Nearly 400 Harvard Extension School degree candidates and guests gathered at Memorial Church on Sept. 20 to celebrate convocation, marking a moment of unity and achievement for this global network of students.

This was the fifth convocation for HES degree candidates. For some, it was their first time visiting Cambridge, with many meeting classmates in person after only seeing them through online classes.

Among those experiencing this milestone was Jean Michael Lif, a Master of Liberal Arts candidate in international relations, who flew in from the Dominican Republic specifically for the event. Having only been on campus twice before, Lif expressed his joy at finally connecting with his peers face-to-face.

“It’s something really beautiful,” he shared, reflecting on what initially felt like a daunting commitment. Lif began his HES journey while working at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Dominican Republic as the financial coordinator for European markets. Lif said he needed a master’s degree that provided both academic rigor and flexibility and he saw HES as the perfect fit. Now, he manages a media company dedicated to elevating the image and culture of his country and eventually hopes to return to a role in government.

Welcoming the assembled group was Suzanne Spreadbury, HES dean of academic programs. “Harvard Extension School degree candidates put challenging academics at the center, not the margins, of their lives,” she said.

Spreadbury highlighted the extraordinary projects undertaken by past graduates, from partnering with NASA scientists to evaluate satellite data to collaborating with the North American Blackfeet Nation tribe on a wetland restoration project.  She remarked that while these accomplishments are noteworthy, they are also quite ordinary for HES graduates, emphasizing the academic rigor and support from staff that propels students.

Dean of the Harvard Extension School and Continuing Education Nancy Coleman closed the ceremony by addressing the group. Coleman acknowledged the unique challenges that many students have experienced in their pursuit of education.

“We cannot deny that our world is facing extreme challenges, many of which we’ve never seen before,” Coleman began. “We know what they are because we live them every day — in the media, in social media, and maybe around our kitchen tables.” Yet amidst these obstacles, Coleman praised the students for choosing to pursue their academic goals, particularly at a place as rigorous as Harvard. “You have challenged yourself in the pursuit of something bigger, and that is optimism,” she added.

Coleman encouraged students to harness this optimism, to use the knowledge they’ve gained at HES to push through difficulties and make meaningful changes in their communities. “Each and every one of you has the power to ask the difficult questions, to courageously change the course of your history, and the optimism to succeed.”