Graduates, parents, faculty and friends dug out from the snow last week just in time to celebrate two beautiful Winter Commencement Ceremonies at Framingham State University.

A total of 523 degrees were conferred during separate ceremonies for undergraduate and graduate students in the Dwight Hall Performing Arts Center.

“It’s my hope that your time at Framingham State has instilled in you an intellectual curiosity that will remain with you for the rest of your life,” President Cevallos told the graduates. “I hope we’ve given you the tools to uncover your passions and achieve happiness and success.”

Dr. Robert Martin, former FSU Interim President and Vice President for Academic Affairs, served as the graduate commencement speaker in the morning ceremony. Martin urged the graduates to learn from failure rather than fear it.

“Progress in any field of endeavor is never linear – a smooth, straight path – but follows a crooked and bumpy road of false starts and misdirections where the end of the journey is not always known until you get there…if you get there,” Martin said. “And, most of the time, fortunately, nature is forgiving of mistakes so our survival is not jeopardized. Failure is as much a part of learning as is success.”

Undergraduate Commencement Speaker Colin Owyang, the Executive Vice President of Regulation and General Counsel National Grid USA and a member of the FSU Board of Trustees, encouraged the graduates to stand for something and make their mark on the world.

“College graduation is a major milestone accomplishment in life and you should revel in the sweetness of this hard-earned achievement,” he said. “This is your moment -- so enjoy it.”