Master’s in Cybersecurity Graduate Speaker Tells Peers to “Aim High, Dream Big, and Never Quit”
Sudip Kar was the Master of Information and Cybersecurity student speaker at the May 2024 UC Berkeley School of Information Commencement
Sudip Kar delivered the following address on May 18, 2024, at Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley —
Ladies and Gentlemen, our esteemed keynote speaker, faculty, proud family and friends, and my fellow graduates from MICS, MIDS, MIMS, and the Ph.D. programs.
It’s an absolute honor to stand on this stage, in front of the brightest minds in the country at one of the best universities, not just in the country, but in the world. If I have to sum up my feelings in two words, those words would be “honored” and “privileged”. I hope all of you feel the same because we achieved it together regardless of the program we were part of.
I have a long list of people who helped shape my career. First, nothing is possible without the support of our families. Fortunately, I have both my parents here today and my sister back in India.
I grew up in a middle-class family in a small town in eastern India none of you have heard the name of. Growing up, my parents provided us with everything we needed or wanted. I stand here now because my family never stopped supporting me, never questioned my decisions, or doubted my abilities. My mom doesn’t understand or speak English but I hope she is proud of me standing here and speaking to this esteemed audience. My family sacrificed so much for me, and continues to do so, that I cannot even begin to catalog those sacrifices because I will run out of time. So, may I please request you all to give them a round of applause… Ma, Baba, Bunu; this is for you… Thank you!!
I believe everyone is talented in one way or another, but everyone needs a mentor to excel. I have been surprisingly lucky to have so many mentors along the way that I cannot name them all, but I will fail if I don’t name the one who has been behind my decisions and believed in my abilities even when I didn’t. I met him in December 2017, and in 2018, he became my boss. He is an example of the difference between a boss and a leader — a leader in the truest sense. Fast forward to today, he is my friend, mentor, and family; right now, he is my photographer somewhere out there… Corey Solotorovsky. Please may I again request you to give him a round of applause too… Corey, thank you for everything! Thank you!!
The fact that I am standing here is a testament to the diverse culture this great university and the I School exhibits. Look around you and you will find people from different races, cultures, and religions, all under one roof working together as a team towards excellence. That in itself speaks volumes of the great culture this institution showcases.
I would also like to take this opportunity to convey my heartfelt thanks and congratulations to the other MICS graduates. I learned a great deal from y’all and during our academic journey, I made friends for a lifetime. If I shared a class with you, I will cherish the learnings, struggles, failures, and successes forever. All of that is precious to me. You guys are great and congratulations on this achievement, everyone.
Now, a big shout out to my Capstone team: Leroy Chee, Ben Leonard, and Anton Soloshenko. Brothers, I want to say, it was fun to work with y’all. We navigated a lot of personal and professional hurdles to deliver the project. I am proud of you guys. Thank you for your persistence and hard work and most importantly, for bearing with me. I know that’s not easy (ask my coworkers)!
As I said, I come from a very small town, middle-class family in India. How I made it here is a long story. It was tough — to say the least — and that story can be summarized into: “Aim high, dream big, and never quit”. Failures are disheartening but can also be a blessing. No one in the world hasn’t failed. To quote a famous saying: “If someone said they never failed, they never truly tried anything new”. Persistence has always been my motto. I hope we all persist in our dreams and never quit trying.
In closing, I would want to thank the MICS professors, faculty, alumni, I School student affairs team, and last but not least, Lisa Ho and Mary McHale for their help, support, knowledge and expertise.
To my fellow graduates — remember to “Aim high, dream big, and keep charging ahead”. Keep up the great work wherever you land next and — MICS for Life! Thank you!
