{"678795":{"#nid":"678795","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Meet the Fall Commencement Reflection Speakers  ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs 1,819 summer and 4,586 fall graduates celebrate Commencement across three ceremonies, three reflection speakers will address the crowds to offer their perspectives on their Georgia Tech journeys and offer parting words of advice to their classmates.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe speakers are Bilal Mufti, a Ph.D. aerospace engineering candidate; Rishi Bengani, a bachelor\u2019s computer science candidate; and Atul Verman, a master\u0027s computer science candidate.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBilal Mufti \u2013 Ph.D.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs an undergraduate student in Pakistan, Bilai Mufti saw a photo of Tech Tower and thought to himself, \u0022Maybe someday I\u0027ll be at Georgia Tech.\u0022 As he graduates with a Ph.D. in aerospace engineering, a master\u0027s in aerospace engineering, and a master\u0027s in computational science and engineering, Mufti wants to share the power of \u201cmaybe\u201d with his classmates.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022It\u0027s a simple word, yet it holds the power to ignite dreams and inspire courage. Through my speech, I hope to share a message about embracing the uncertainty of life \u2014 a feeling I\u0027m sure many of us have become well-acquainted with during this Ph.D. journey. I\u0027ll recount how my own journey started with a wishful \u2018maybe\u2019 and how it has transformed into a profound lesson about perseverance, community, and self-discovery,\u201d he said.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile at the Institute, the Fullbright Fellow challenged himself to keep exploring. Though he fell short of his goal of visiting every state, Mufti traveled to 42 of them while pursuing his degrees, getting involved with the Fulbright Student Association and the Pakistani Students Association, and earning a Management of Technology Graduate Certificate from the Scheller College of Business. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAfter Commencement, Mufti will take a break from crossing states off his list and relax in Florida before returning to Pakistan as an assistant professor to foster innovative research in aerospace engineering in his home country. \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERishi Bengani \u2013 Bachelor\u0027s\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAfter Commencement, Rishi Bengani knows that many of his classmates will go their separate ways, but he intends to leave them with the message of a shared bond that will last a lifetime as Yellow Jackets. He adds that it\u0027s important to celebrate the successes and obstacles overcome on the way to turning their tassels.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cEnjoy the journey as much as the destination. Life isn\u0027t just about crossing the finish line. It\u0027s about tripping a little, laughing at yourself, and making sure you\u0027ve got some great stories to tell along the way,\u0022 he said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBengani will graduate with a computer science degree with plans to pursue his passions as an entrepreneur. He credits the Institute for allowing him to hone his skills through experiences with Startup Exchange GT, AI ATL, and CREATE-X.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAlong with his academic pursuits and joining the Student Alumni Association, Bengani says that cultural involvement was a core element of his Georgia Tech experience, joining the Ramblin\u2019 Raas \u2014 a student organization celebrating the Gujarati folk dance. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAfter Commencement, Bengani will spend time traveling and mentoring his high school\u0027s robotics team before moving to New York to join Deloitte as an AI and data consultant engineer. \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAtul Verma \u2013 Master\u0027s\u003C\/strong\u003E \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUnlike many of his fellow graduates, Atul Verma has over 20 years of experience in his field. From the podium, he will share the philosophy that has guided him along his professional and academic paths. Asked why he chose to climb Mount Everest, English mountaineer George Mallory once said, \u0022Because it\u0027s there.\u0022 Verma says, \u201cThat drive to take on new challenges\u0022 is something to be admired and replicated, no matter what stage of life you\u0027re in. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022At 52 years old, I\u0027ve been climbing all my life. But it doesn\u0027t matter when you start climbing. What matters is that you do. This degree, this moment, is proof that we\u0027re still climbing, still striving, still growing,\u0022 Verma said. \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile Commencement can feel like the conclusion of a journey, Verma will challenge his classmates to continue to climb.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022The diploma you hold is not the end; it\u0027s the beginning of your next climb. It\u0027s proof you\u0027ve already conquered one mountain, and you\u0027re ready for the next.\u0022\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"These three students will share their experiences with the crowds at Commencement. "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThese three students will share their experiences with the crowds at Commencement.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"These three students will share their experiences with the crowds at Commencement. "}],"uid":"36418","created_gmt":"2024-12-09 20:33:35","changed_gmt":"2024-12-10 17:41:13","author":"sgagliano3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2024-12-10T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2024-12-10T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675805":{"id":"675805","type":"image","title":"Fall 2024 Commencement Reflection Speakers","body":"\u003Cp\u003EBilal Mufti (left), Rishi Bengani (middle), Atul Verma (right).\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1733852118","gmt_created":"2024-12-10 17:35:18","changed":"1733852118","gmt_changed":"2024-12-10 17:35:18","alt":"Fall 2024 Commencement Reflection Speakers","file":{"fid":"259471","name":"Screenshot 2024-12-09 at 3.31.50\u202fPM.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/12\/10\/Screenshot%202024-12-09%20at%203.31.50%E2%80%AFPM.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/12\/10\/Screenshot%202024-12-09%20at%203.31.50%E2%80%AFPM.png","mime":"image\/png","size":3918722,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/12\/10\/Screenshot%202024-12-09%20at%203.31.50%E2%80%AFPM.png?itok=TBZEEjRx"}}},"media_ids":["675805"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/commencement.gatech.edu","title":"Commencement Schedule"},{"url":"https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/news\/2024\/04\/18\/what-not-wear-commencement-editionand-other-tips-your-graduation-day","title":"What Not to Wear: Commencement Edition"}],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"190493","name":"Reflection speakers"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:Steven.gagliano@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESteven Gagliano\u003C\/a\u003E - Institute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["Steven.gagliano@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}