Category: General

More than 200 graduates from the Class of 2023 had much to celebrate at Menlo College’s 95th commencement on May 20, 2023. 

All graduates received messages of immense praise as they reached this important milestone. Most of this class started their higher education as part of the largest enrollment wave in Menlo College history. They began on campus in the fall of 2019, only to be faced by the pandemic and in-person campus closure that following spring. Coming through online learning together and returning to campus in the fall of 2021, these graduates overcame this significant barrier as well as others to complete their degrees in business and psychology.

Strength, Innovation, and Community: Speakers Touch on Common Themes

Hundreds of family members, friends, and alumni joined the graduates on the Quad on a beautiful, sunny Northern California day to celebrate the graduates’ achievements. President Steven Weiner spoke about the Class of 2023 being “strong as Oaks.” He relayed that this class of graduates came back stronger than ever for their final year on campus, building important momentum for themselves and the College. 

Weiner expressed his confidence that the graduates would have “even better times in years ahead,” and thanked them for including Menlo College on their journey. His parting message was for the new alumni to continue to stay involved, paving the way for future generations of Oaks to follow. 

Class Valedictorian Samuele Mian ‘22, a FinTech major, congratulated his fellow graduates. He credited Menlo with teaching him “more than [he] could have ever expected,” and reflected on coming to know that Menlo is like family and a home, “a place where you feel loved.” Mian encouraged his fellow graduates to take risks so as to continue their learning journeys and to surround themselves with the right people who encourage them.

Raymond Juballa ‘23, president of the Student Government Association, echoed President Weiner’s sentiments, encouraging his classmates to give back to future generations of Menlo College students. He also commended them on maintaining their growth mindset – “Don’t be a complainer. Be an innovator.” – a Menlo College hallmark. Juballa advised that in the face of the pandemic, he saw the Menlo community come together. 

“We pivoted. We innovated,” Juballa said. “We saw a problem, and instead of just complaining and asking ‘Why me?’, we did something about it, we persisted.” 

Commencement Speaker Reinforces the Value of Education, Persistence, and Mentorship

Victor Nunnemaker, a first-generation college graduate and serial entrepreneur who rose above childhood adversity to become a successful father, business owner, and philanthropist, served as the speaker for the commencement ceremony.

Speaking to the group, which was made up of approximately 30% who are the first in their families to attend college, 98% who received financial aid during their studies, and nearly 80% who studied business, Nunnemaker’s story resonated with the graduates in attendance. He expounded on the value of education as a tool for embracing adversity and using it as a superpower for inspiration, learning, resilience, and drive.

Nunnemaker congratulated the graduates on “earning” their moment. Like he imbues in his children, Nunnemaker strove to relay to the graduates that adversity can be character-building, leading to “resilience, perseverance, and resolve.” He advised them to take “bold, calculated risks” and their current advantage of health and time, especially important in the face of the “exponential change” that is present with the rise of rapid technological advances, climate change, and the pandemic. 

Nunnemaker counseled the Class of 2023 to ask themselves, “How do we build resilience, adapt and thrive, when we are suddenly confronted with extreme adversity?” He relayed his own experiences of childhood violence and trauma, and asked the students to reflect on their own moments of suffering to give them resolve. Nunnemaker let the graduates know that “we each get to choose” and that “great things come out of the worst places.”

In the next part of his address, Nunnemaker recommended the graduates choose their company wisely and find mentors, sharing the moments of hope and encouragement that those in his life gave to him. He advised that eventually the graduates will find that “success begets success; it builds upon itself like compounding interest.” Nunnemaker pointed to education as “creating opportunity,” and counseled that every failure is an opportunity to learn.

Nunnemaker’s speech concluded with a reflection on “four “s”s: struggle, stability, success, and significance.” He advised that the graduates were likely on their way to the third, and then to “be a mentor” and that it was “incumbent upon [them] to pay it forward,” sharing how he created a foundation in his mother’s name. At closing, Nunnemaker shared a Winston Churchill quote: “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” 

95th Commencement Shines a Light on 2023 Standouts and a Bright Future for All

Other members of the Menlo College community played roles in the proceedings. Trustee Emeritus Charles “Chop” Keenan, III ‘66 gave the Declaration and Welcome, Sofia Costantini ‘23 sang the national anthem, Chair of the Board of Trustees Micah Kāne ‘91 offered congratulations from the board, and Dean of Arts & Sciences and Professor Melissa Michelson and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Chief Academic Officer and Dean of the School of Business Dr. Mouwafac Sidaoui offered special commendations to this year’s Honors Convocation awardees.

When asked for her reflection on Commencement, new graduate Thea Campbell ‘23 said, “Commencement was a way for me to look back on all of the challenges that I faced personally in the last four years, and what the class has faced together. My family and I were able to get together and celebrate all of the triumphs too. Commencement was a way of knowing that I am done for now. After the confetti went off, I was filled with excitement and felt ready for the next chapter.” 

Much as the graduates moved their tassels on their mortarboards, one of the steps marking the official conferral of their degrees, the ceremony overall embodied a symbol of change for the more than 200 now-Menlo College alumni. Speaking to the latest graduates of Menlo College, President Weiner summarized a major theme of the day: “Expect bumps in the road, and maybe even the occasional pig that flies, but my hope is that you will be open to learning from your experiences in the years ahead.”

More Menlo Stories: 

• A Story to Resonate and Inspire: Menlo College Announces 2023 Commencement Speaker Victor Nunnemaker
• Menlo College Reopens Campus; Reaches Goal of 100% Vaccination Excluding Exemptions
• Not Your Average Rankings: Job Placement and Personal Growth Lead to Newest Top College Rankings

About Menlo College
Menlo College was established in 1927. It is a small, private, non-profit, four-year, accredited, residential college located in Atherton, California. Menlo College’s location in Silicon Valley, one of the world’s most entrepreneurial and innovative geographical areas, has enabled the College to create a valuable market niche for its students locally — as well as globally. Menlo College cultivates in its students the skills, integrity, and passion to make meaningful contributions in an innovation economy.