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Hello, Chargers!

Wow. We did it. We survived! Sleepless nights, endless assignments, and those group projects where one person always mysteriously disappeared—only to reappear right before submission. But here we are, ready to toss our caps and step into the real world.

For those who don’t know me, I’m Samuel Rathan Joy Alavala. I know it’s a mouthful, so my friends call me Joy—and, yes, I try to live up to that name, even when I’m running solely on caffeine, sheer willpower, and the strategic chaos of starting assignments at 11:59 p.m. My workflow? 90% internal screaming, 10% actual effort. Yet somehow, I still pulled it off—like some kind of academic wizard. I come from Warangal, a vibrant city in southern India, and, like many of us, I dared to dream big, cross an ocean, and pursue my M.S. in Business Analytics. But let me tell you, my journey here wasn’t as straightforward as my rĂ©sumĂ© makes it seem.

I originally came to the U.S. to study Computer Science—because, well, that’s the safest way to make your parents proud. But after debugging thousands of lines of code at 3 a.m., I realized... this wasn’t the future I envisioned. Let’s just say, watching AI do in seconds what took me hours was a humbling moment. So, after some deep soul searching—and desperate WhatsApp calls to friends across the country—I found my way to the University of New Haven and took a leap of faith into Business Analytics.

Now, moving to a new country is already an adventure. Moving across the country again after settling down? That’s next-level chaos. But I packed my bags—with excitement, uncertainty, and, of course, enough Maggi noodles to last a semester.

People warned me about the Northeast:
“It’s brutally cold.” (True.)
“People aren’t friendly.” (Absolutely false!)

I met some of the kindest, most incredible people here. And let’s be real, I also met more Telugu-speaking folks than I ever expected. I stepped onto campus and thought I had walked into a mini-Hyderabad!

Speaking of campus, let’s talk about our dear Orange Campus. I imagined a large, bustling university with the traditional college șÚÁÏÉç. Instead, I found a cozy little space where breakout rooms became our offices, and the cafĂ© became our hangout place. The coffee breaks that lasted longer than study sessions (even though I rarely drink coffee), the late-night cramming, the 7/11 cheese pizza, and the never-ending stream of memes we sent instead of working. These are the moments that made this journey unforgettable.

Let’s acknowledge the real test ahead: the five-year ticking clock known as the F-1 visa. Our biggest assignment now isn’t a capstone project; it’s finding a job before that visa clock runs out. Every international student I know is refreshing LinkedIn like it’s the stock market, hoping to see that golden word: “Sponsored.”

To our professors—thank you for challenging us, guiding us, and pretending not to notice when we were clearly surviving on two hours of sleep and pure adrenaline. Also, special thanks for reading our presentations—because, let’s be honest, YouTube tutorials did try to compete with you.

To my friends—thank you for the laughs, the late-night grinds, and for never judging me when I ate biryani for breakfast. (Absolutely no regrets.)

To those who sat through my unsolicited therapy sessions—you’re welcome.

And finally, to all the families—whether supporting us from the nearby or from thousands of miles away—you are the real MVPs. To my dad, in heaven, and my beautiful mom and sisters celebrating this milestone with me—this achievement is as much yours as it is mine. To every proud parent, sibling, and loved one: your sacrifices, prayers, and unwavering belief in us made this day possible.

And above all, a huge shoutout to God—because without Him, none of this would be possible.

As we step into this next chapter, let’s remember uncertainty is part of the journey. But if there’s one thing this class has proven, it’s that we are built for this. We came here with dreams, fears, and doubts. And yet, today, we’re stronger, wiser, and ready to take on the world.

So, let’s go forth, let’s conquer, and let’s do it with style—because once a Charger, always a Charger!

Congratulations, Class of 2025—we did it!

Samuel Rathan Joy Alavala ’25 M.S., who will receive his business analytics degree, was a finalist to serve as a student speaker at Commencement. The content above is based on the speech he delivered as part of the competitive process to select the student Commencement speakers.