Greetings to everyone, and welcome to the College of Engineering’s Class of 2020 Celebration! You have earned the right to be called alumni of the UCSB College of Engineering. Hearty congratulations to each and every one of you, and to our new group of Gaucho-graduate parents, who raised you and have stood by you all the way!

Each of you has grown tremendously here, perhaps in ways you could not have foreseen — and may not yet fully realized. You have collaborated to complete complex lab work and capstone projects. You have presented to large groups and stepped beyond your comfort level more times than you can recall. You have lived and felt truly alive here. For all of those reasons, I hope you will always cherish your time at UCSB.

You deserve to celebrate with family and friends in attendance, and you will have that chance, as soon it can be arranged within our new circumstances. We are tremendously proud of every one of you. You have worked hard to get here and have persevered over the past few difficult months of the COVID-19 pandemic. One day, you’ll tell your grandchildren about this unprecedented challenge — and how you met it and moved forward undaunted. You can forever take pride in that. That same strength of spirit and will to succeed will serve you throughout your life.

Now you are prepared to receive your diploma and take your place in the world. You will go forward as disciplined thinkers with innovative ideas and new approaches to solve the problems of the world. You are talented and prepared, and ready to answer the call. Today more than ever, the world needs your innovation and problem-solving abilities.

On behalf of the entire UC Santa Barbara College of Engineering, I congratulate you and wish you great success and tremendous satisfaction in all of your future endeavors. Please stay in touch, as you are forever a part of our wonderful UCSB family.

Go, Gauchos!

Rod C. Alferness