The University of Michigan School of Information celebrated more than 750 graduates at its 2024 spring commencement ceremony on May 2, awarding undergraduate, master’s and doctoral degrees across the school’s five programs. 

This was the second year UMSI held graduation in the Crisler Center, the home court of the U-M basketball teams. An additional 1,400 people participated in the ceremony remotely via a YouTube livestream.

Visit the School of Information’s 2024 graduation archive to watch the commencement ceremony and view the full photo gallery 📸

“It has become increasingly clear what an important role our graduates have to play in the world,” Dean Andrea Forte said in her opening remarks. “At UMSI, we often like to say that information changes everything. But whether it changes things for the better depends on the commitment, skills and discernment of the people with the knowledge to improve the way that information is created, shared and used. That’s you.”

Environmental economist Catherine L. Kling, faculty director of the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability, delivered a commencement address anchored in the theme of water.

A Michigan native, Kling emphasized the relevance of UMSI’s 2023-2024 theme year on water conservation and access. “Michigan is, in fact, a microcosm of almost all of the developed world’s major water sustainability challenges,” she said. “Harmful algal blooms, invasive species, industrial pollution, aging water infrastructure, disparities across communities, droughts” — a “treasure trove,” Kling joked, of issues for information professionals to address. 

“[You are] our future leaders in the science of information,” she told graduates. “Professionals who will lead the way to finding new and innovative solutions to both current and emerging social and economic problems.” She emphasized the importance of engaging in inquisitive research, without preconceived notions of what the findings might be.

Kling also spoke poignantly about the challenges graduates might face in their personal lives, referencing her own experiences with clinical depression and postpartum depression. Support from family, friends and university colleagues was crucial to her recovery from PPD, she said, encouraging graduates to ask for and accept help when they find themselves struggling with their mental health. 

Cliff Lampe, associate dean for academic affairs, presented distinguished student awards to Master of Science in Information graduates Joanne Huang and Jack Schmitt, Master of Health Informatics graduate Stephanie Preda, and Bachelor of Science in Information graduates Roger Barber and Grace Garmo. 

MSI graduate Bella Barrie offered remarks on behalf of graduate students. 

Having a degree in information doesn’t mean having all the answers, Barrie emphasized. “Quite the opposite,” she said. “We have spent the last chunk of our lives dedicated to asking questions of the information we have, challenging ourselves to see through the information for bias and injustices, and organizing that information to make it meaningful.” 

While she and her fellow graduates will pursue distinct paths, as archivists, librarians, data scientists and user experience designers, Barrie said they share “a passion for channeling information so that individuals, communities and perhaps even the world will benefit.”

BSI graduate Kushal Sanjeev spoke on behalf of undergraduate students. 

“Within all of these communities at the University of Michigan, we found ourselves in this one,” Sanjeev said. “I’m reminded of the immense privilege it has been to be part of such a vibrant and dynamic community. Throughout our time here, we’ve been tasked with understanding the flow of information through people and coding languages, discerning between what people ask for and what they truly need.”

UMSI graduates carry with them “not just a degree,” Sanjeev noted, “but a sense of purpose, a commitment to using our skills and knowledge to make a positive impact on the world around us, a commitment to continue integrating technology and change into every aspect of our lives.” 

Celebrations Following 2024 UMSI Commencement

Friends take a celebratory selfie in front of the Crisler Center. (Photos: Jeffrey Smith)

A small guest celebrates a big milestone following the UMSI commencement ceremony.

Graduates reunite with their guests in front of the Crisler Center after receiving their UMSI degrees.

A family poses for an important photo with their recent grad.

With degrees conferred, graduates departed the Crisler Center into full sun, joining their families and friends to take photos, celebrate with noisemakers, and collect their “UMSI alumni” pennants. The celebration continued in the evening at a reception hosted by UMSI in Ingalls Mall on the U-M campus.