“As a lawyer, you have a powerful lever. You have the ability to be agents of change,” former Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh told the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law Class of 2023 at a hooding ceremony in the packed Hippodrome Theatre on May 19.
Former Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh delivered the keynote address.
"Use your tool as a force for good, a force for justice," he advised in keynote remarks to graduates at the ceremony.
The hooding event is a special recognition ceremony for master’s or doctoral degree candidates. During the ceremony, a faculty member places the doctoral hood over the head of the graduate, marking their success in completing the program.
Students officially graduated at the May 18 University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) commencement, where UMB President Bruce Jarrell, MD, FACS, conferred degrees on the 2023 Juris Doctor, Master of Laws, and Master of Science in Law candidates.
Dean Renée Hutchins, JD, told the 200-plus graduates to relax for a moment during the “remarkably joyous occasion.” She encouraged the room to take a slow, deep breath as she listed their impressive list of accomplishments including representing clients in clinics, editing journals, assisting faculty with research, and competing on advocacy teams.
The relaxation however, is short-lived, as JD recipients prepare for the next big step – the bar exam. “It’s going to be tough,” Hutchins, “but you have the tools, and you have the talent, and you know that you can do it, so hang with it.”
Samantha Safchinsky, JD, evening program class president, shared the dean’s sentiments. “It’s an honor to stand here today and congratulate you all for this monumental achievement. So, let’s enjoy this time before bar prep rears its ugly head!”
Day program class president Kaska Watson, JD, reflected on lessons she and her fellow graduates learned during their time at the law school. “We know that we can adapt to new situations, that we can be flexible in the face of adversity, and that we can rise to the occasion when the going gets tough,” she said.
“As we leave this chapter behind and move on to the next one, let’s never forget that we have the power to overcome any challenge that comes our way.”