Long before attending the University of California, Berkeley, James McCloy worked alongside his parents—his mother as a janitor and his father as a landscaper. As a first-generation transfer student, McCloy said, “I am here because my parents pushed a dream they themselves were not offered.”
McCloy, who studied history, addressed more than 1,000 undergraduate and graduate students as the student speaker for the Class of 2025 Winter Commencement held at Haas Pavilion on December 20. Nearly 5,000 guests attended the event. During his speech, McCloy encouraged graduates to become “zealous advocates for justice.” He emphasized that graduates are not only inheritors of history but also its authors.
“What will we write?” he asked. “A chapter of comfort or of courage? A chapter of complicit silence or of impassioned solidarity? A chapter of unjust inculpability or of genuine accountability? A chapter that explains the world as it was — or that transforms it into what it must be?”
Chancellor Rich Lyons presented the Elise and Walter A. Haas International Award to San Ling during the ceremony. Ling received his Ph.D. in mathematics from Berkeley in 1990 and has since contributed significantly to Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore by establishing academic programs and helping NTU achieve global recognition. The award includes a $35,000 cash prize.
Ling shared an experience from his time at Berkeley when his dissertation advisor Ken Ribet announced a sabbatical in Paris just as Ling was beginning research. Ling decided to join Ribet in Paris: “That unplanned semester in Paris turned out to be such an eye-opener, one that eventually led to decades of close relationships with French colleagues and institutions both at the personal and institutional level,” said Ling.
Aravind Srinivas delivered the keynote address at commencement. Srinivas earned his Ph.D. in computer science from Berkeley in 2021 and is now co-founder and CEO of Perplexity AI, which provides real-time web search answers using artificial intelligence technology. Srinivas told graduates: “Your ability to have the best questions will be the single most defining skill of your life,” adding that those who make a difference are “relentlessly curious and ask questions about everything.” He urged graduates never to stop asking questions.
In his remarks, Chancellor Lyons reflected on lessons learned during his own time at Berkeley: “While we may be in the midst of a tumultuous and challenging era, the behavioral and social sciences teach us that unsettled times have the potential to facilitate learning, growth, and transformation, both personally and societally,” said Lyons. “While these times may be perilous, so too are they times of creative ferment and possibility, making it a prime time for you, our newest alumni.”
Graduates also reflected on their experiences at UC Berkeley throughout commencement celebrations.
Isaiah Shaw noted overcoming challenges after graduating from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School: “It’s opportunity, right? I had every chance to not be here, but you know, here I am.”
Shanna Finnigan commented on collaboration among peers: “The people make it No. 1. Everyone’s really smart, but everyone’s also so open to learning and collaborating. Nothing great is made alone.”
Gloria Tanui spoke about applying her education beyond campus: “I learned the difference between teaching people how to fish versus giving them fish… I hope being No. 1 translates into the real world and gives me an edge.”
