{"690131":{"#nid":"690131","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Meet the Spring Commencement Reflection Speakers ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt the five Spring Commencement ceremonies, student speakers will share what they have learned during their time at Tech, as well as inspiring words of advice to their fellow graduates.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe speakers will be Anant Girdhar, Ph.D., aerospace engineering; Diya Patel, M.S., analytics;\u0026nbsp; Esha Venkat, B.S., public policy; Kayla Carneal, B.S., chemical and biomedical engineering; and Blake Reid, B.S., aerospace engineering. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAnant Girdhar, Ph.D. Ceremony\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile many would say their favorite memories of Tech were at large-scale, loud events, Girdhar says otherwise. In those quiet mornings and late nights on campus, he says, \u201cIt sometimes feels like I\u0027m unlocking a crypt of my campus experience as I recall specific memories while walking around.\u201d \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt is the things he learned from those memories that he hopes to convey in his speech. Only 2% of Americans have earned a Ph.D. and, beyond the new title, Girdhar believes that getting the degree is rewarding for the strong character traits it instills: curiosity, perseverance, and sacrifice. \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDuring his 11 years at Tech, he has also learned to be grateful for the \u201csupporting cast\u201d of his \u201cmomentous production.\u201d Earning a Ph.D. is no small feat, and it is never done alone. While it feels strange to move on from a place where he\u2019s spent so much time, Girdhar reminds everyone of one thing: \u201cNo matter where you go, or what life throws your way, you will always be a Yellow Jacket.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAfter graduation, he will move to Chicago to begin work as an associate at McKinsey \u0026amp; Company.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDiya Patel, Master\u2019s Ceremony\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs Patel prepares for her Commencement speech, she is reflecting on the constant encouragement she\u2019s received from her parents. Though they never had the opportunity to attend college, \u201cthe opportunity to end my college career as the Commencement reflection speaker is an ode to their years of hard work,\u201d she said. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMany graduates have their own definition of success. Patel wants her speech to be a reminder to students that their lives don\u2019t have to look like everyone else\u2019s. \u201cThe most successful people have lived life off the cookie-cutter path,\u201d she explained. \u201cTaking a unique path to reach your dream, whether you intended to or not, puts you in the same group as many of the most successful people we know today.\u201d \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPatel has worked as a part-time flight instructor for the DeKalb-Peachtree Airport since her first year and will soon transition to being a full-time employee. After finishing up her remaining flight time, she is looking forward to flying a jet.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEsha Venkat, Bachelor\u2019s Ceremony, Thursday Afternoon\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo Venkat, being a Yellow Jacket is more than a title \u2014 it represents a commitment to the world beyond the college campus. Her speech strives to remind graduates that Tech has given them the tools to solve problems, but it is their responsibility to decide who they solve them for and whose voices they are elevating.\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAs we move forward, I hope we carry a sense of collective responsibility with us, challenging the systems we enter, shaping them with intention, and building communities that are more thoughtful, more inclusive, and more just for everyone, everywhere,\u201d she said. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA public policy major, Venkat is the only speaker from the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts. She sees that distinction as something particularly meaningful, and she hopes to show students that the humanities are important in helping to shape the way graduates look at problems and find solutions. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECommencement may mark the end of Venkat\u2019s undergraduate chapter, but it is not the end of her time at Georgia Tech. Part of the B.S.\/M.S. program in public policy, she will be staying one more year to get her master\u2019s degree. After that, she is looking forward to expanding her nonprofit, NEST4US, which mobilizes volunteers worldwide, and celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EKayla Carneal, Bachelor\u2019s Ceremony, Friday Morning\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cFail early and fail often\u201d is a mindset Carneal spent her undergraduate years learning to follow. For Techstudents, it\u2019s easy to feel as though everyone has it all figured out, and every time you fail, you\u2019re the only one who has made mistakes. When Carneal wrote her reflection speech, she wanted to focus on that feeling and encourage students to see failure not as a setback, but a necessary part of growth. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt took me a very long time to feel at peace with failure and the aspects of learning that come along with it,\u201d she said. \u201cI connected well with my NASA mentor, who encouraged me to iterate, try new things, and never fear moving forward, despite being uncertain.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECarneal is looking forward to an exciting summer traveling to Puerto Rico and the Caribbean with her family. Then she will start as an engineer at NASA, working at the Marshall Space Flight Center on the Environmental Controls and Life Support Systems team.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBlake Reid, Bachelor\u2019s Ceremony, Friday Afternoon\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWalk into the Library during finals season, and you will see a lot of tired, stressed students. Yet, to Reid, he sees it as a positive \u2014 at least you are all facing it together. Throughout his five years at Tech, this is the greatest lesson he has learned. \u201cI want to remind everyone that we didn\u2019t get through Tech alone \u2014 it was the people around us who made it possible.\u201d \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis camaraderie is a kind of experience that Reid believes can only exist at a place like Georgia Tech. \u201cThere\u2019s something special about being in a place where everyone is working just as hard as you are,\u201d he said. Aside from academics, Reid has also been a member of the Georgia Tech cheerleading team and other campus organizations. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI\u2019ve spent the last five years trying to contribute to the culture and spirit of this campus in a unique way,\u201d he said, \u201cso getting to take the mic and share what I\u2019ve learned about the Tech family before we all head out is the perfect way to close this chapter.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EReid will be moving back to his home state of Texas to begin his career with SpaceX at their Starbase location. He\u2019s looking forward to finding more time to work on his golf skills when he\u2019s not at the launch site.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Five students will share words of wisdom with their fellow graduates at Commencement.  "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFive students will share words of wisdom with their fellow graduates at Commencement.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Five students will share words of wisdom with their fellow graduates at Commencement.  "}],"uid":"36418","created_gmt":"2026-05-04 21:41:13","changed_gmt":"2026-05-05 15:29:17","author":"sgagliano3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-05-04T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-05-04T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680169":{"id":"680169","type":"image","title":"Georgia Tech Spring 2026 Commencement Reflection Speakers","body":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech Spring 2026 Commencement Reflection Speakers: (From Left) Anant Girdhar, Diya Patel, Esha Venkat, Kayla Carneal, and Blake Reid.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1777931248","gmt_created":"2026-05-04 21:47:28","changed":"1777931301","gmt_changed":"2026-05-04 21:48:21","alt":"Georgia Tech Spring 2026 Commencement Reflection Speakers","file":{"fid":"264411","name":"Screenshot-2026-05-04-at-5.36.56-PM.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/04\/Screenshot-2026-05-04-at-5.36.56-PM.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/04\/Screenshot-2026-05-04-at-5.36.56-PM.png","mime":"image\/png","size":2519704,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/04\/Screenshot-2026-05-04-at-5.36.56-PM.png?itok=czAwPU6w"}}},"media_ids":["680169"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/commencement.gatech.edu\/","title":"Commencement Schedule and More Information"}],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[{"id":"193157","name":"Student Honors and Achievements"}],"keywords":[{"id":"167101","name":"Spring Commencement"},{"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:stucomm@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EEllie Jenkins\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EInstitute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}