To the VCU Graduating Class of 2015,
Let me be one of the first to say congratulations to you and all of your endeavors! In a little over a week, your friends and family will all gather in celebration of all you’ve accomplished. On that occasion I hope you look back on your years here at VCU and smile at how far you’ve come. You’ve experienced so much since you had your first meal at Shafer Dining Court and regretted it immediately after. You’ve learned so much inside the classroom and out, and if there’s anything that’s for certain, you are not the same person you were when you first started at VCU.
Remember the first time you saw the ram horns or made a wish on them at orientation? You may have even believed it when an upperclassman told you that you could talk into the hands and your voice would project across the entire plaza. As your days at VCU went by, I hope you came to realize that you’ve had your own horns all along. There so much that you’re capable of and your influence can be great. The horns are a symbol of your dreams and your potential, so keep moving forward! And like the horns, remember to stay open. Stay open to the opportunities around you but also to your own ability. You’re capable of a lot more than you think. Degree or not, you’re still learning. In fact, your experiences here were only a glimpse at the adventure ahead.
Remember your first night at VCU? If you were like me, it was in an uncomfortable dorm bed next to a stranger that you would live with for the next nine months. Actually, if you were really like me, you didn’t get much sleep at all that night. Your mind was racing with anticipation of meeting new people, classes starting, joining new organizations, or rushing for the Greek life. I hope that when you go to bed the night of your graduation, you get that same rush of excitement and anticipation. You’ve come so far, but still have so much ahead! This new chapter is going to be filled with so much adventure and opportunity. Even if you’re nervous or scared, that’s okay! Being scared just means that there’s something big waiting for you. It means there’s something that you’re passionate about, and you’re getting closer to achieving your dreams. Be brave; it’s only going to get more magical from here.
Looking back on our memories together, I really want to thank you. As a part of the VCU Class of 2016, you were the first people I looked up to when I got here. As much as I was intimidated by you at first, I know that my college experience, and those of many others, would not be the same without you. You were my RA, my roommate, my mentor, the first guy I had a crush on at VCU, the girl I secretly idolized, the people who make my day every time I see them. You were some of the first friends and best memories I’ve made at VCU. You are some of the most compassionate, determined and ambitious people I’ve ever met and that’s why I know for certain that there is nothing less than greatness in store for you. From your first basketball game to the first time you saw the James River, from clapping on the Compass to rock climbing at the gym, from your first college party to the long nights in Club Cabell, I hope you take your experiences and let them inspire where you will go from here. I hope when you look back on these few years, you are content and proud, maybe not of every decision you made, but how they all helped to shape the strong and confident person you are now. Virginia Commonwealth University won’t be the same without you here, but we were certainly lucky to have you. No matter where you go from here, you will always be a Ram. You’ve made it, now go make it real.
With best wishes,
Angelique Ellorin
I dedicate this letter to Jonah Ortanez, Christopher Nguyen, Luke Mitchell and Gemmalyn Agnir. Thank you for everything that you’ve been to me, and I’m so proud of you guys. Dream everyday and triumph, holla!