USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance Commencement, May 15, 2026. (USC Photo/Michael Baker)

Remarks by this year’s Student Speaker. Full transcript below.

So Class of 2026, here we all are, facing the most bittersweet goodbye yet. As I look at all of you in this moment, I see a beautiful group of individuals, all so different from one another, yet each an integral part of a powerful, unified collective. Each one of you has left a mark on the Kaufman experience. The memories and moments we’ve had here will last long after our physical departure from this school.

Since year one, we have been bold with our imprint: from Mia’s Fresh Sesh being the only Fresh Sesh piece in history to involve the entire cohort onstage, to John reimagining the concept of stage lighting, Emmy having dozens of roses tossed onstage and Avery learning a piece at the last minute in an hour. The years that followed only furthered our drive and passion. We saw it with Tyler creating an evening-length work that seamlessly wove several concepts of themself together, Jaelin building a masterpiece sure to tug at every human emotion in just five short minutes, Ryan being the most easygoing yet efficient visionary of genius, Irena finding every way to transform dance from giant inflatable cubes to mainstream movement marketing and Ella continuously reinventing what it means to be coordinated.

Beyond what we have left onstage, we have poured unforgettable magic into the studios as well, with Enzy showing us how to be seamlessly hybrid, Kyson flying with every jump or lifting our spirits with just one petite battement, Kali turning as if aerodynamics do not exist around her, Andrea leaving us floored with every cypher and, let us not forget, Cat switching from character heels to pointe shoes in the same piece. Not to mention, where would we all be in the studio without Countress Emily and her brain, which works faster than a computer?

I think it is fair to say we have also had our fair share of fun while in college. No one compares to the exquisitely tasteful curating from DJ Ninabutterfly or the radiating joy spread by Jayde when it comes to shakedat energy. All the while, Rhae has been our group chat mascot for years and has kept us grounded in more ways than one.

As we approach the beginning of our careers, I know we will continue to be inspired by one another. Whether it is Travon touring the globe and Carolina gracing every company performance with her elegance, or Cardin crafting new inventions from scratch and Lincoln making music that complements movement like no other.

So here we all are, four years later. We have changed, made mistakes, been hurt, celebrated each other and learned so much. Remember when we got written up by the RA on the fourth day of freshman year? Yeah, not me. That never happened. Nevertheless, through it all, we have stayed passionate — passionate about the humans we understand ourselves to be and passionate about the humans we want to continue becoming. We have done the risk-taking, the resilience-building and the change-making. Therefore, we have more than earned the right to trust in not knowing what comes next.

The unknown is ours. We get to decide where to keep trying, failing and redefining who we are because we have proven that we will come out changed for the better no matter what gets thrown our way. May new people and new places allow all of you to rewrite the parameters of possibility in the ways you already know how to. I hope all of you continue to trust in taking chances on yourselves over and over, no matter where life takes us. Class of 2026, you are more than amazing in all the ways you want to be and all the ways you have yet to discover. Twenty-six up forever. I love you all.