She currently works as as a  

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00:24:52,500 --> 00:24:55,980
licensed veterinary technician for 
the Cornell Veterinary, Biobank.

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00:24:55,980 --> 00:25:00,540
To quote Denise; "this work is dedicated to my children. Destin,  

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00:25:00,540 --> 00:25:06,420
Leila and Lucian", says Denise, "when finishing this degree, felt insurmountable. Their unconditional  

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00:25:06,420 --> 00:25:09,960
love pushed me to exceed. My greatest hope is that I have been a role model,  

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00:25:09,960 --> 00:25:13,500
so they feel empowered to reach for 
their own highest dreams in life.

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00:25:13,500 --> 00:25:17,700
They have sacrificed. So much for 
me to continue my own education. I hope to

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00:25:17,700 --> 00:25:22,260
repay them with many years of fun and laughter together as a family. I hope I have made them

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00:25:22,260 --> 00:25:26,880
proud." I'm sure you did. I work with with Denise at the Vet College, and we're proud of you.

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00:25:33,540 --> 00:25:38,965
Gissela A. Mera Louirdo is our next graduate.

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00:25:41,480 --> 00:25:47,040
She received her masters of business 
administration from the Samuel Curtis Johnson,  

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00:25:47,040 --> 00:25:51,780
Graduate School of Management through the employee degree program. Gissela 

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00:25:51,780 --> 00:25:56,220
is an administrative manager for Cornell Tech. She's been with Cornell for 5 years.

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00:25:56,220 --> 00:26:00,420
Gissela received support from her family, friends, supervisors,  

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00:26:00,420 --> 00:26:04,740
and colleagues. They were her every step of the way from the idea of pursuing her degree  

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00:26:04,740 --> 00:26:09,540
through commencement weekend. They encouraged her celebrated milestones, helped her achieve  

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00:26:09,540 --> 00:26:15,300
a good work, school life balance, and were invested in her academic success during her  

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00:26:15,300 --> 00:26:20,580
journey a memorable moment for Gissela was participating in the global trip to Germany.

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00:26:20,580 --> 00:26:25,440
It was a true privilege to have the opportunity to be extraordinary business leaders,

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00:26:25,440 --> 00:26:29,640
and have exclusive access to some of the most prestigious companies in the world,

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00:26:29,640 --> 00:26:33,840
says it was the perfect way to mark 
the end of two years of hard work,

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00:26:33,840 --> 00:26:40,185
learning, and friendship. What an amazing experience! Congratulations Gissela.

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00:26:43,980 --> 00:26:46,620
Our next graduate is Max Mandeville.

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00:26:52,320 --> 00:26:57,420
Max... Max completed his Bachelor 
of Arts Degree in Sociology from Cornell

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00:26:57,420 --> 00:27:02,160
University's College of Arts and Sciences, through the Employee Degree program. Max has  

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00:27:02,160 --> 00:27:06,360
been at Cornell for 8 years, currently 
works as a senior conference and event  

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00:27:06,360 --> 00:27:11,340
planner and student in campus life. Max chose to study sociology to help develop  

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00:27:11,340 --> 00:27:15,900
his knowledge of society, critical thinking, and quantitative and qualitative evidence.

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00:27:15,900 --> 00:27:20,100
This area of study exposed Max to a better understanding of social differences,  

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00:27:20,100 --> 00:27:24,060
behavior and hierarchies, and in 
group opportunities and outcomes.  

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00:27:24,060 --> 00:27:28,860
Max... remembers enrolling in two winter session courses that were each three weeks  

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00:27:28,860 --> 00:27:33,480
long. It was quite daring. For those ten weeks he was in class from 9:30  

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00:27:33,480 --> 00:27:36,420
in the morning to 4:30 in the 
evening Monday through Friday.

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00:27:36,420 --> 00:27:39,840
Max says he couldn't have made it throughout the support of his friends  

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00:27:39,840 --> 00:27:41,820
and partner, who cooked him dinner every night,  

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00:27:41,820 --> 00:27:46,320
and encouraged him every assignment. Your hard work paid off congratulations, Max.

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00:27:53,580 --> 00:27:58,980
I will now invite Hei Hei Depew. The employee elected trustee to finish presenting our final graduates.

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00:28:05,700 --> 00:28:10,680
[Hei Hei] All right. thank you, Marcy. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of this really amazing  

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00:28:10,680 --> 00:28:16,080
day to recognize my fellow Cornell colleagues on their achievements. I'm really proud of you all,  

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00:28:16,800 --> 00:28:21,180
and let's continue on. The first 
graduate I will present is Sean

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00:28:21,180 --> 00:28:24,820
Mansfield. Sean received his masters of...

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00:28:28,920 --> 00:28:32,040
Business administration from 
the SC Johnson College of Business,  

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00:28:32,040 --> 00:28:36,480
through the employee degree program. 
Shawn is a visiting lecture with ROTC  

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00:28:36,480 --> 00:28:40,440
and has been with Cornell for 3 years. 
As we've heard from past graduates,  

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00:28:40,440 --> 00:28:45,420
it's not easy to balance work school and a personal life. We hope this experience and  

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00:28:45,420 --> 00:28:49,200
new skill set will contribute to your next goal. Congratulations on this achievement.

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00:28:55,080 --> 00:28:57,840
The next graduate, I will announce, is Julie McGee.

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00:29:04,620 --> 00:29:09,120
She received her Associate Arts degree from Syracuse University's College of Professional  

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00:29:09,120 --> 00:29:14,400
Studies, Julie utilize the tuition Tuition 
Aid program to complete her degree. Julie

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00:29:14,400 --> 00:29:19,500
has been with Cornell seven years and works at the cal... at the Veterinary college as a registrar  

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00:29:19,500 --> 00:29:24,120
and curriculum support specialists. Julie shared that it was quite stressful at times,  

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00:29:24,120 --> 00:29:28,800
balancing a full time job and two career advancements. All during the pandemic.

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00:29:28,800 --> 00:29:32,520
Through this experience she  discovered a new love of hard work and  

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00:29:32,520 --> 00:29:34,680
dedication that she will forever be proud of.

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00:29:34,680 --> 00:29:39,420
Julie is extremely grateful for the support of her supervisor and colleagues,  

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00:29:39,420 --> 00:29:42,960
and thanks her husband and son for 
their motivation. Their belief in  

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00:29:42,960 --> 00:29:45,420
her was unmatched. Congratulations. Julie.

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00:29:51,060 --> 00:29:54,780
Our next graduate, is Andrea Marie Rose.

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00:30:00,360 --> 00:30:04,200
Andrea completed a masters of 
science in legal studies from  

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00:30:04,200 --> 00:30:06,480
Cornell's Law School through 
the employee degree program.

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00:30:06,480 --> 00:30:09,060
Andrea is the coordinator of program  

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00:30:09,060 --> 00:30:13,440
operations for the SC Johnson College 
of Business Executive MBA programs

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00:30:13,440 --> 00:30:16,260
and has been at Cornell for ten and a half years.

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00:30:16,260 --> 00:30:19,860
Andrea chose this area of study to better understand law.  

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00:30:19,860 --> 00:30:25,020
The MSLS program provided a solid 
bond foundation in all areas of law

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00:30:25,020 --> 00:30:30,660
and complemented Andrea's research 
which began as a journalism student at NYU.

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00:30:30,660 --> 00:30:32,700
Being a first-generation student

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00:30:32,700 --> 00:30:36,060
was Andrea's inspiration to keep 
moving forward through the program.

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00:30:36,060 --> 00:30:40,080
Andrea says that; "although my parents were not here to watch me walk  

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00:30:40,080 --> 00:30:44,880
down the aisle. They always wanted me to get a Master's degree or go to law school. Being in  

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00:30:44,880 --> 00:30:50,460
the MSLS program has fulfilled their dream and mine." We're all so proud of you, Andrea.

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00:30:50,460 --> 00:30:51,600
Congratulations.

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00:30:58,260 --> 00:30:59,820
Our next graduate is Chris Savinio.

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00:30:59,820 --> 00:31:12,420
Chris received his executive master 
of business administration from the Samuel Curtis  

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00:31:12,420 --> 00:31:16,740
Johnson Graduate School of Management through the employee degree program. Chris has been at  

357
00:31:16,740 --> 00:31:22,500
Cornell for over 7 years and currently works as a financial specialist with CALS. Chris felt  

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00:31:22,500 --> 00:31:27,300
unending support and encouragement from his wife, Serena and their kiddos, Ryan and Leah.

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00:31:27,300 --> 00:31:30,300
Chris shared that a memorable moment for him happened  

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00:31:30,300 --> 00:31:33,600
at the Cornell Tech campus during a 
New York City residential session.

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00:31:33,600 --> 00:31:38,280
He shared a midnight toast in an open, uninhabited field on Roosevelt Island  

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00:31:38,280 --> 00:31:43,920
with a 360 degree panoramic view of the city as a nighttime backdrop. Pretty nice!

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00:31:43,920 --> 00:31:47,580
What an amazing experience you must have had,  

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00:31:47,580 --> 00:31:49,500
Chris. Congratulations on your achievement.

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00:32:06,347 --> 00:32:11,220
Daniel Schied is our next graduate who received a bachelor of business management,  

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00:32:11,220 --> 00:32:16,140
economics and finance from Empire State through the tuition aid program. Daniel  

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00:32:16,140 --> 00:32:20,820
is the director of FCS-FM Grounds, 
and has been at Cornell for seven years.

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00:32:20,820 --> 00:32:24,960
As a director, Dan spends 
significant time running the business  

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00:32:24,960 --> 00:32:29,460
of grounds. He combined his experience as a business owner with his grounds and  

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00:32:29,460 --> 00:32:33,600
facilities profession making his business degree through Empire State possible.

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00:32:33,600 --> 00:32:37,680
Dan felt especially supported 
by his hiring supervisor at Cornell,  

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00:32:37,680 --> 00:32:42,900
who asked him if he had ever considered continuing his own education. Dan took  

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00:32:42,900 --> 00:32:45,780
the challenge, and with one course 
at a time completed the necessary  

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00:32:45,780 --> 00:32:49,620
credits for his degree. What an amazing journey. Thank you, Dan. Congratulations.

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00:32:56,280 --> 00:32:59,221
Our next graduate is Pooja Sen.

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00:33:05,880 --> 00:33:12,660
Who received her master of public health and her masters of public Health in infectious disease and  

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00:33:12,660 --> 00:33:16,440
epidemiology. From Cornell University. 
Through the employee degree program,  

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00:33:16,440 --> 00:33:20,520
Pooja has been working at Cornell for 
for 6 years and currently works in  

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00:33:20,520 --> 00:33:26,280
the Hospital for animals as an INC section coordinator and license veterinary technician.

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00:33:26,280 --> 00:33:31,260
Pooja chose this degree because she saw it as a way to combine her undergraduate degree  

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00:33:31,260 --> 00:33:38,160
in wildlife science and her veterinary technician license. During her journey Pooja felt supported  

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00:33:38,160 --> 00:33:44,580
by her supervisor, who supported her adjusted her work schedule to accommodate her school work. The  

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00:33:44,580 --> 00:33:48,960
professors in the MPH program were amazing. They always made sure to check in with her,  

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00:33:48,960 --> 00:33:54,480
to ensure she was finding balance between school work and her personal life. Congratulations Pooja.

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00:34:01,440 --> 00:34:03,630
Our next graduate is Karen T. Siewert.

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00:34:03,630 --> 00:34:14,400
Karen received a masters in human 
resource management from Cornell University  

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00:34:14,400 --> 00:34:18,120
School of Industrial and Labor Relations through the Employee degree program.

388
00:34:18,120 --> 00:34:21,120
Karen is the director for the center of Advanced HR 

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00:34:21,120 --> 00:34:25,020
Studies in the ILR School and has 
been at Cornell for 10 years.

390
00:34:25,020 --> 00:34:28,920
Karen chose this area of study because she was always drawn to the ability  

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00:34:28,920 --> 00:34:33,780
to work with business leaders to solve problems and grow healthy and inclusive organizations.

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00:34:33,780 --> 00:34:37,860
When Karen came to Cornell's ILR school she had the opportunity to  

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00:34:37,860 --> 00:34:42,060
work with amazing faculty in the HR 
Studies department and motivated her  

394
00:34:42,060 --> 00:34:45,360
to want to become a student, and deep in her HR expertise.

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00:34:45,360 --> 00:34:49,980
A memorable moment for Karen occurred while attending Cornell hockey  

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00:34:49,980 --> 00:34:53,040
games while soaking in the chants from the crowd she realized that  

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00:34:53,040 --> 00:34:56,940
she had joined a community that is 
strong, vibrant, and full of pride.

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00:34:56,940 --> 00:35:01,620
"It made me realize how lucky I have 
been to be a part of this master's program", she  

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00:35:01,620 --> 00:35:06,660
said, "the connections I have made with my cohort and the faculty will be lifelong. Go Big Red."

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00:35:14,280 --> 00:35:18,175
Congratulations. 
Natasha Steinhall...

401
00:35:23,580 --> 00:35:28,560
received her master of public administration from Cornell's Brooks School of Public Policy  

402
00:35:28,560 --> 00:35:33,000
through the employee degree program. Natasha has been at Cornell for nine years, and currently  

403
00:35:33,000 --> 00:35:38,220
serves as the Academic DEI Education Program Manager for the Intergroup Dialogue Project.

404
00:35:38,220 --> 00:35:42,240
Natasha gives a big shout out to her supervisor and friend Adi,  

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00:35:42,240 --> 00:35:45,840
who has encouraged her since day one. Natasha claims she could not  

406
00:35:45,840 --> 00:35:49,380
have made it here without her support. 
You made it, Natasha congratulations.

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00:35:56,340 --> 00:35:58,440
Our next graduate is Amy Stewart.

408
00:36:05,760 --> 00:36:10,200
Amy completed a master of science in 
organizational behavior from Cornell's  

409
00:36:10,200 --> 00:36:14,580
University School of Industrial and Labor Relations through the employee degree program.

410
00:36:14,580 --> 00:36:18,420
Amy is a tech events manager for entrepreneurship at Cornell,  

411
00:36:18,420 --> 00:36:23,340
within the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and has been at Cornell for 18 years

412
00:36:23,340 --> 00:36:28,320
studying microorganizational 
behavior has helped Amy improve the  

413
00:36:28,320 --> 00:36:32,340
impact of hackathons on students through creativity and entrepreneurial thinking.

414
00:36:32,340 --> 00:36:35,880
Amy prepared a year in advance with a balanced balancing  

415
00:36:35,880 --> 00:36:39,840
act of completing her program. She spent many early mornings doing school work.

416
00:36:39,840 --> 00:36:44,880
getting her kids to school, and then 
transitioning to her regular work day. Amy says;  

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00:36:44,880 --> 00:36:48,600
"this degree was not completed quickly. But what's important is that it was completed,  

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00:36:48,600 --> 00:36:50,940
and that's something to be 
proud of." Congratulations.

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00:36:59,040 --> 00:37:01,440
Our final graduate is Darby Warf.

420
00:37:08,460 --> 00:37:13,380
Darby completed a master of public health in infectious disease. And it's epidemiology from  

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00:37:13,380 --> 00:37:17,580
Cornell University. These Samuel Curtis Johnson graduate school of management  

422
00:37:17,580 --> 00:37:22,260
through the employee degree program. Darby is a licensed veterinary technician at the  

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00:37:22,260 --> 00:37:25,800
small animal, intensive care unit, 
and has been at Cornell for six years.

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00:37:25,800 --> 00:37:29,640
When asked how she managed classes, work and home. Darby said  

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00:37:29,640 --> 00:37:33,540
that time management was the number one thing that helps her balance everything.

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00:37:33,540 --> 00:37:37,980
She allowed herself one day a week to relax and not do any school  

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00:37:37,980 --> 00:37:41,700
work. This was extremely important 
to Darby. Throughout her journey  

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00:37:41,700 --> 00:37:47,220
Darby commends the support of the faculty and staff of her MPH program as well as  

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00:37:47,220 --> 00:37:51,240
her supervisors. You've made it to the 
end of the day, Darby congratulations

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00:37:58,860 --> 00:38:03,180
Before we wrap up. We also want to acknowledge the following graduates, who have not

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00:38:03,180 --> 00:38:06,840
been able to be in attendance 
today. They are Caitlin Baldwin.

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00:38:12,240 --> 00:38:13,680
Vin Ciamplillo.

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00:38:17,240 --> 00:38:19,320
Keri Greenberg.

434
00:38:22,400 --> 00:38:24,120
Adam MacDonald.

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00:38:29,040 --> 00:38:29,880
Omyia Olson-Damaj.

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Tyler Trainor.

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Please join me in a final round of  

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applause for all of our graduates. We applaud your amazing achievement.

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I will now ask Christine to 
get back up here for closing.

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[Christine] Graduates congratulations again,  

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and it's truly a unique opportunity to be 
able to experience Cornell to the lens of

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both an employee and a student. I hope that you find ways to weed the new experiences  

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and empathy into your work. As we continue to... continue to support our educational mission

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today is proof that the best staff, choose Cornell,  

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and use their benefits to expand themselves and their opportunities. Congratulations on a job  

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well done as a token of your accomplishments. You will find a gift on the back table that you  

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can grab on your way out. Please feel free to stay and mingle and enjoy the reception.

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If you have not already done so, you can take a picture in front of  

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a little banner right outside the front 
door. And on behalf of President Pollack,  

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the Employee Assembly and myself, we thank you for all for coming tonight  

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and for joining us online, and that includes concludes our program. Enjoy your evening.