At Cornell's 2025 Ph.D. Recognition Ceremony, President Michael I. Kotlikoff celebrated nearly 400 graduates who successfully completed their doctoral programs despite the challenges posed by the pandemic. The ceremony acknowledged the personal journeys of each graduate, emphasizing the unique difficulties faced during their studies. Provost Kavita Bala highlighted the distinct nature of earning a doctorate, which involves becoming a world expert and contributing to human knowledge. Faculty speaker Stephen Ceci urged graduates to develop social skills alongside academic abilities to navigate the complexities of life beyond academia effectively.
Every one of you here has traveled a path to your Ph.D. that you surely never contemplated when you first arrived on campus. The pandemic brought you distance teaching and empty labs.
A doctorate differs from other degrees in not only the time required but also in what you do: Not only do you have to become a world expert in your dissertation area.
As you depart the academy, you are confronting a new world - one not fueled by academic intelligence, grades, GREs and publications. The world outside of academia demands different skills.
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