UMD’s 2023 Commencement will be held on Saturday, May 6, 2023, at AMSOIL Arena, 350 Harbor Drive. There are two ceremonies:
- 10 a.m. The College of Education and Human Service Professions and the Labovitz School of Business and Economics
- 3 p.m. The College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences and the Swenson College of Science and Engineering
Meet the Student Speakers
This year, there are around 2000 Bulldogs graduating with their bachelor’s degrees, doctoral degrees, or master’s degrees. The morning student speaker is Gavrielle Gunther – College of Education and Human Service Professions and the afternoon speaker is Amanda Fowler – Swenson College of Science and Engineering.
Watch as Bulldogs reflect on their time at UMD
Gavrielle Gunther – College of Education and Human Service Professions
Gavrielle (Gavi) Gunther is graduating with a major in psychology and a minor in biology. From an undecided start, Gavi found her focus through the UMD Psychology program’s “amazing people and amazing professors who’ve not only pushed me, but also just really helped foster my growth.”
Along with her studies, Gavi served as both President of Women in Engineering and Science and the VP of the Trap Shooting team at UMD (which she and some friends helped resurrect from inactive status), she was part of the Honors Program and also worked for Housing and RSOP. She most appreciated the three years working for Housing & Residence Life, where she focused on community engagement, support systems, and acting as a resource and mentor for first and second-year students.
After graduation, Gavi is going to continue exploring. Whether in corporate business, medical industry sales, or psychology, she wants to eventually make a positive difference. And that starts small, she says. “Change starts with just one person,” said Gavi, “but those small changes can eventually impact an entire system.”
Gavi’s journey has honed her focus of helping others, and taught her lessons she hopes to have shared with her advisor students along the way: “You come into college with an expectation, a thought of how your life is going to go and then that deviates greatly. But that’s what life is.”
Amanda Fowler – Swenson College of Science and Engineering
Amanda Fowler is graduating with a biology and biochemistry dual major, with a minor in deaf studies, and a goal of attending medical school after a gap year.
But she didn’t know that coming to UMD. She followed a love of science through different majors. “From all these different tidbits throughout my experience at UMD and shadowing and volunteering, it pieced together and it finally was this ‘Aha!’ moment.”
That moment came when she had the opportunity to shadow a rural family practice physician. “I realized I just want to know all of the science,” she said. “Being able to narrow down symptoms, and give people opportunities and options to improve their health is something that I really want to do.” “I want to help people and I love science,” she said, “and what better way to do that than being a physician?”
At UMD, Amanda also served as president of the pre-medicine club, co-president of Advocates for Reproductive Freedoms, treasurer and former president of the American Sign Language Club, and volunteered at the WE Health Clinic and in Dr. Amanda Klein’s lab. She’s also worked as a pharmacy technician and a phlebotomist and enjoys a variety of outdoor activities and creative hobbies.