More than 3,000 seniors participated in the undergraduate commencement ceremony at Hilton Coliseum on May 10 to celebrate their years of hard work toward earning their degrees. The afternoon was filled with speeches, music and plenty of cheering from family and friends who helped the graduates along the way.

“Commencement is the most important and significant ceremony that a university holds,” ISU President Steven Leath said during his opening remarks. “For our graduates, it represents the culmination of years of hard work and the beginning of an all-new and exciting journey.”

Brig. Gen. Patrick J. Doherty, ISU alumnus and director of Air Force Services at its headquarters in Washington D.C., delivered the commencement address.

“You guys are gonna rock moving into the future,” Doherty said to open his address. “You’ve got about 50 years of your professional lives [ahead of you] to do something with it.”

Doherty continued his address with advice for the graduates as they move on to the next chapter in their lives.

“There’s all kinds of negativity in the world,” Doherty said. “Are you going to listen to it? I suggest you shouldn’t.”

Doherty also reminded the graduates to take care of their families and serve the communities in which they will live.

“You start with yourself, you start with your family around you and then you expand it out to your country,” Doherty said.

Commencement vocalist Simon Estes, Iowa State’s distinguished artist in residence, and a brass band conducted by Michael Golemo, Iowa State’s director of band, performed “Without a Song” for the graduates following Doherty’s address.

After the graduates were handed their degrees, Benjamin Zelle, president of the senior class, spoke to all of his graduating classmates.

“Fellow graduates, I challenge us to make the most of every day and every opportunity ahead of us,” Zelle said. “Congratulations class of 2014. We did it.”

Jeffery Johnson, president of the Iowa State Alumni Association and a doctoral graduate of Iowa State this year, spoke to all of the graduates to welcome them as the newest alumni of the university.

“You too have a story that defines your journey to this moment,” Johnson said. “You persevered and today you and I are classmates for life.”

Kallen Anderson, graduate in dietetics and family and consumer sciences, said this moment was bittersweet for her because of the great memories she had at Iowa State, but she is excited for what the future has in store for her. Anderson is currently deciding where she wants to go for graduate school.

Yushuang Shen, graduate in interior design and the first college graduate in her family, said she was excited to receive her degree but sad that her time at Iowa State is over. Shen will return to her hometown of Shanghai, China, where she will begin working in interior design.

“I enjoyed my adventure,” said Wade Warnecke, graduate in history education. “It feels great to be done.”

Warnecke will head to Fort Benning, Georgia, to begin his training as an infantry officer in the Army.

“It hasn’t quite sunk in yet, but it feels good,” said Horaleo Ukpan, graduate in chemical engineering. “It’s been a long journey.”

Ukpan will begin working as a process engineer at the Procter and Gamble plant in Iowa City.

“You all have talents and gifts, and now it’s your time to break out on your own,” Doherty said to conclude his address. “You have what it takes.”