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Governor Jared Polis

Mom, dad, it never rains in Boulder. It's always sunny. Come on out. I'd like to thank President Todd Saliman, Chancellor Phil DiStefano, Senior Class Council for the invitation to speak for you today. What a great turnout on a challenging day here in Boulder, Colorado. And I want to say a special word to the parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends, other that are gathered here today. Thank you for supporting the graduates from this incredible process and of course braving this weather to be here for them today. Thank you to all of you.

Also, I want our graduates to remember that Mother's Day is around the corner, and you may think that earning your diploma is enough of a gift to mom, but make sure to get mom or grandma a card or flowers or it's just a couple of days away.

And of course, now to the class of 2023, congratulations on this incredible occasion. As you reflect on the time that you spent at the university, I hope you're filled with pride, a sense of accomplishment. It's your dedication and hard work that have brought you to this point and a future full of possibilities. One area of momentous change of so many during your time in the student is of course in the field of artificial intelligence or AI.

As you know AI is having a huge impact on our world. You got some cheers over there for AI I guess. It's also transforming education and you are really the first class to experience that. AI is being used to improve student outcomes, personalized learning experiences tailored to students needs. And with AI grading assignments is faster and more accurate. And you might even wonder if your professor is secretly a robot.

But with these opportunities come challenges as well, there are concerns about the ethical implications of AI in education when it comes to privacy and bias, how AI will impact the role of the instructor in the classroom and how we can ensure that technology is used in ways that align with our values and goals as a society.

Now, I have a confession to make chat GPT actually wrote my commencement speech up until that point, up until that point. But I’m gonna do the rest the old-fashioned way. I don't think there's ever been a cohort of students that have seen the vast changes that you've seen in just four years from going completely online to wearing masks to the practical, free, universally accessible artificial intelligence. You have seen a lot of change in four years or five years or six years. I know a few of you.

But wherever you go in life, one constant will be this special place, this campus that you hold in your heart forever. When you think back to your college days, the late nights at Norlin Library or maybe the late nights at the Sink on the Hill, you'll remember the Saturdays spent here at Folsom Field, cheering on the Buffs as they lost yet again.

You'll think about your freshman year dorm and the friends you made or the rivals who challenged you. You'll think back on the professor who changed your life, hopefully for the better. Well, I didn't attend CU. I went to Princeton which we call the CU of the east. I do have my own special set of memories here. Boulder is my birthplace.

This is my hometown. Every year my family attends the Shakespeare Festival, here at Folsom Field. We like to attend Fourth of July fireworks. I hope they're coming back this year. It's been a while and you know, these flagstone paths that you've walked have shaped the person that you have become. Your collection of memories is something you'll always treasure. The experiences you've had, the feelings you felt will always be with you when you think about how far you've come and what you've been through from pandemic to wildfires. I know that you feel pride buff pride. When it comes down to it, after all the classes you took and the papers that you wrote, hopefully you wrote, not AI, and the test you took. The greatest asset you're taking with you is your ability to embrace and learn from change.

Don't get me wrong. Your degree from your, this prestigious university holds a lot of weight. I did ask Chad GPT how much weight? It was very vague. It said diplomas raise in size from 8.5 by 11 to 11 by 14, with the actual weight ranging from a few ounces to a few pounds depending on the factors mentioned above. But then it got very profound and I'm going to quote Chat GPT. “However, it's more important to note that the weight of a diploma is not a significant factor in its value or importance. What truly matters is the knowledge and skills you gained while earning your degree and how you apply them to your career in life.”  Oh, one of life's great lessons is that change is inevitable. We don't always know what form it takes only that it will come.

Each of you today has proved in more ways than one that you have what it takes to succeed to face adversity, no matter what life throws your way. You know, often in the books you might have read in English classes here, there's a linear story ark. The hero begins a journey, encounters challenges from an antagonist who prevents him or her from achieving their goal. Then after looking deep in themselves and summoning their inner strength, sometimes leaning on those around them, the hero overcomes the obstacles in their way and achieves what they set out to do. That's a comforting path. But in real life, it doesn't always turn out in such a formulaic way. Sometimes in life we set out on a quest, and we fail.

Sometimes we set out and we change directions mid-way. And all too often, we aren't quite sure what the quest even is. And when we do experience our own hero arcs, the story doesn't end, but rather it gets more complicated. Because after you graduate today, the credits don't roll, the music doesn't play, it ain't over. It's just another beginning.

Throughout our lives we're asked to embrace change, to re-invent ourselves, to continue moving forward. This was true for Peter Quill and the guardians of the galaxy comics, according to the comics, Peter was born here in Colorado, which is why I chose that example to a human mother and a father like many of yours that was heir to a galactic empire. Peter lived a simple earthbound life as a child only to pursue an interest in space and of course, become a star Lord later in life

Or in the Last of Us where Joel and Ellie come to the University of Eastern Colorado to find answers. But instead, they find monkeys. Now I happen to be more of a baseball fan than a football fan. But even I've heard that the CU football team has a bit of change afoot, is undergoing reinvention. And we're excited to see the next chapter, led by Coach Prime.

Colorado's story is one of reinvention and change from the Native Americans who first inhabited these lands, to the Spanish settlers, to the state we know and love today, a state that proudly leads our country in tech, in aerospace, in agriculture, and outdoor recreation, in clean energy and so much more. In a state that embraces you no matter who you are or where you're from. And each one of you is now part of that ongoing story of Colorado. You know, according to the National Bison Association, Bison or Buffalo turn towards a storm rather than running from it because they instinctively know that it helps get through the weather faster. So, as you face challenges and changes in the next chapter of your stories and lives, remember you are Buffalo and that you have it within you to face any storm that comes your way. Once again, congratulations on this incredible achievement. I wish you all the best for a bright and fulfilling future. Wait, that one last line was from chat GPT, but I'm gonna say it in my own loud and clear words. Here we go. Go get ‘em, Congratulations to the class of 2023.