Eller College of Management Celebrates Fall 2025 Graduate Convocation

Centennial Hall was filled with pride celebration as the Eller College of Management marked its Fall 2025 Graduate Convocation on December 18. Master’s students from across Eller’s graduate programs gathered alongside family, friends, faculty and staff to celebrate the culmination of years of commitment, resilience and growth.

The ceremony served as both a milestone and a moment of transition, honoring the academic achievements of Eller’s newest graduates as they prepare to lead and contribute across industries and communities.

In his dean’s address, Karthik Kannan, dean and Halle Chair in Leadership, reflected on the deeper purpose of graduate education and the confidence it instills in those who pursue it. Drawing from the Thirukkural, an ancient Tamil text, he shared Kural 400: “What is the benefit of all that one has learned? It is to stand with confidence before the learned.”

Building on this message, Kannan emphasized the significance of what graduates had accomplished during their time at Eller.

“Your degree from Eller enables you to stand with assurance—not arrogance—among other scholars, practitioners and leaders,” he said. “It empowers you to contribute to important conversations and to learn from others who have walked similar paths.”

The student address was delivered by Emily Christy, an MBA graduate and mother, who spoke candidly about balancing graduate coursework with family life. Her remarks resonated deeply with the audience as she reflected on the challenges—and meaning—of her journey.

“Nothing quite humbles you like trying to grasp supply chain management or business statistics one moment and then attempting to help with second-grade homework in the next,” Christy shared.

She went on to explain that her experience at Eller was about more than earning a degree.

“But here’s what I realized somewhere between balancing spreadsheets and supervising spelling tests: this whole experience wasn’t just about me earning a degree. It was about showing Claire and Evie something I desperately wanted them to know—that learning never stops.”

As the ceremony concluded, graduates officially joined the global Eller alumni community—one defined by curiosity, collaboration and purpose-driven leadership.

Convocation remains one of the most meaningful moments of the academic year for the Eller College of Management, celebrating not only academic success, but the perseverance, support systems and lifelong commitment to learning that define the Eller experience.

Congratulations to the Fall 2025 Eller master’s graduates as they take their next steps with confidence, purpose and pride.