Your Voice Matters: 2023 Student Commencement Speaker Brings Powerful Message

Sami Farrell represents what it means to be a Dragon at MSUM. Her passion for others and going the extra mile in academics and extracurriculars has made her an anticipated student speaker at this year’s Commencement.

Sami is a leader across campus. She represents the student body as the Vice President of Student Senate. She is a leader in Dragon Ambassadors. She also leverages her senate role to help make decisions in the Student Activity Fee Allocation Committee (SAFAC).

With grit, humility and heart, she takes on the honor of speaking at Commencement. She wants to encourage everyone to practice using their voice and to speak with confidence.

“It's okay to feel like you're the new kid on the block, but that doesn't mean that what you have to say doesn't matter,” she says. “It’s scary but you can do it; your voice will be heard.”

Sami will soon receive her bachelor’s in political science. With a dream to go to law school and a job as a legal assistant lined up post-graduation, she will continue to follow her passion. Like her message, she needs to be able to speak her mind and make herself heard in her future career.

She believes as students take on a new life after graduation, they need to know their voice matters.

Working in the senate, Sami was nervous bringing ideas to administration. While it seemed daunting to be a student among staff, she still knew that students needed a representative. She saw that administrators took her seriously and she learned to present ideas well.

“It's really a rewarding experience and I'm proud of the work that the senate has done this year,” she says.

She is excited for what the future holds for herself as well as her classmates.

“MSUM is about the family and culture that we have here. When we go to this next phase of our lives, we will always remember that we're all a big family and you'll find connections along the way,” she says.