The 2012 commencement ceremony marked the end of a journey for the St. Thomas undergraduate students.

Several speakers took the stage, including Tommie of the Year Matthew Sullivan and guest speaker Antoine Garibaldi, University of Detroit Mercy president. The speakers left St. Thomas students with advice:

“Choose a good mentor who can give you advice in your profession and in your life,” Garibaldi said. “A mentor is someone you can talk to and rely on at any time and who will give you frank, thoughtful and unambiguous advice. Your mentors will also be good ‘sounding boards’ for you, and they may also be helpful in identifying professional opportunities for you. A good mentor will help you to become an effective leader.”

The speakers also gave the students some motivational insight.

“The first thing we need to accomplish is to have passion for the things we do, because it will make life that much more enjoyable,” Sullivan said. “Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and then go do that.”

The commencement wasn’t complete without some humor.

“When you enjoy doing something, your love and enthusiasm will spread to others,” Sullivan said. “Remember the words of a famous TV character, Larry the Cable Guy, who tells us to, ‘Get ‘Er Done!’”

Overall, St. Thomas’ newest alumni members were excited to share the milestone with their peers.

“It’s kind of this monumental moment in our life, journeying down new paths and kind of remembering the times we’ve had together,” senior Annie Henjy said. “That’s definitely going to be the best part.”

Katherine Curtis can be reached at curt1354@stthomas.edu.